Blog
Experimenting with sound
Four people we support have created “an amazing experimental sound landscape” in response to the archive sounds collection at the British Library.
On 29th March we celebrated the end of a three-month collaborative project called Unlocking our Sound Heritage with The British Library. Four people, we support in Southwark, took part in the project led by Judith, an artist, together with their support workers and myself. The aim was to create different artistic pieces and responses to sounds stored in the archives at the British Library.
Inspired by sounds from both the Wildlife and Environmental and the World and Traditional Music collections from The British Library, participants took part in several workshops. Throughout the course of the workshops, the project was developed and shaped following the interests of the people attending. The group recorded their own sounds, created sculptural elements to form a sound landscape, made their own records and experimented in layering different sounds.
Judith, the artist running the workshops, commented “Some of the making activities were really successful. There were moments where - as a group - we created an amazing experimental sound landscape, which combined archive sound and sounds made and collected by the participants”.
Emma Tutton, British Library Access and Outreach Programmes Manager said “It was fantastic to see the participants become more relaxed and comfortable within the library surroundings as the project progressed. The Sound Archive is a fantastic resource to inspire learners with complex needs”
I was involved in the project all the way through. It was wonderful for me to observe the four people supported to become part of and control the shape and direction of this project. It was fantastic to see their confidence grow over the weeks in a new environment and group, and to show off their work at the final session to other members of the British Library.
Lorna Slee, Quality Compliance Officer , Choice Support