Where are all the black and South Asian experimental music artists? Researchers at the University of Greenwich aim to find out as part of a new 18-month UKRI-funded project.
Exploring Cultural Diversity in Experimental Sound aims to challenge institutional whiteness in experimental sound practice by investigating the creative identities of contemporary black and South Asian composers working in the UK.
Research Fellow in Experimental Sound Dr Amit D. Patel, is leading the project.
He said: “Black and South Asian artists are some of the least represented within the genre of experimental sound. Our research seeks to tackle this lack of representation, raising the profile of diverse practices, highlighting potentials in pushing increased diversity, and seeking to challenge the invisibility of whiteness in the art form.”
The research will involve observation of artists and their practices, interviews, and focus groups. The research will aim to unpack how these unique experiences are situated in relation to the structural and cultural contexts of experimental sound in the UK.
Dr Andrew Knight-Hill, Senior Lecturer in Sound Design and Music Technology, added: “We are really excited to be working with an incredible array of artists and UK wide partners on this important research project, including Musicians Union, Sound & Music, Punch Records and a network of UK university music departments.
“It is our goal that the outcomes of this project will help to effect change that makes experimental music more diverse. We’ll be developing policy guidelines which will help organisations as they seek to engage and encourage new artists to celebrate their diverse heritage and bring exciting new music/sound art to wider audiences.”
The research runs from September 2021 to February 2023. It is funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (Grant Ref: AH/V010964/1) and hosted by the SOUND/IMAGE Research Group at the University of Greenwich.
The project includes key partners: Punch, Iklectic, Usurp, BEAN, Musicians' Union, and Sound & Music.
Picture: Dr Amit D Patel, aka Dushume's, Experimental Sound Gatherings
