I’ve got some exciting news: we’re working with our friend Will Renel from The Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design on a new collaborative project and we’re looking for young creatives to get involved. I’ll hand over to Will now to tell you more:

 

Hi, I’m Will – an artist and PhD researcher at The Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design – part of the Royal College of Art (RCA) in London.

I’m in the middle of an exciting new research project called ‘Sonic Inclusion’ that aims to develop a better understanding of the ways that sound might include or exclude certain people from public places.

We’re looking for eight creative young people with Tourettes aged between 16 and 25 to be part of the project.

Some background to the research:

Hearing and listening affect everyone, they’re not niche issues.

There are however people for whom sound is a direct including or excluding factor. For many people with sensory sensitivities, those affected by sight or hearing loss, or those with conditions such as Hyperacusis, sound, hearing and listening can dictate whether an environment is socially inclusive or exclusive, accessible or non-accessible. Yet the relationship between sound and social inclusion remains under-researched in art and design and is narrowly represented in legislation and policy.

I’ve teamed up with Touretteshero to explore theses ideas with communities with lived experience of sound and social exclusion. We’re interested in working with young people to make art that sparks curiosity in these issues and creates positive changes in people’s lives.

About the event:

Over two days you’ll work with other young people, Will, designers from the RCA, and the Touretteshero team to produce material for a new art installation and podcast that will be exhibited and shared in 2017. We will also have the opportunity to create our own audio tour of Battersea Arts Centre in London.

We’ll be asking you to think about the ways that sound has included or excluded you from social situations and we’ll offer you the opportunity to use sound and recording technologies as well as interactive and digital media to turn your experiences into art and share them with the world.

We’ll be asking questions like:
• What does sound and social inclusion mean to you?
• What makes you feel included in public places?
• What impact does sound have on your social life?
• What changes would you like to see?
• Who should be listening?

Interested? Here’s what you need to know:

• The event is open to young people aged 16-25 with Tourettes or associated conditions. (If you’re a young person with another disability and would like to be involved, please do get in touch).

• The workshops will take place at Battersea Arts Centre on Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th December 2016 from 11am to 5pm on both days. You will need to be available for both sessions – but please get in touch if you have any questions about this.

• You’ll need to make your own transport arrangements to and from the venue but we can provide up to £40 to each participant to cover transport costs. Travel buddies from London stations to the venue are available on request – please get in touch if you have any questions about this.

• The event is open to young people from outside of London, please get in touch if you would like help to arrange overnight accommodation – we can suggest places to stay and help cover the costs.

• Lunch will be provided on both days.

• A follow-up mentoring session from Will is available to all participants, in person or on Skype. This will give you a chance to feedback about the weekend and to discuss your individual creative practice and goals.

• The content, location and focus of the exhibition will be decided as part of this event.

• Will is exploring the same ideas in other workshops with young people affected by sight loss – the exhibition and podcast may bring these two workshop weekends together.

• Places will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. The event is free but you’ll need to complete a registration form and commit to attending on both days.

I’m really looking forward to developing this project and to seeing (and hearing!) how we can work together to make thought provoking, creative new work using sound and technology.

Email me for more information and to secure your place.

The deadline for returning the completed registration forms is Saturday 12th November 2016.