Corn Exchange and 101 Outdoor Arts launch new Sound and the Outdoors programme
Corn Exchange and 101 Outdoor Arts form a partnership with The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama.
Marking the beginning of an exciting new chapter in the advancement of the arts, the Corn Exchange and 101 Outdoor Arts are partnering with The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama (Central), and their new Centre for Performance, Technology and Equity (PTEQ). This partnership has been launched after a £5.6 million grant from Research England and also includes Oxford Contemporary Music (OCM) and presents a new programme of industry events aimed at artists, academics, commissioners, presenters and public space bodies entitled Sound and the Outdoors.
The Sound and the Outdoors programme comprises two fantastic events hosted at 101 Outdoor Arts’ bespoke facility, exploring sound art in outdoor spaces and its ability to reach audiences and transform locations. The first event will be the Site and Sound Symposium (3 June), which will bring together artists and designers to research how performance and sound art can interact with the public in outdoor spaces. This will explore how the use of sound-led practice outdoors can create experiential opportunities for a variety of audiences to access arts, culture and collective memory. Notable speakers include Anne Bean (Bow Gamelan Ensemble), composer and theatre-maker Melanie Wilson (all of it; The Royal Court Theatre), award-winning conductor Charles Hazlewood (Paraorchestra), and many more. Throughout the day there will also be insightful practical demonstrations and academic panels.
This collaboration is a great opportunity for us to bring together the specialist strengths of 101 Outdoor Arts and The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama to create events which are exciting and valuable to both the cultural sector and academic practice.
Simon Chatterton, 101 Strategic Lead
Following this will be the Base Frequencies Lab (4 - 6 June), a three-day creative lab designed as a collaborative space for theorists and practitioners to share their ideas and skills in outdoor sound. Participants will have access to 101 Outdoor Arts’ exceptional facilities, as well as the opportunity to engage with outdoor sites across natural and built environments. This exciting collaboration has already resulted in 101 Outdoor Arts and Central co-hosting a PhD aimed at exploring how the use of technology in outdoor arts can engage more people in cultural experiences.
I am excited by this fantastic opportunity to bring together both practitioners and thinkers, to celebrate and reflect on the unique qualities of making sound work for outdoor settings.
Amy Nicholson, PhD Researcher