Auditory-Sensational
Held at Electro Studios in West St Leonards, Sono-Electro is a groundbreaking, two-weekend festival dedicated to spotlighting the best in local, national and international sonic artists, while inspiring the people of St Leonards and Hastings to explore and experience the joy and profundity of sound art. The festival aims to grow a sense of belonging, providing the tools and mindset to navigate uncertain futures we face collaboratively. Performers will re-imagine and interpret the theme through residencies, performances, talks, broadcasting, workshops and installations.
In two years, the festival has skyrocketed from a crowd-funded, four-day festival that brought together a handful of talented local artists, into a two-week event supported by various large organisations locally and nationally. Past performers have included Jem Finer, Marcia Farquhar, Melinda Bronstein and Sly and the Family Drone. This year’s artists in residence works will include ZEROH’s light-responsive and sound-making kites soaring above the old bathing pool site opposite the studios, Ben Branagan’s cyanotype collaboration with local students from ARK Hastings and East Sussex College, and photographer Carl Bigmore’s exploration of the sonic world of whales.
Other highlights include sessions that travel sonically from the domestic parenting experience through Peruvian jungles, an installation designed for the blind and partially sighted, showcases from emerging sound performers, music improv sessions open to everyone, a workshop to rework noisy baby toys into glitchy chaotic instruments, performances that fuse folk, live performances and rave, and a spectacular finale courtesy of The Statue of Liberty All-Star Big Band.
The festival’s artistic director, James Wilkie, says, “There is a greater sense of urgency and seeking in this edition. While last year’s focus was on what we make of our environment, this year faces how we might change ourselves to continue belonging to it, through listening differently. Artists are forming counter-narratives to helplessness and overwhelm through the pairing of activism and vulnerability into their work.”
The third edition of the two-weekend sound art festival will take place at Electro Studios, Seaside Road, Tuesday 19 – Sunday 28 September 2025
Sono-Electro is supported by Arts Council, Resonance FM, OBX, Electro-Studios, Project Hastings Brewery, Hastings Commons, The Refugee Buddy Project.
For more information, hi-res images, artist and director interviews or review tickets, please email [email protected]
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