The team behind Middlesbrough Art Week and The Auxiliary Project Space are inviting us all to come and join the racket in Middlesbrough this Summer!
From 22 - 29 June the streets of Middlesbrough will resonate with creativity and intrigue. Audiences are invited to step into a world where sound becomes art and the ordinary becomes extraordinary…
Sonic Arts Week (SAW) is all about bringing sound, art and play to Middlesbrough.
SAW encourages visitors to live life with the sound turned up, not quite music, not quite art, but some weird and wonderful place in between.
SAW offers a packed programme of free, accessible and (mostly) family-friendly entertainment throughout the town.
Liam Slevin, Festival Director Sonic Arts Week: “We’re excited to be back in 2024 bringing you more marvels for SAW. A highlight from this year’s programme for me is ATOM which is our Sonic Arts Week bus and Jayne Dent is sewing up an innovative touch-responsive artwork which you won’t want to miss!
“There is so much to get involved in; spoken words, projected illusions, dense drones, soundscapes from a voyage to Norway & live music from left-of-field artists, so let your ears lead the way and #comejointheracket! “
Highlights include:
The Organ: an installation by Jayne Dente AKA Me Lost Me. Utilising conductive thread and technology to make the textile touch-responsive. Look out for this interactive installation where the more hands playing the more layered the sound will become; promising a collaborative and interactive musical experience for everyone.
ATOM: A sonic journey on the ATOM bus, touring round town exploring experiences within urban spaces of portals, spaces in between, shared encounters and meeting places.
SAW Creative Hub : Inspiring creative sessions at the SAW Creative Hub with Summat for the Bairns over at Unit 7, Navigator North the Hillstreet Shopping Centre. Construct a musical gismo, join with friends, family and fellow makers to form a DIY band and rock-out to your own tune! These sessions are family-friendly, open to everyone, fun and free!
Encounters: Expect curious happenings, strange sounds, costumed wonders, bearded bards and other oddities. The return of Encounters will bring the weird and wonderful to the streets of Middlesbrough.
The Junkoactive Wasteman & The Tin Can Twins: A Trio of self-proclaimed junkophillic, electro tin can playing, robo dancing ex freelance bin men.
James Watts: Layered visceral soundscapes from James Watts, an artist and musician based in Newcastle upon Tyne, with his bolted together, scrappy and creaking instrument bodies.
The Doom Orchestra: will be transforming Middlesbrough into a post-apocalyptic landscape of strange, noisy sounds, with bodged instruments crafted from remnants of the apocalypse, join us for this captivating and unconventional musical journey like no other.
Jayne Dent: Enjoy roaming conduction and touch responsive soundscapes from Jayne Dent as she takes to the streets with materials and ideas from her installation.
The Organ: Embark on an hour-long odyssey of spoken word poetry from Bob Beagrie in collaboration with composer Stewart Forth, joined by musicians from their collective Project Lono who’ll be creating a sonic landscape on the line of poetry and music.
Tees Women Poets: Enjoy performances from this performance poetry club for women.
Industrial Coast: Look out for gigs from Teesside born and bred Industrial Coast; they’ll be inviting world renowned musicians and sound artists to come and play in the town.
Header Image: Middlesbrough's Sonic Arts Week. (Rachel Deakin)
