This listening expedition will trace the trajectory of River Witham between Brayford Pool and South Commons, inviting the participants to sonically map their experiences, connections, and encounters with the river and its surroundings. Listening walks can be understood as method of ‘multiplicity’, eliciting ‘wide-ranging responses that exceed any prescribed purpose’ (Gallagher and Prior, 2017, 165). Engaging in listening walks, for example, can widen our perception of a place. They can deepen our understanding of the social and cultural routines, the inclusions, exclusions, as well as patterns and rhythms of our lived spaces (Lefebvre 1992). As a ‘multi-sensory, multi-modal’ method, listening walks ‘invite attention to wander across different senses, provoking listening to slip between different modes, as listeners tune in to various aspects of the environment, their own bodies and listening practices’ (Gallagher and Prior, 2017, 169). Through listening and walking, we can tap into our subjectivities and diverse experiences to capture our sense of belonging or not belonging to a space.
Whilst walking across the River Witham, we will listen openly, listen deeply, and offer our (dis)embodied reflections of the route. This listening walk will serve as an open-ended encounter between us (the walkers) and the environment (the river), inviting us to consider how listening walks can border and un-border our sensory approaches to a space. Through listening and walking, we will deepen our understanding of the entangled (historical, social, political, environmental) rhythms that surround the river and our community. At the end of the walk, we will capture, note, and share our responses as a collective of walkers and listeners.
This listening session is part of Sounding Borders, a series of public events including performances, workshops and discussions that question how borders are shaped, controlled and embodied through sound. To find out more about Sounding Borders events, please check the Extra Sonic Practice website for updates. Sounding Borders is supported by PEARL and Decolonising at Lincoln.
To reserve your ticket, visit Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/extra-sonic-practice-presents-river-witham-listening-walk-tickets-620905273387 This event will take place outside. The meeting point is: (the front of) The Royal William IV – Pub and Kitchen. The walk will start at 4:00pm. We will follow the river until we reach Southside, where we will have refreshments, share and discuss our reflections. The event will finish roughly at 5.30pm. Accessible toilet facilities will be available at the venue. For further directions and transport links, please contact Extra Sonic Practice.