The Sound Travels Sound Art Festival offers a summer’s worth of programming at New Adventures In Sound Art (NAISA) in South River, Ontario. “There is Art in Our Nature” is the theme for the 27th edition of the Festival.
One of the highlights will be the weekend long World Listening Day excursion July 18 to 20, with the main exhibit at the NAISA location, one that is accessible to the hard of hearing, that opened June 12. The Festival lasts all summer, until September 15, 2025.
Sound Travels Sound Art Festival: June 12 to September 15, 2025
“The complexity of the natural world is astounding in its diversity and musical nuance. South River is located in a region where the natural world has had many impacts on art making. Sound Travels 2025 uses NAISA’s theme for the year — There is Art in Our Nature — this time to provide audiences with the opportunity to hear what is below the water’s surface, to listen in to the sounds that exist in the rivers and lakes, which in the Almaguin Highlands have historically served as passage ways between communities,” says Darren Copeland, Artistic Director, New Adventures in Sound Art, in a statement.
Summer Interactive Exhibitions
Haptic Voices (June 12 to September 15)
NAISA’s summer exhibition features the vibro-tactile sound installation Haptic Voices by David Bobier and Jim Ruxton of the VibraFusionLab.
The wall sculpture invites visitors to lean back against it to experience sound vibrations through their bodies. The installation actually transmits sound through the body, and as such, it’s an experience that is equally accessible to Deaf, hard of hearing and hearing persons.
The sounds are created from compositions by Bobier, Ruxton and others created specially for the installation.
Voice of the Water (starting July 18)
Voice of the Water is a permanent installation by Eric Powell that will become one of the regular offerings of the NAISA gallery. Voices of the Water is an interactive rotary telephone-based listening station. Listeners will hear sounds collected from the lakes and rivers around South River recorded by local residents.
World Listening Day Weekend (July 18 to 20)
This weekend sound escape celebrates World Listening Day, an annual event the shines a spotlight on the often forgotten importance of listening to our environment. Activities take place at NAISA in South River, and at Warbler’s Roost on Deer Lake.
- Friday July 18 at 7 p.m.: Burk’s Falls vocalist Corinne Alice, In Wonderland will perform Echoes Between Us, an immersive and participatory experience;
- Saturday July 19: There will be a morning SOUNDwalk and an afternoon underwater sound recording workshop led by Eric Powell, with a concert of one of Annea Lockwood’s classic river sound map pieces at 7 p.m.
- Sunday July 20 at 1 p.m.: An artist talk by Eric Powell introducing his new installation at the NAISA gallery.
Online Listening
If you can’t make it, you can enjoy radio art and sound art 24/7 at NAISA Radio, including the monthly Making Waves radio show.
You can also check out videos of their past shows on their YouTube channel.
Event Details
NEW ADVENTURES IN SOUND ART Presents: The 27th annual Sound Travels Festival of Sound Art
- Where: NAISA North Media Arts Centre, 313 Highway 124, South River
- When: June 12 to September 15, 2025
- Costs: Exhibition and Talks are Pay by Donation. World Listening Day Weekend is $15 for Performances and $45 for Workshop or $225 for Weekend Pass with Accommodation.
More information on their website [HERE].
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