The date of July 18 honors one of the early thought leaders in the realm of acoustic ecology, sound art and sound studies, Canadian composer R. Murray Schafer.
Each year a theme is created by someone with a deep connection to the act of listening. Lisbon-based film-maker, curator and researcher, Raquel Castro, created the theme for 2021. “The Unquiet Earth” is an invitation to reflect on and engage with the constant murmur of the Earth, sounds beyond the threshold of human hearing, to remind ourselves that we share this mysterious and awesome planet. Castro shares that, “Small, hidden, subterranean, aerial, underwater, infra and ultrasonic sounds, inaudible to the naked ear, can bring a new, potentially hopeful, perspective on the future of the planet and humanity. Listening as activism encourages us to question our attitudes as listeners as we aim to construct a more inclusive and empathetic new world. Join the unquiet revolution!”
Activities include soundwalks, installations, field recording and sound making workshops, privately streamed performances and an array of other artistic, scientific, activist, interdisciplinary and personal events and works calling participants to listen.