Submitted by richard on Tue, 2006-08-15 14:03.
“Southend Soundbites” was a competition for young people to phone in sounds they think best represent their local area and then get their mates to vote for and comment on them online. This could include sounds they personally associate with the area, sounds they think sum up Southend, storytelling, music or seaside message for Valentines day. People can use their mobiles to record an overheard conversation, sounds from the seashore, arcades, Saturday nights, seafront car rallies - eventually creating an online audio library of the area.
...noises, stories, jokes, messages, songs, slogans, chants…
“Southend Soundbites” was the first project to use Mongrel’s recently developed “Phone-Slam” telephony network. This network allows people to spontaneously join in arts projects over an ordinary phone and then use the results on a web site.
Mongrel specialises in using new media to find ways to involve people in arts activities that are fun and easy to participate in. “Phone-Slam” takes advantage of the widespread use of phones and mobiles and combines them with the flexibility of the internet. Although the Southend is not recognised as a cultural centre this project aims to draw on the area’s distinctive and vibrant popular culture and give it a little twist. In this way it can reach those who are not aware that there are accessible forms of expression that are outside mainstream media.
“Southend Soundbites” ran from January 15th to March 1st 2005. The winners were announced on April 1st.
“Southend Soundbites” was part of “Being Here”, a not-for-profit arts initiative managed by Momentum Arts, funded by Southend Borough Council, Arts Council England and the European Social Fund.
