What is Sound Walk Sunday?
Sound Walk Sunday is a global community event, celebrating outdoor audio, geo-located, immersive performances, sound walks and audio-enhanced walking pieces.
Sound Walk Sunday was inaugurated at the Made of Walking International Encounters at La Romieu, France on the 27 August, 2017, leading to a first map and directory of sound walks around the world, maintained and updated till today.
Sound Walk Sunday 2019 and through September will see the inauguration of new sound walks, submitted in response to an Open call that ran between March and July 2019, or created in the run up to Sound Walk Sunday, as a product of the events hosted in preparation for Sound Walk Sunday.
On Sound Walk Sunday and beyond we encourage, host and organize events related to sound walking worldwide, complemented with curated activities in selected hub cities, like London and Sao Paulo.
- The Museum of Walking will maintain a public archive of sound walks in an online directory.
- Sound Walk Sunday will facilitate a worldwide network of creatives, institutions and museums to share practices and knowledge around sound walks and walking pieces.
- Sound Walk Sunday will facilitate a network of collaborative educative online resources, available to the public, allowing broad groups of people to create their own sound walks.
The next edition of Sound Walk Sunday will launch on Sunday September 1st, 2019 and continue through September.
Who are Sound Walk Sunday 2019 organizers?
- Museum of Walking, London, organizer
- Made of Walking, co-organizer
Museum of walking
It was at the Banff Centre in the Canadian Rockies on a Walking and Art Residency in 2007 that an idea of a Museum dedicated solely to walking and art was developed by Andrew Stuck. The museum would be a showpiece for events around walking. It would promote walking and it would promote art and creativity and bring the two together. We chose to broaden it by inviting Co-creators to work together to create a variety of different walking opportunities. Our intention has always been to encourage people to dip their toes into trying new things, out and about on foot, giving them the chance of being more creative – “the art is in taking part”.
http://www.museumofwalking.org.uk
Made of walking
A global network, forum and nomadic gathering dedicated to walking and sound practices. Now in its 5th edition, it was organized in Greece, Cyprus and France, focusing on (sound) walks and sound & walking collaborative workshops, stimulating dialogues between performance, arts, literature and new media, with artists, writers, creatives, researchers and educators of different fields, sharing their experiences and collaborating on location.
The network extends to various cities and places around the world, and since 2016, next to the main gatherings during the summer, it organized satellite events and exhibitions in Brussels, Athens, Tirana, New York, Portland, Boston, Brasilia, Lyon, Belgrade, Lisbon and in Guimaraes.
http://www.themilena.com/made-of-walking
Who is the organizing team?
The Sound Walk Sunday 2019 organizing team is:
- Andrew Stuck, (UK) – founder of the Museum of Walking in 2007, and Sound Walk Sunday in 2017.
- NG Bristow (UK) – award-winning filmmaker and installation artist
- Babak Fakhamzadeh (BR) – digital artist, co-creator of Dérive app, creator of Sauntering verse, The Museum of Yesterday
- Grant Waters (UK) – Anderson Acoustics and co-creator of Tranquil City
- Fred Adam (FR/ES) – founder of the GPSmuseum, co-creator of the collaborative mapping platform CGeomap and of the Deep Time Walk
- Geert Vermeire (B/BR/GR) – curator, writer and interdisciplinary artist, founder of Made of Walking, co-founder the Milena principle and Urban Emptiness Network
Andrew Stuck (UK) Founder of the Museum of Walking in 2007, and Sound Walk Sunday in 2017, he has been collaborating with artists, performers and writers, to co-create a variety of participatory events getting people out and about on foot. He is producer of the Talking Walking podcast and co-producer of the first ever Urban Tree Festival.
Nigel Bristow (UK) is an award-winning filmmaker and installation artist whose practice encompasses classical narrative, expanded cinema, and para-cinema. Past work in these categories includes: CONTROL, winner of the Louis Mitchell award for best feature / short at Action on Film festival 2016; UNSOUND, showcase premiere at SXSW.He has been commissioned by: FilmFour, C4, BBC, UKFC, BFI, NIFC, NI Screen and the Arts Council.
Babak Fakhamzadeh (BR) brought photomarathons to Africa (2007) and has won a multiple international awards for his Situationist-inspired work. Co-creator of Dérive app, creator of Sauntering verse, The Museum of Yesterday and other mobile apps that help you to get lost.
Grant Waters (UK) of Anderson Acoustics is co-creator of Tranquil City, a project exploring our relationship with tranquillity in the urban environment to promote health, wellbeing and balance.
Fred Adam (FR/ES). Founder of the locative media portal the GPSmuseum and co-creator of the collaborative mapping and locative media platform CGeomap, co-creators of the Deep Time Walk app and Jungle-ized the app that brought the Amazon rainforest to Times Square in NYC. Expert in locative media, with a strong focus on environmental issues.
Geert Vermeire (BE/BR/GR) is a curator, writer and interdisciplinary artist with a background in musicology and the performance arts. His artistic practice is focused on mixed reality in performative contexts, relating to movement art, sound art and literature/text in public space, departing from social practices and the ethical involvement of cultural action. The intersections between locative media technologies, live electronics, contemporary music, dance and walking practices are a focus in his artistic and curatorial activity in a durational research.
Who are the collaborators/supporting institutions?
NuSom (Sao Paulo, Brazil) – NuSom – Research Center on Sonology at the University of São Paulo – Brazil is a center dedicated to the development of academic research in an interdisciplinary environment integrating disciplines oriented towards the sound studies, the critical reflection on music and sound arts, and the research in the music technology. The NuSom develops academic, scientific and artistic activities based on the following proposals:
- The integration of artistic production, technological research and critical reflection in an unified process
- The creation of collective artistic works focused on an experimental perspective
- The blurring of the boundaries between academic / institutional environment and informal production
- The addressing of sound studies issues through an interdisciplinary approach
hearing places (Melbourne, Australia) hearing places is an online umbrella for creative projects which unite sound and place. Its published outcomes include recordings, concerts, installations, performances, exhibitions, cultural projects, books, videos, lectures, events, festivals and reviews. hearing places is the experience of being fully alive in a place with all the senses but particularly the ear. Our bodies situate us physically in space and our radar GPS is constantly active. But the hearing places website is more than this. This site is a place for sound art which engages with place in all its forms: geographic, environmental, enigmatic, telematic, historiographic, electronic, imaginary, psychological, empty, indoor, outdoor, global, micro, cultural, forgotten, endangered. hearing places was founded by Australian sound artists Dr. Ros Bandt and Dr. Leah Barclay in 2012. It now connects artists and researchers across Australia and beyond.
Anderson Acoustics (UK) Anderson Acoustics is a conscious, employee-owned acoustic consultancy with a mission to make an active contribution to a sustainable future and improved quality of life. Expertise include architectural, environmental, building acoustics and soundscapes, spanning education, residential, healthcare, commercial and large infrastructure projects.
https://andersonacoustics.co.uk/
Tranquil City (UK) Tranquil City is a research collective helping to embrace tranquillity and best practice design that promotes healthy and liveable places within cities, valuing the context of local areas and the people who inhabit them. They engage with local communities, exploring various urban areas and communities to better understand the concept and use their multidisciplinary skills to help integrate tranquillity within cities for the better.
GPSmuseum (Valencia, Spain). GPS Museum – Geolocation and Creativity. A Locative Media database and a Lab around Location Based Games,Walking Cinema, Walking Documentary and Mobile Learning.
Department of Fine and Applied Arts, University of Western Macedonia (Florina and Lesbos, Greece). Organizer of Walking Arts Encounters-Conference Prespes 2019 in parallel with activities of Sound Walk Sunday. Co-organizer Made of Walking.
Placecloud – a geo-located place story telling platform produced by George Fort (Chelmsford, UK). During September they will offer their platform to the public to create and publish stories of places special to them: #mylandmarks
Echoes – a geo-located sound trails platform with which you can make your own sound trail or soundwalk
Who is this project addressed to?
Everyone, for instance, artists, sound artists, musicians, poets, architects, performers, designers, anthropologists, writers, wellness professionals, cultural and social professionals, educators, teachers, students and others interested to explore the impact and possibilities of sound walking.
What formats can be submitted?
When you make a submission you will be asked to provide an url from which your entry can either be streamed, downloaded or where participants can follow instructions or book for a live event – it is your choice of format, our recommendation is to bear in mind that as this is a global directory, there may be people who do not have consistent, reliable Internet access or mobile phone reception.
What could a Sound walk / walking piece be?
It’s up to you. Here are a few examples.
- A listening walk (a live event) – in which participants listen to the environment through which they walk
- A listening walk – in which you provide instructions to enable someone to take such a walk independently at the time and place of their own choice
- An audio-enhanced walking piece (a live event) – in which participants may be required to speak / sing / make music or sounds or listen to such elements whether live or recorded and transmitted through headphones or speakers
- A sound walk or an audio-enhanced walking piece transmitted through headphones
- A geo-located walking piece in which participants trigger recordings to which they listen via headphones
How can one make a sound walk?
Co-hosted with the British Library‘s digital research team, we ran a knowledge sharing and networking event in London on Friday 7 June – read more here.
To make your own sound walk, or walking piece, your context, focus and interests matter a lot. You could start at this introduction on how to make soundscapes, this somewhat more technical piece on the same subject or this MOOC on sound sketching. Over at GPSmuseum, there’s a nice list of tools for creating sound walks. A Pocket Guide to Soundwalking, is available on the site of Hush City Soundwalks for SWS 2019. http://www.antonellaradicchi.it/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Radicchi_2017_A-Pocket-Guide-1.pdf
Safety is of the utmost importance. Make sure the routes you choose are not hazardous, or that your soundwalk does not include defamatory content, or third party content for which you have not got permission to use*. Remember that when using headphones / smartphone it is all too easy to become so absorbed that you forget about what is happening around you or where you are treading, so please take this into consideration when creating a soundwalk.
*The British Library have drawn together a list of links to reusable content:
Here are links to reusable content on Soundcloud and Wikimedia Commons. Note that most of the material on Soundcloud is in .wav format while the sounds on Wikimedia are mp3s. There may be a little bit of overlap between the British wildlife recordings on Soundcloud & Wikimedia.
- https://soundcloud.com/the-british-library/sets/off-the-map-gothic
- https://soundcloud.com/the-british-library/sets/shakespeare-off-the-map
- https://soundcloud.com/the-british-library/sets/alices-adventures-off-the-map
- https://soundcloud.com/the-british-library/sets/british-wildlife-recordings
- https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Wildlife_Sounds_in_the_British_Library
Is there any submission fee?
No. However, we appreciate donations towards our maintenance and running costs and kindly request that, if you charge for use of your piece, you donate the equivalent of this to us.
Can I submit more than one walking piece?
Yes. There is no limit.
Who can submit?
Contributor from all backgrounds and nationalities are invited to submit sound walks / walking pieces.
What if my sound walk / walking piece is not in English?
You can select in which language your piece is available – you may like to consider providing instructions in both that language and in English as part of your description
By when must I submit a sound walk or walking piece?
To be included in the 2019 programme of events, it must be submitted by Sunday 28 July 2019. The submissions to the directory will close on 18 August 2109. Only submissions via our submission form will be included in the directory and 2019 programme.
What if my entry includes third party copyrighted material?
Entrants declare that the work submitted is their own and that they have cleared permissions for any recording for which they do not own. Its rights have not been transferred to third parties. Entrants assume all liability for any claim or demand by third parties, administrative, judicial or of other nature, concerning intellectual property or rights of the submitted work.
How will an entry be selected for an award?
During September, we invite the public to vote on the best Sound Walk made in 2019. The public vote will result in a “People’s choice” award.
Shortlisted pieces will be reviewed by a qualified jury composed of personalities from sound art & design and from walking art, who will assess the shortlisted pieces and award the “Jury” award. The jury’s decision is final and it it reserves the right to declare void any entry.
The Museum of Walking and Made of Walking will not be responsible for unexpected events that could impede the realisation of Sound Walk Sunday and its activities on 1 September 2019 (and during the following month). By submitting your sound walk / walking piece you attest that you have read, understood and accepted these rules and guidelines.
Why am I being asked to make a donation?
Sound Walk Sunday and the directory of sound walks has been developed through people volunteering their time. Maintaining the directory and organising the programme of events incurs costs. A donation from you will help towards alleviating these costs. Thank you.
What if I want to correct a mistake I have made in my entry after I have submitted it?
Use the ‘Get in Touch’ form, or the ‘Report a problem’ button with each walking piece, to report any problems or changes
What is a sound walk related workshop?
A workshop that brings creatives and technicians together to share knowledge and create sound walks and audio-enhanced walking pieces. Such workshops can include analogue techniques and or digital technologies.
As an illustration of a possible workshop, we are organizing a Sound Walk Kitchen in London, Sao Paulo and in Prespes (Greece), designed to provide ingredients and equipment used for the preparation of sound walks. It is organized for the sound walk cook to easily access and use what is needed to produce the dishes. It unfolds around a table where sound walks are prepared and served both individually or in groups. The kitchen is equipped with laptops, a projector, sound recorders, headphones, books, online tools, online sound walk editors, e-books and links related to sound walking, a printer, paper and pens and it provides a stable wifi connection and plugs for the users’ laptops and other devices. Our wish is that the users can use or ignore the resources provided to create experimental and unorthodox “sound walk dishes”. We call upon all interested to participate, and for the already more experienced cooks to volunteer in sharing their sound walk recipes with others present, next to provide us online materials, tools and links to your projects to inspire the aspiring cooks in our Sound Walk Kitchen.
Your workshop may take a very different form – we are open to fresh ideas – if you do feel like organizing a Sound Walk Kitchen yourself in the run up to Sound Walk Sunday or on Sound Walk Sunday we can provide you with a digital kit to do so.
How do I submit a workshop for Sound Walk Sunday?
We want to encourage people to make new work. If you can host a workshop that provides people opportunities to learn / make new work we would be delighted to hear from you.
To be included in our programme we expect you to send us, by email, the title, keywords, names of the artists/collaborators with 50 words biographical data each, 300 words description of the workshop, a weblink (if available), duration, start point/location, date and time of activity and possible repeat workshops afterwards, previous knowledge necessary/level of the activity, restrictions for certain groups/ages, contact information for the public to register for the workshop and a relevant image. All text needs to be sent in an editable format.
Send us details of what it might involve and when it will take place. Email us at [email protected]
What is the timeline for submissions?
March – 28 July – Open call for existing and new work, and workshops to run on SWS19 or beyond following to be featured in the programme – call NOW CLOSED
Early August – publicity launch of SWS19 programme with workshops in the UK and in Greece
We will continue to accept further submissions to the Directory of Walking pieces.
1 September – Sound Walk Sunday
Through September – a month of workshops / events; public vote for the Best Sound Walk produced in the previous 12 months
Does Sound Walk Sunday cover expenses?
No funding is available for the participating artists.
What does Sound Walk Sunday provide to the selected contributors?
Sound Walk Sunday provides artists with inclusion of their works in its online directory and map, next to promotion to a wide network of press, academic and professional contacts, and for new projects/selected activities for SWS 2019: a website presence, listing in the SWS program, and access to a growing community of sound walk artists/creatives, curators, and others working in the field of sound walking. We can also help with letters of support for artists who are interested in applying for grants.
Please ensure that your submission does not include a hazardous instruction or route nor any defamatory language.
More questions?
Use the Get in Touch form