Since January, I’ve been on study leave in Rio de Janeiro Brazil to conduct a participative sound art project based on the Maré favelas. I’m visiting professor at the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro where I’ve had the chance to work with exceptional professors from a wide range of areas including Rodrigo Cicchelli (music), Guto Nobrega (arts), Samuel Araújo (ethnomusicology) and Lygia Niemeyer (architecture). I’m teaching a post graduate course at UFRJ’s Art School (EBA) entitled “Participative Strategies in the Sonic Arts” and running workshops with secondary education young residents of Maré at Museu da Maré.

The project extends the participative methodologies initiated with Sounds of the City Belfast  in 2012. This time, with Som da Maré we are creating a team of participants who conduct field work, technical work and exhibition design seaminglesly. One of the outcomes of the process is an exhibition in Museu da Maré and EAV Parque Lage opening on…