Working as a sound artist

Jason Singh writes on working as a sound artist. This includes his experience of opportunities, earning, networking and workshops.

Sculpture perform at our 15th Anniversary party

What is sound art?

Wikipedia defines sound art as:

“..a diverse group of art practices that considers wide notions of sound, listening and hearing as its predominant focus. There are often distinct relationships forged between the visual and aural domains of art and perceptions by sound artists.”

While I agree with this definition, I think it will change over time. Sound art is still a relatively young creative discipline.

For me sound art is everything I do. From beatboxing and vocal sculpting to dj’ing, composition, facilitation and production.

Over the last 12 or so years, I have worked with many organisations that work with sound and music. These include

I’ve performed in traditional music venues, and created performances in unusual spaces. These include

Art galleries
Museums
Tunnels
Living rooms

and more recently, mediaeval forts in the deserts of Rajasthan!

Opportunities and funding for sound artists

The ways in which these opportunities arise are all very different. Some came from word of mouth, others as nominations for bursaries. I’ve also got opportunities through friends who work in organising festivals and events.

For me, collaboration with other artists and practices is paramount. I have focused on one thing as I take inspiration from almost everything in life. Taking sound and music into different situations and settings is vital to me and my growth as an artist. It also keeps ideas fresh and opens me up to different perspectives.

My creative life includes

Performance
Facilitating workshops
Collaborations with individuals, bands and organisations
Dj’ing,
Session work
Private tuition.

Making money as a sound artist

Making money as a sound artist is a tricky. My income fluctuates between good months and not so good months. I don’t think that there is one way of earning income as an artist. You find many small income streams which all contribute to the bigger picture.

If circumstances allow, it may be worth getting involved in projects that may have little or no fee in the budget. Often the experience, knowledge and contacts gained from these opportunities can be invaluable. They might also lead onto paid work in the future.

When deciding to take on unpaid or low-budget projects consider

Who is the client
What is the project,
How many people does the venue hold
Where is the projects (will you have to travel long distances?)
How interested are you in the project?,
What are the next few months looking like financially?
And also “mates rates”.

Each person’s situation is different. It’s all a question of trial, error and experience.

Networking and collaboration for sound artists

Diversification is also vital. I make it my business to see work across different creative platforms. I also create collaborations with artists from all artistic backgrounds. I arrange meetings with the artist or organisation. I start by dropping an email to say how much I enjoyed the work. I then invite the relevant individuals to performances, sharing’s etc.

I would encourage meeting and talking to people from all walks of life and situations. Some of my most inspiring moments and opportunities have come out of the most random of meetings.

Most of my opportunities come from meeting people and networking. I love what I do and I love to hear about what other people are creating. I always explore ways of bringing different worlds together.

I get excited about the possibilities of experimenting with different disciplines. Its about taking risks and not having too many fixed ideas about the outcomes. Processes and discussions need to be organic, flexible and to flow.

I used Twitter, Soundcloud and WordPress to let people know what I am doing. I collaborate with artists online by sharing sound and images I have created. I also share with my networks the things that interest me or think may be relevant to someone else. Through working this way, I have had organisations contact me for work. I also approach individuals and organisations directly if I like what they do. I try to make the process fun and exciting, whether its a meeting, the work, performance or a project evaluation.

Running workshops as a sound artist

Over the last 10 years I have been delivering workshops in many different settings. I facilitate

beatboxing
music production
dj and music therapy workshops

I work in

schools, colleges, universities,
prisons,
mental heath institutions,
museums, galleries
festivals.

A good starting point for anyone wanting to explore delivering

workshops should get in touch with a local project. This could be a youth centre, local festival or an organisation such as Youth Music.

For me, sharing is vital as it completes a holistic cycle of inspiration, creation, performance and education. It is also a humbling experience, which helps to keep my feet on the ground. I would say to anyone who is thinking about delivering workshops, “do it because you want to do it”. Also, teaching your craft to someone isn’t always easy. One has to develop skills in facilitating and delivering workshops. Take part in workshops yourself. See what you enjoyed or could do differently if you where running it.

Local arts organisations can help with training that focuses on workshop delivery. One can also find out about teaching courses through arts mailing lists.

Delivering workshops is demanding and can drain your energy but the rewards are huge. It’s amazing to see someone tap into their own creativity through your guidance and support. I have met people years after doing workshops who went on to do music/art because of the workshop they took part in. That is priceless.

Jason Singh is a multi-disciplinary artist. He makes work through the mediums of sound, music, photography, poetry and moving image.

This work has a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike License