Transforming Finnish Soundscapes
Download the instructions as a PDF from here.
A competition for collecting soundscapes 10.10.2014–30.4.2015
The growl of motorcycles, the babble at a family feast, the sound of rain drops dribbling on a shingle roof, the clatter of skateboards on a pavement, the vibration of a muted phone on a conference room table, the clanging sound of a snow plough in a silent winter night.
Transforming Finnish Soundscapes is a nationwide competition open for all participants. The time span of the competition is from October 10, 2014 to April 30, 2015. The competition is about collecting descriptions and observations about soundscapes within Finnish geographical borders. The aim is to gather up soundscapes of the entrants by using their regional knowledge of the versatile Finnish soundscapes both in cities and rural regions. The collection of soundscapes is a follow-up project to the One Hundred Finnish Soundscapes collect that started in 2004.
Finnish soundscapes in cities and rural areas are diverse. Soundscapes that are related to specific places or specific moments in time have an effect on our experiences and our memories. Write about the soundscape that is important to you, where it can be found, why it is important or why it has attracted your attention. What kind of memories or feelings familiar soundscapes stir up? Has a meaningful soundscape changed over the years? What were the soundscapes from your past like? Are the sounds that are meaningful to you pleasant, beautiful, commonplace, annoying or dull – or something entirely different?
The soundscape can be something that you have experienced by yourself or with other people. You can write about a single sound within its surroundings or about a specific place and the entire soundscape in it or how you have encountered – or altered – a specific soundscape. You can also ponder whether the soundscape is worthy of preservation and why. You can write the description with a style of your choosing.
After receiving the answers a part of them will be recorded and listed to the archives. In addition, you can add your own recording and listen to other people’s recordings at our web pages.
Transforming Finnish Soundscapes is a two-year project of soundscape recording, conservation and research. It is organized by The Finnish Association of Acoustic Ecology in collaboration with the Finnish Literature Society, the Finnish Broadcasting Company (YLE), the University of Tampere, the Sibelius Academy (University of the Arts Helsinki), the School of Art and Media in the Tampere University of Applied Sciences, Åbo Akademi University, the University of Eastern Finland and soundscape projects Hikuma and Kuulumia. The Finnish Cultural Foundation has supported the project.
More information:
Email: aanimaisemat@uta.fi
Web pages: www.aanimaisemat.fi
Phone: 050 318 7288
Prizes
The award sum of 1000 euros will be divided between three entrants. The final result of the competition will be announced on September 15, 2015. The jury consists of the members of the project’s managing group and of two lay members. The secretary of the competition is Kaisa Ruohonen, the project producer. Book and recording prizes will be cast among all entrants.
Instructions for participants
Write in English, Finnish or Swedish. Add an agreement that the answer can be filed to the folklore archives with your name or, if you wish, with a pen name. Send your own personal data with your competition story: your name, address, phone number or email address, profession and occupation and your place and time of birth. Take a copy of your answer, the texts will not be returned to the senders.
Send your answer by April 30, 2015
- By mail to the address Suomalaisen Kirjallisuuden Seura, Kansanrunousarkisto (Finnish Literature Society, the Folklore Archives), PL 259, 00171 Helsinki (write ”Äänimaisemat” on the envelope) or
- By email to keruu@finlit.fi (write “Äänimaisemat” to the email subject line)
