Audible Future
The silence of an electric car, the whooshing of a leaf blower, the thud of studded shoes on asphalt, the hiss of a wind farm, and the transition from the chatter of a phone call to the chirp of a smartphone.
Soundscapes are multifaceted. The sounds associated with a particular place or space and their acoustic composition influence our present, our experiences, and our memories: they are part of
the temporal and spatial character of said place.
We ask you, what is a soundscape you remember? Why it is important to you or why have you paid attention to it? What is the future of this soundscape? Will the soundscape change or remain the same as it is today? What feelings does a familiar soundscape evoke for you? How has a soundscape that is important to you changed over time?
Audible future is a nationwide collection campaign open to all. We are looking for descriptions and observations of soundscapes within the geographical borders of Finland, and together with
the participants we will map the acoustic environments that are important to them. This is our third iteration of the collection. It is a continuation of the One Hundred Finnish Soundscapes and Transforming Finnish Soundscapes projects carried out in 2004–2006 and 2014–2015.
Submit your entry by 30 April 2025 and win books and recordings!
The results will be announced in autumn 2025. The secretary of the prize draw will be project director Meri Kytö. Audible future is a two-year project to record and research soundscapes. It is organised by the Finnish Society for Acoustic Ecology in cooperation with the Finnish Literature Society, the University of Turku, Aalto University and the University of Eastern Finland.
For further information: SKS Archives, tel. 020 131 240, keruu@finlit.fi https://www.aanimaisemat.fi/p/kuultava-tulevaisuus.html
Feel free to write the description of the soundscape in any way you
like.
It can be a soundscape you’ve experienced on your own or one you have experienced with others. You can write about a single sound in a particular environment, a single place’s soundscapes, or a larger soundscape with various atmospheres. You might even consider whether the soundscape is worth preserving for posterity.
All responses will be archived in the Finnish Literature Society’s
archive. From the responses, a diverse collection of soundscapes
will be selected for recording. You can listen to the recordings
on the project website and on the listening map (https://www.
aanimaisemat.fi/p/kuultava-tulevaisuus.html).
How to reply
Write in your own language and style. There is no limit on the length of texts. We also accept photographs, past memoirs and interviews. Please only send material that you have the right or permission to send.
Please, indicate your consent for the archiving of the material you send under your name or anonymously in the SKS Archives.
Also, please indicate if you consent to the representatives of the Audible Future project contacting you for the purpose of recording.
Yes. If you are sending a reply by post or as an attachment, please include your name or pseudonym, contact details, date of birth and occupation. Please write your contact details on a different page from the actual reply.
Please, mark the envelope with identifier ‘Soundscapes’.
You can download it here (pdf).
Original illustration: Kimmo Miettinen