community sound art – introduction

During presentations of sound art in the (semi) public space and community sound art projects the cultural, social, political aspects of the soundscape and the “multi sensorial hearing perspective” in relation to the community becomes more important.

In community sound art projects the aim of creating more awareness of the sound habitat and becoming aware of being joint owners of the soundscape with (creative) response-ability and responsibility to the sound habitat  of the community is combined with other community art based goals like:

cultural participation, social cohesion, increasing physical quality of a place, district, increasing feelings of safeness in public space, creation of opportunities for young people and unemployed, personal and or creative development, education, etc.  Depending of the chosen priorities, the development and the (planned) duration of the project, the social map  and social or cultural needs of the community, the financial budget and participating organizations.

By doing “tactile sonic interventions” and using the connecting and intervening characteristics of sounds and (composed) soundscapes  in the public or semi public space as a tool for bringing people together, creating talks and moments of discussion about the soundscape and their own activities as community members, by realizing a soundscape installation in co-creation with members of the community, by giving people a voice, sharing stories, reminiscences, creating sound portraits, the use of sound maps for the creation of a more “positive” sound image of the community, offering a more conscious hearing perspective of belonging together…… in the neighbourhood, city community and in a global perspective being part of the  “Global Composition”.

Sounds and soundscapes as a reflection of the identity of a place and its community(s); the  (sound) reflection of the changing social -, cultural -, political ideas and activities of a small – or super diverse society.  As the sonic heritage of a place and its community. As part of the hearing – and feeling, the sense of belonging together.