Solid Space Sound
in Partnership with the Project Arts Centre
Supported by Participation Bursary from the Arts Council of Ireland
Emile’s Solid Space Sound Project in Partnerhsip with PAC aims to:
To develop research practice ‘Solid, Space, Sound’ - participatory sensory experiences for VI communities
To engage disability community & artists in research, in association with NCBI & Project Arts Centre
To consult international bodies to ensure best practice & multidisciplinary aspects of sensory mapping
Through my work with arts organisations such as the RHA, The Ark & The National Gallery, I’ve had the opportunity to devise a number of short term/ small scale multidisciplinary & participatory sensory experiences. I have titled this process Solid, Space, Sound, as it draws from physical, spatial & audio based practice. Access provision has increased in a number of organisations over the last few years, however there is still work to be done around how to enhance participation in ways that are creatively & aesthetically consistent with the artistic/cultural experience - particularly in relation to blind and visually impaired communities for whom audio-description is the main access provision.
Solid Space Sound is a process I developed as a way of enhancing access within arts organisations, but it is, first & foremost, a creative practice for myself & participating communities, that aims to dismantle barriers to professional arts practice and cultural access.
The work looks at mapping space through sensory perception, using touch & tactile language, audio (sound, music & creative audio description) & physicality, as a way into programmed artwork & cultural spaces.
In January 2024, during a short term residency at Project Arts Centre, I held preliminary discussions with key stakeholders to devise a plan for this research & development phase.
Key components of this work:
Partnership with Project Arts Centre to facilitate site specific research (planning, outreach, coordination & development)
Engagement with blind/visually impaired intergenerational communities at Vision Ireland & informal networks, at different stages of the research, to inform my process.
Development of a flexible, scalable body of research that can be applied to projects nationwide, through different media & communities.
Invite musicians into the research in ways that challenge & further my own artistic development through the creation of composed & improvised soundscapes, audio sensory elements & poetic audio description of space & place.
Invite dance artist Laura Dowdall ('Running Blind') to feed into the research & process around safe & aesthetic movement with blind people.
Consult and with visual artist/scupltors on the development of tactile resources.
Consult international bodies such as Imaginate (UK) (Network from Push Plus - Creative Europe Project) to ensure best practice & enhance the collaborative multidisciplinary aspects of sensory mapping.
Phase 3 Working with musicians to develop a sound map Feb - June 2026
Videos and info coming soon!
Phase 2 of Solid Space Sound: Movement in Space July- August 2025
Progressing Visually Impaired/Blind Access in Arts and Cultural Spaces: An open discussion at the Project Arts Centre May 2025
Phase 1 of Solid Space Sound: Establishing the current state of play March - June 2025
Share your experience, insights and questions in an open discussion exploring creative and rights-based approaches towards improving access for blind and visually impaired people to arts and cultural spaces.
Tea and coffee will be provided.
The open discussion will be facilitated by jazz artist and disability activist Emilie Conway alongside a panel of speakers from the VI community and those working in VI spaces.
The discussion is for:
Members of the Visually Impaired community
Leaders and workers in the arts industry
Members of third sector organisations or charities working with blind and Visually Impaired People
Guest panellists include:
Ellen Renton, (UK, writer and theatre maker)
Stuart Lawler, (executive director of the Irish National Braille and Alternative Formats Authority (INBAF).
Shaun Garry, (jazz guitarist and teacher)
Peter Gorey, (leader of Neary’s jam session for VI musicians)
– facilitated Emilie Conway, (vocal jazz artist, art psychotherapist, MIACP and disability activist, access consultant and advisor)
This event aims to start a three way conversation between VI artists and community, the arts sector and disability services regarding sensory mapping of arts spaces, sound art, audio description, community participation, and other forms of arts accessibility.
Free of charge. Capacity limited.