Sonic Engagement: The Ethics and Aesthetics of Community Engaged Audio Practice

Sonic Engagement explores the relationship between community-engaged participatory arts and the sonic turn, focusing on the use of sound and audio production in these practices. It showcases case studies of audio and sound-based arts projects globally, highlighting the practical, political, and aesthetic potentialities of using sound in community-led research.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 332 pages
Publication date: 28 December 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Sonic Engagement delves into the intricate relationship between community-engaged participatory arts and the cultural shift towards audio, sound, and listening, often referred to as the "sonic turn." This meticulously edited collection explores the utilization of sound and audio production in the context of community-engaged participatory arts practices and research. The rise of podcasting and audio drama, coupled with the accessibility and portability of affordable field recording and home studio equipment, has made audio an incredibly compelling mode of participatory creative practice. This book serves as a comprehensive guide, mapping existing projects across the globe through a series of case study chapters that showcase exemplary community-engaged creative audio practices. The studies primarily focus on audio and sound-based arts practices undertaken by artists and arts-led researchers in collaboration with and from within communities and groups. These practices encompass a wide range of disciplines, including applied audio drama, community-engaged podcasting, sound and verbatim theatre, participatory sound art, community-led acoustic ecology, sound and media walks, digital storytelling, oral history and reminiscence, and radio drama in health and community development. The contributors engage in a thoughtful exploration of the practical, political, and aesthetic potentialities of employing sound and audio in community-engaged arts practice, while also addressing the tensions and possibilities inherent in this arts-led participatory research methodology.

This book represents a groundbreaking exploration, offering the first comprehensive analysis of what sound and audio contribute to participatory, interdisciplinary, arts-led approaches. It serves as a valuable resource for community arts, performance practice, and research in the digital age, providing insights and perspectives that will shape the future of artistic engagement and community development.

Weight: 536g
Dimension: 155 x 236 x 24 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367758370