Grounded in acoustic ecology, the Listen(n) Project studies, documents, and archives the sounds of the environment — building a living library of the American Southwest soundscape.
About the Project
The Listen(n) Project is one of AELab's foundational research programs, combining rigorous field recording practice with community engagement and artistic commission. Over many years, the project has built an extensive archive of sound recordings from ecosystems, urban environments, and natural areas across the American Southwest.
The Listen(n) database is used by researchers studying acoustic ecology, by artists creating environmental sound works, and by communities seeking to understand and document their own sonic environments.
In 2017, the Listen(n) Project was competitively selected for the Joshua Tree Art Innovation Laboratory through a National Endowment for the Arts "Imagine your Parks" grant. This partnership enabled AELab to conduct community listening and field recording workshops in Joshua Tree National Park, producing crowd-sourced ambisonic field recordings, audio works, and virtual reality experiences.
Related Initiative
The Listenn Symposium serves as a discussion platform addressing acoustic ecology and sustainability issues of the American Southwest desert. Bringing together researchers, artists, community members, and policymakers, the Symposium examines the relationship between the sonic environment and ecological health in the region.
The Symposium has featured presentations on topics including environmental monitoring, the cultural dimensions of soundscape, and the role of the arts in environmental advocacy.
Joshua Tree
In 2017, the Listen(n) Project was selected for participation in the Joshua Tree Art Innovation Laboratory — a competitive program exploring new roles that arts professionals and arts students can play in helping the National Park Service pursue its mission of preservation and engagement.
Over the course of the collaboration, AELab conducted community listening and field recording workshops in Joshua Tree National Park. Participants — from local community members to ASU students — contributed to a crowd-sourced collection of ambisonic field recordings from the park's remarkable sonic environments.
These recordings have been used in audio compositions, virtual reality experiences, and educational materials, extending the reach of Joshua Tree's soundscape far beyond the park's physical boundaries.
This work was made possible by the National Endowment for the Arts' "Imagine your Parks" program, which commemorated the National Park Service centennial.
Contact AELab to inquire about the Listen(n) sound archive or to schedule a community presentation of the commissioned multichannel works.
Contact AELab