
BE THE SEA







BE THE SEA
BE THE SEA is a project originally commissioned by Sea AIR, part of SeaScapes Co/Lab the creative engagement project for SeaScapes: Tyne to Tees Shores to Seas that asks:
how we can become more capable of living with and not just on the coast - in ways that are mutually sustainable with fellow human and non-human beings?
BE THE SEA is a collaboration between Louise Mackenzie, SeaScapes Co/Lab Artist-in-Residence, Hayley Jenkins, composer and lecturer at Sunderland University and Dorinda Kealoha, Intertidal Interactive Officer at Durham Wildlife Trust. Our extended project team includes field recorder and sound artist, David De La Haye and the Self-Publishing Lab at Sunderland University.
The BE THE SEA project centres around three methods to foreground listening:
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Attunement field-recording activities that zone in on the non-human sounds of the coastal seascape through listening and recording.
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Resonance deep listening activities and voice/instrumental activities that use imaginative and creative strategies to develop an empathic and reflective relationship with the coastal seascape.
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Resilience sound collage activities, sharing what the coastal seascape means for local communities and engendering ongoing stewardship of the coast.
Participants can join the BE THE SEA project to learn how to connect to the coastal seascape through sound-based art practices. We will learn skills in acoustic ecology, deep listening, field recording and expanded collage that will lead towards the collaborative development of a publication of “Instructions for Listening” to the marine environment and a series of sound-based sharing events.
BE THE SEA is inspired by theoretical practices of Deep Listening and Acoustic Ecology in the work of Pauline Oliveros, Hildegard Westerkamp, Stephanie Loveless, Barry Truax and Bernie Krause.
Sea AIR is part of SeaScapes Co/Lab, a two-year creative engagement project for SeaScapes, which is led by University of Sunderland. Sea AIR brings SeaScape partners together with artists, academics and coastal communities to explore ways we can connect to our natural, cultural and industrial marine heritage through socially engaged artistic and creative practices.
BE THE SEA is additionally supported by The Word and Stronger Shores in South Tyneside.
Participant contributors to the BE THE SEA project:
David Miller
Julie Lane
Alice Highet
Emma Mehta
Dharmendra Mehta
John Timney
Penny Riley-Smith
EVENTS
5 June 2023, 10-3pm
Embodying Sound 2
Workshop at Souter Lighthouse
Contact for more info and to sign-up
22 May 2023, 10-3pm
Embodying Sound
Workshop at Souter Lighthouse
3rd April 2023
Sound Walk, Field Recording and
Sound Collage Part 2
Location: The Wherry and Souter Lighthouse
2nd April 2023
Sound Walk, Field Recording and
Sound Collage Part 1
Location: Sandhaven Beach and The Word
11 March 2023
BE THE SEA Introductory Meeting, South Shields
22 March 2022
World Water Day Workshop on Roker Beach
29 October 2021
Virtual Coastal Meditation on Slacks.fm
28 October 2021
Intro to BE THE SEA on Slacks.fm
16 November 2021
Sound Walk and Field Recording at Hendon Beach
17 November 2021
Sound Walk and Audio Editing Workshop
Roker Pier and Sunderland University
18 November 2021
Sound Walk and Sound Score Making Workshop
Roker Beach and Self-Publishing Lab, Sunderland University
24 July 2021
Sound Walk and Field Recording with
Durham Wildlife Trust Beach Rangers
13 June 2021
Research Sound Walk with
Durham Wildlife Trust Northern Explorers
BE THE SEA is also supported by The Word, Stronger Shores and the Environment Agency's Flood and coastal resilience innovation programme.