Newsletter for October 2026 (Vol.21; Iss. 10)
Produced by New Adventures in Sound Art
www.naisa.ca

1) SOUNDplay Festival
2) SOUNDplay Exhibitions
3) SOUNDplay Screenings and Online Events
4) 48 Hour Sound Art Challenge
5) Fundraising Dinner December 12

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1) SOUNDplay Festival

September 17 – December 28, 2026
NAISA North Media Arts Centre, South River
SOUNDplay website

New Adventures in Sound Art’s (NAISA) is proud to present the 25th edition of its SOUNDplay Festival, an annual fall festival that encourages new avenues of exploration between sound and new media and includes exhibitions and screenings as well as a weekend long workshop and 12-hour online broadcast. All events to be held at the NAISA North Media Arts Centre unless otherwise listed.

“This year’s SOUNDplay Festival is built around NAISA’s 2026 theme Sound Culture through works that draw from the personal histories of the artists. Some of the works draw their inspiration from the act of re-inhabiting ancestral lands and others share stories shaped by war and loss. Many of the works are gentle and reflective in nature, providing a space to find peace and meaning in a time that is bending towards uncertainty.” – Darren Copeland, Artistic Director, New Adventures in Sound Art

By the Light of the Wild Within by Julia White

2) SOUNDplay Exhibitions

By the Light of the Wild Within by Julia White
September 17 – December 28, 2026
10am – 4pm, Thursday – Monday
Admission by Donation
More information

The multi-media sculptural landscape of Julia White’s installation By the Light of the Wild Within combines natural elements, textiles and architectural forms with soundscapes she has composed from field recordings in the wild. This immersive artwork sets up a dreamlike sonic environment that invites visitors to listen deeply with both their ears and their hearts. The soundscapes are heard at NAISA on an array of loudspeakers; they cycle through the natural changes of a year, while in other instances, dissolve the boundaries between the real and the imagined.

Poetry Film Installation
with works by Mary MacDonald and Sarah Tremlett
December 3 – 28, 2026,
10am – 4pm, Thursday – Monday
Admission by Donation

Two Poetry Films created in collaboration with Sundridge multi-disciplinary storyteller Mary McDonald reveal the personal stories embedded in significant events of history. See below for more info on the works.

Voice of the Water by Eric Powell
Permanent Installation | Ongoing
Pay by Donation
More information

Voice of the Water is an interactive rotary telephone-based listening station. Using sounds collected from inside the lakes and rivers around South River, Voice of the Water encourages listeners to connect with the local waterways as they explore the boundaries and overlaps between planes of existence. Click Here for more information

Sensation of Distribution by Mitchell Akiyama and Brady Peters & Decomposing Piano
Permanent Outdoor Installations | Ongoing

While at NAISA, step outside to discover the natural resonance of tubing in the Sensation of Distribution by Mitchell Akiyama and Brady Peters or improvise on the Decomposing Piano.

On the Margin of History by Mary McDonald

3) SOUNDplay Screenings & Online Events

Poetry Films & Cinematic Tone Poem
December 5, 2026, 7pm
In-person and Online
$15 | Purchase tickets
More information

This online and in-person screening features three Poetry Films by Sundridge artist Mary McDonald and UK poet and filmmaker Sarah Tremlett as well as a Cinematic Tone Poem that is a collaboration between three Vancouver artists—the renowned soundscape composer Hildegard Westerkamp, pianist Rachel Kiyo Iwaasa and filmmaker Nettie Wild. The program of works is entirely rooted in personal stories connected to significant events in history and in iconic cultural symbols. The screening will include introductions by the artists and a Q&A discussion with them afterwards.

Livestream Event
Fire (Fired Red Ire)
Part 7 of You And I Are Water Earth Fire Air Of Life And Death
December 12, 2026, 12 noon – 12 midnight
In-person at Arraymusic, Toronto
Online Livestream on NAISA Radio
Free
More information

Fire (Fired Red Ire) is the seventh in a series of twelve annual events taking place on December 12 from 12 noon to 12 midnight. Each year the event moves through each word of the 12-word phrase, You And I Are Water Earth Fire Air Of Life And Death, to activate the word of the year in myriad ways. Christof Migone will be curating this year’s event with Milo Thesiger-Meacham of Resonance FM, who have been one of the many broadcast partners for the series

In Hour 9 of the event, at 8pm ET, NAISA and Squint Press present the live performance of After Fire by Alex Raja Ven

4) 48 hour Sound Art Challenge

October 16 – 18, 4pm to 4pm
Warbler’s Roost, South River
$339 with 2 nights accommodation and $215 with no accommodation
Advance registration required
More information

This weekend intensive invites artists to create a sound art miniature of an audio or audio-visual work less than 5 minutes in duration that responds to the theme of Sound Culture in a 48-hour period. The 48-hour Sound Art Challenge will take place at Warbler’s Roost, a 14-acre rural, forested and lake-side property in the Almaguin Highlands.

Work alongside a supportive community amidst the fall colours in Northern Ontario. Peer learning and mentorship support from NAISA Artistic Director Darren Copeland is supported throughout the process. Experiment either with sophisticated tools like geophones, hydrophones and ambisonic sound recording rigs or bring your own gear and take advantage of the quiet environs.

5) Holiday Fundraising Dinner @ NAISA

December 12, 2026, 6pm
NAISA North Media Arts Centre, South River
$30 | Register by December 10

Support NAISA and enjoy a Holiday Dinner with a fixed menu all Gluten Free, with vegetarian and vegan options. While dining enjoy the video livestream of Fire (Fired Red Ire) which at 8pm will feature a performance by Alex Raja Ven live from the Arraymusic Studio in a co-presentation with Squint Press.

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New Adventures in Sound Art is a non-profit organization that presents performances and installations spanning the entire spectrum of sound art. NAISA is partially funded by the Department of Canadian Heritage, Ontario Arts Council, and the Canada Council for the Arts. NAISA would also like to thank Reuten Construction, Charles Street Video, and Warbler’s Roost for their sponsorship of its Sound Travels Festival of Sound Art 2026.

NAISA North Media Arts Centre is Accessible

Inquiries & general information:
Nadene Thériault-Copeland, Executive Director
New Adventures in Sound Art
313 Highway 124, South River, ON P0A 1X0
705-386-0880