We need sounds for Solace!

Nature Recording workshop at Seven Sisters Country Park - Solace (2019)

Interested in getting creative and using your phone in the great outdoors? Help capture sound clips of nature for Solace - an exciting, new and interactive installation touring The South Downs.

​We are inviting people to send us their wildlife sound recordings from gardens or nearby natural areas in the Sussex Downs, so we can include them in our upcoming exhibitions at Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft, and DC1 Gallery, Eastbourne.

Open to all ages, we welcome short clips of any interesting sounds you can capture. These can be done on a mobile device... and submitted to us online, using the form below.

We are looking for anything from birds, foxes and insects, to crunchy leaves and heavy rain.

Have a go - no experience necessary!

Please upload your sound files using this form.

Solace at The Crypt Gallery, Seaford (2019). Credit: Kevin Grist

​More about Solace
The interactive sound and video installation inspired by the Sussex Downs, has been designed to get local families involved in more experimental art. From summer 2019 to spring 2020, it invites audiences to ask questions about our relationship with open and urban spaces, wellbeing and digital authenticity.

The work created by artists Karen Tilley and Kevin Grist, incorporates digital content captured by local people. The project includes several strands:

Nature recording workshops - families go into natural settings in Seaford, Ditchling and Eastbourne on the hunt for interesting sounds and videos, using digital software to record and manipulate.
Record your garden - local people are encouraged to record sounds and video from their own garden, and submit to us digitally.
Solace exhibitions - the installation will tour 3 public galleries, responding differently to each space interactively.
Artist talks - the artists and supporting technicians will hold a series of talks and CPD sessions to share learning about interactive design and engaging people with experimental art.

Who are the Artists?
Kevin Grist, Sound Artist is co-founder and Director of SparkedEcho CIC. He is an experienced community musician and arts producer, focusing on music technology as a tool for live performance and composition. He has previously worked at Arts Council England, Musical Futures and AudioActive, and on projects with Glyndebourne Opera, BBC Radio 1 and Ideas Test. Kevin has a degree in Music Production, a PGCE and is a Trustee for Sound Sense, the UK body for community musicians.

Karen Tilley, Visual Artist will co-produce the Solace installation with Kevin, combining specialisms in video and sound. Karen is a visual artist working in a multi-discipline practice, which includes film, photography, audio and sculpture. She is currently resident on the 'Arts DRIVA @ Fusebox' programme in Brighton, run by Wired Sussex to develop practice in emerging technologies. Karen is also an experienced Arts Award advisor and teacher.

Who is Solace produced by?
Solace is produced by SparkedEcho CIC and is kindly supported with funding from Arts Council England and East Sussex Arts Partnership. Additional partner support will also be provided from Ditchling Museum of Art+Craft and East Sussex Music.​

Visit our webpage if you would like to book a place on our Nature Recording workshops, or come along to the exhibitions!

​By Janet Moore - Director - SparkedEcho