Sound Journey: New audio work brings a fresh perspective to RAMM

RAMM has partnered with disability organisations and acclaimed sound artist Gemma Nash to create Sound Journey, a series of audio tracks designed to support visitors’ journeys around the museum in a creative and playful way.

Working with individuals supported by disability partner organisations Pelican Project, CEDA and Learn to Live: 19-25, local creative practitioners Felicity Shillingford and Cara Roxanne held a series of immersive in-person and online workshops to facilitate the recordings. These helped to generate audio content, drawing out stories, views, movements, ideas and reactions from the participant groups. The creative practitioners used RAMM sights and sounds as stimulus for the sessions.

The project team worked with disabled artist Gemma Nash to direct and shape the project. The project focused broadly on the theme of ‘movement’, looking at our bodies in space and time, how they articulate and transport us. The group also explored this theme in relation to non-humans, objects, textiles and how these things, and their component parts, may move. In addition, participants were inspired to think about objects’ journeys to the city, to the building, and to the case they now inhabit.

3 women and 2 men at a table, the table features some taxidermy birds and other museum objects which the people are touching and holding
Sound Journey participants

The resulting audio piece, Sound Journey, is an 11-track exploration of the museum which visitors can access to support their journey through the space, whether in-person or remotely. The work aims to inspire new ways of thinking about objects, based on the creative responses of people with a diverse range of abilities and experiences. Each of the sound pieces relates to a specific object in the museum, and are a combination of sound effects, snippets of conversation, stories and thoughts brought together to create ambient soundscapes. These soundscapes are playful, considered, engaging and thought-provoking.

Around 20% of Exeter’s residents live with a disability, according to Devon County Council statistics. It can be more challenging for people with disabilities and their carers to access cultural and heritage organisations. RAMM was recently awarded the Devon Tourism Award for Accessible and Inclusive Tourism, recognising the museum’s commitment to accessibility. Projects such as Sound Journey sit alongside physical interventions in the museum and help ensure people living with disability can visit comfortably and see their own experiences reflected in the museum’s space.

A smiling woman with short fair hair, seated on a grey sofa, wearing glasses and a grey hoodie
Artist Gemma Nash

‘I’m really proud to be part of this sound journey, which allows visitors to access the museum in a new and exciting way. It was a real privilege to work with local artists and disabled people with the support of RAMM. Projects like this are so important for increasing the visibility and viewpoint of disabled visitors and artists.’

Gemma Nash

Exeter City Council lead for Arts, Culture and Corporate Services Cllr Laura Wright said:

‘RAMM is always looking for ways to make our building and resources more welcoming to individuals with learning and physical disabilities. The best way of achieving this is to ask for the expertise of people with disabilities and those who directly support them. We’re so thankful to the participants from Magic Carpet, Pelican Project, CEDA and Learn to Live: 19-25 for helping to create Sound Journey, as well as to lead artist Gemma Nash for her creative input on the project.

‘This project was initially developed as a direct response to the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, which particularly affected vulnerable adults in terms of their wellbeing and mental health. We wanted to create an opportunity for socialising and networking, easing isolation and providing a space where individuals could connect, as part of a community with a shared purpose to have fun and be creative together.’

CEDA’s Craig Bowden said:

‘CEDA really enjoyed the musical aspect of the finished work; it really engaged lots of the participants. They focused on the sounds that they were hearing and enjoyed this as a new layer to their experience in the gallery spaces.’

RAMM is grateful to the Clare Milne Trust for their support on Sound Journey.

Sound Journey can be accessed on Soundcloud. Find out about resources to support your visit to RAMM here.