New Adventures in Sound Art (NAISA) is a non-profit organization, formerly based in Toronto but now in South River ON, that presents performances and installations spanning the entire spectrum of electroacoustic and experimental sound art. NAISA operates the NAISA North Media Arts Centre, located in the centre of the village of South River at 106 Ottawa Ave., a short distance from Algonquin Park, at the building formerly known as Renée’s Café and Bean There Café.

The NAISA North Media Arts Centre includes a large exhibition/performance space, a small café, and an artist residency space suitable for media art production/creation as well as visual art creation. The café offers fresh baked goodies by local baker Lois McLaren, homemade soup by Nadene Thériault-Copeland and serves Muskoka coffee by Muskoka Roastery Coffee Company.

NAISA’s annual events include: the Deep Wireless festival of Radio & Transmission Art from January 17 to mid-April, the Sound Travels festival of Sound Art from June to Labour Day, and the SOUNDplay festival from late-September to late-November.

The objectives of NAISA are to foster awareness and understanding locally, as well as nationally and internationally, in the cultural vitality of experimental sound art in its myriad forms of expression. This objective is achieved through the exploration of new sound technologies in conjunction with the creation of cultural events and artifacts.

Upcoming Events

Lames @ NAISA
By Sonia Paço-Rocchia
Aug 8 to September 29, 2019, Open 10 am to 4 pm everyday except Tuesdays and Wednesdays
NAISA North Media Arts Centre, 106 Ottawa Ave, South River
Pay by Donation

Lames @ NAISA is an interactive installation for an ensemble of automated musical saws. The piece is a sonic story about what it feels not to walk on the beaten track, the anxiety and the liberty it gives. The composition follows paths that are chosen depending on how the visitors position themselves in the room.

Dual Abrasives
By Alan Bloor
Aug 31 at 7 pm.
NAISA North Media Arts Centre, 106 Ottawa Ave, South River
General $10

The performance, Dual Abrasives, will compare two (of many) sound projects of Alan Bloor: Knurl and Pholde. Both of these projects use the treated analog sounds of metals cultures from found objects. Knurl, began in 1994, as an idea to capture the very harsh and abrasive sounds of the welding shops in which Bloor worked. Pholde, which was initiated in 2002, has a more suspenseful, "ambient" sound. In this project, Bloor uses the natural resonances of the metal. This evening's performance will concentrate mainly on sounds from saw blades, which coincides with the exhibition hosted by NAISA of a work by Sonia Paço-Rocchia that also explores the sounds of saw blades.

Double-Tranchant @ NAISA
By Sonia Paço-Rocchia
Sep 27-29, 2019, 11 am to 3 pm
NAISA North Media Arts Centre, 106 Ottawa Ave, South River
Free Admission

Double-Tranchant @ NAISA is a drop-in live performance by Sonia Paço-Rocchia that will take place during Culture Days weekend using musical saws and other instruments inspired by objects that can cut. The performance is a commentary on the contrast between the brute, the sharp and the flexible, the fascinating.