Artist Residency

Image: Courtesy of 4DSOUND

This residency offers an artist the opportunity to conduct research into and develop an interactive listening experience focused on creating non-linear sound narratives, which are experienced by navigating through a series of virtual spaces or layers. Opening to different artistic research, establishing methods which create personal, immersive experiences through sound-led perspectives.

The context is addressing design challenges of translation and adaptation, such as the change from the perspective of one visitor in a headphone-mediated experience to rendering to a multi-speaker system for group interaction - this shift in dynamics, reproduction and perspective are integral to the residency scope.

Worlding Narratives centres sound as the primary medium for immersion, intentionally removing dominant visual layers such as VR/AR, projections or video. Participants are invited to explore how sonic and narrative worldbuilding can construct virtual sound works experienced through clusters of navigable areas or layers, creating personal and embodied listening experiences.

The residency asks how spatial sound can function as a cinematographic or narrative medium, and how interactive modes of sonic storytelling can be prototyped, tested and refined. Participants will be able to work with different spatial sound tools, including remote and studio access to the 4DSOUND infrastructure, supporting both binaural headphone‑based work and multichannel studio experimentation.

This residency provides the time, tools and expertise to explore how immersive sonic storytelling can reshape how we design, perceive and imagine narrative space.

Applicants should position their proposal in relation to one or more of the following questions:

1. Considering both speculative and non-fictional realities, how can immersive sound function as a primary medium for narrative?

2. What new narrative structures and dramaturgical methods become possible when creative processes originate from sound rather than adapting frameworks from other media?

3. How can interactive sonic structures create personal, navigable listening experiences designed for and by multiple intelligences?

Possible research directions include virtual sound spaces, interactive narrative layers, perceptual storytelling methods, sonic worldbuilding, spatial dramaturgy, headphone‑based immersion, multichannel prototyping and experimental modes of sonic navigation.

Lead researcher: Dr. Angela McArthur - Lecturer, University College London, Programme Director for Designing Audio Experiences MA.

Research Support: Dr. meLê yamomo - Assistant Professor of New Dramaturgies, Media Cultures, Artistic Research, and Decoloniality, University of Amsterdam.

Residents will develop an independent artistic research project supported by spatial audio specialists, artistic mentors and, where relevant, experts within the Futures of Listening network. Additionally, there is the opportunity to work together with our other Worlding Narratives resident Pinar Temiz, expert in sound design for gaming environments. Your residency will run in tandem with hers.

The residency encourages speculative, interdisciplinary and practice‑based research that contributes to the broader Futures of Listening programme.

Outcomes may include interactive sonic prototypes, spatial audio compositions, immersive listening experiences, narrative sound works, audiovisual‑sound hybrids, software prototypes or other contributions that expand how immersive sonic storytelling can be created, experienced and understood. Collaboration with other Worlding Narratives residents may be possible where relevant.

The total residency fee is €7.125, consisting of 25 commissioned days at a day rate of €285. Out of those 25 days, 6 days can be spent at the 4DSOUND studio, collaborating with their team.

There is space for some additional financial support if needed (incl. material costs or travel costs). These costs need to be clearly defined and agreed on before the start of the residency.

Who can apply

We invite media and sound artists, sound designers, musicians producing their own sonic work, field recordists, writers, composers and game sound designers. Applicants should demonstrate experience with sound‑based practice and explain how their proposal contributes to one or more of the residency’s research questions.

Experience with interactive audio, spatial sound tools or game‑sound workflows is welcome but not required. 

Applicants must be based in the Netherlands and registered as an artist with the Dutch Chamber of Commerce (KvK).

More general info about the residency, like financial compensation and support, can be found here.

Aimée Thierot (4DSOUND & Futures of Listening)
Allegra Greher (FIBER & Futures of Listening)
Dr. Angela McArthur (Futures of Listening researcher)
Jarl Schulp (FIBER & Futures of Listening)
Robin Koek (Futures of Listening)
Pinar Temiz (Futures of Listening resident)