Futures of Listening

Futures of Listening has developed an R&D programme based on the principle of 'listening to a polyphonic world'. The consortium researches and develops new forms of immersive creation, listening and experience through spatial sound, which deepen our understanding of the world and address societal challenges, such as inclusivity and environmental challenges. At the same time, it aims to sustainably anchor spatial sound as an artistic and technological discipline within the broader IX sector, improve the quality of spatial sound experiences, stimulate new forms of listening and knowledge transfer, and strengthen international positioning and accessibility. The activity programme consists of a series of activities, realised through a community-oriented approach with makers and researchers. The core is formed by a residency programme in which makers - by invitation and through open calls - collaborate with researchers and developers. In this programme, they work on developing prototypes of immersive creations, sensory storytelling, immersive listening and weaving the relationship between inclusivity, humans and non-humans. Four mutually reinforcing research areas are developed ('message', 'perception', 'technology', and 'place & access'). This is supported by knowledge sharing and open-source tools, interfaces and instruments via symposia, an online platform and a concluding publication. Other activities include international events, workshops, education and mentorship.