Background: Formed in Saskatoon in the summer of 2015 by Travis Cole, Tod Emel and Chad Munson, the Unheard Sound Series (USS) is an ad hoc curatorial collective focused on experimental audio art. In our first season, we established a monthly curated program of live audio performances. Leading on the success of our initial core programming series, we curated a program for the Remai Modern’s LUGO event (April 2016), and we’re very excited to be curating the upcoming 7th edition of Sounds Like in 2017.
- Our mission is to serve as a catalyst for innovative audio art practices, to make the unheard audible. Creating live performance opportunities for emerging and experimental audio artists, USS is a platform for the unexpected to happen.
- Our vision is to bring wider critical attention to local emerging audio artists by contextualizing their work alongside internationally recognized contemporary practices.
We have pursued three primary strategies in fulfilling our mission:
- Seeking out emerging practices. At each event and through social media promotions, we emphasize our goal of presenting new work in development and especially the work of emerging or first-time performers.
- Pairing emerging artists with more established performers in order to foster critical exchange and a sense of community.
- In curating each event towards a theme, we look for opportunities to challenge experienced audio artists to respond to that thematic in a way that is outside of their usual practice. These collegial acts of provocation are designed to encourage innovation and risk-taking.
We value the freedom suggested by sound experimentation.
We value accessibility of performance opportunities for young and emerging artists.
We value innovation over adherence to tradition.
We value provocation as a means of avoiding stasis.
We value the immediacy of grassroots action.