Sonic Arts Week is offering an exciting and unusual opportunity for a sound artist or composer to create a piece for a very particular setting: An ultrasonic° speaker will be placed in the middle of a busy shopping centre in Middlesbrough, passers-by can stand or sit underneath to trigger sound to play. 

We are looking for ideas that:

• Respond to the context of Middlesbrough and a broad audience

• Playfully work with the constraints and opportunities of the ultrasonic speaker

Commission Details:

• Fee: £1500 (plus covered travel and accommodation costs)

• Deliverables:

• Exploratory site visit: Late April/Early May

• Minimum 8-minute original sound piece, delivered on micro-SD card by June 20th, 2025

• Final installation and technical setup: June 24th - 26th, 2025

Submission Guidelines:

All submissions should be sent to sonicartsweek@gmail.com as a single PDF including:

• CV

• Bio

• Link to previous work (Website, Socials, Soundcloud etc)

• Proposal (max 500 words) outlining your concept, creative approach, and understanding of the technical setup.

Timeline

• Open Call: March 11th, 2025

• Deadline: April 7th, 2025 (5pm)

• Interviews: April 14th - 15th, 2025

• Notification of Outcome: April 17th, 2025

• Installation: June 24th - 26th, 2025

• Festival Dates: June 27th - July 5th, 2025

• Deinstallation: July 7th, 2025

°Ultrasonic speakers use directional sound beams rather than traditional sound waves. This creates the sensation that the sound is forming inside the listener’s head, making it an immersive and surprising experience.