NAISA Sound Channel
Newsletter for July 2026 (Vol.21; Iss. 7)
Produced by New Adventures in Sound Art
naisa.ca
1) Sound Travels Festival of Sound Art
2) Sound Travels 4-day Creation Intensive
3) Sound Travels Exhibition
4) SOUNDplay Festival
1) Sound Travels Festival of Sound Art
June 6 – September 12, 2026
NAISA North Media Arts Centre, 313 Highway 124, South River
naisa.ca/festivals/sound-travels
New Adventures in Sound Art (NAISA) is hosting the 28th edition of the Sound Travels Festival of Sound Art with performances, installations and a 4-day workshop intensive.
“The inability of the human ear to function efficiently underwater does not limit us from being fascinated by it, nor to developing the tools we need to extend our senses and expand the boundaries of our aesthetic experience. This years’ Sound Travels events explore the ‘Sound Culture’ of Water—how the sound of water is shaped by its cultural use, spiritual practices and human engineering.” – Darren Copeland, Artistic Director, New Adventures in Sound Art
2) Sound Travels 4-Day Creation Intensive
July 16 – 20, 2026
Warbler’s Roost, 3785D Eagle Lake Road, South River
$678 with 4 nights accommodation and $495 with no accommodation.
Advance registration required
Be inspired by a place in one of the forested or lakeside locations or the weathered piano at Warbler’s Roost to create either a fixed media work or a sound art work in situ during a special 4-day Creation Intensive this summer. This will be a creative and very personal way to celebrate World Listening Day, an occasion to reflect on the sound-making of all organisms that inhabit the soundscapes we have the privilege of experiencing.
All levels of experience in sound are welcome. Participants should bring any portable materials or equipment they wish to use. Audio Playback equipment and technical support will be provided.
The workshop will be located at Warbler’s Roost, 22 KM west of South River, Ontario and it will be facilitated by NAISA Artistic Director Darren Copeland and NAISA Executive Director Nadene Thériault-Copeland. Warbler’s Roost has inspired many works through its year-round hosting of artist residencies.
To provide added inspiration the workshop will also feature guest presentations by forester Fred Pinto and artists Christine Charette and Gordon Monahan.
Fred Pinto, naturalist, forester, and birder in North Bay, will lead a workshop on the geologic history of the Parry Sound region and how it shapes the vegetation around Warbler’s Roost. He will lead a walk striking rock pebbles to uncover different bedrock types
Christine Charette will share background on her multi-disciplinary approach of combining text, soundscape recording and visual art to create outdoor site-specific works, two of which include pieces made for Warbler’s Roost.
Gordon Monahan will join online to talk about his sound installations using pianos in outdoor sites. He will set the framework for a workshop activity using the Weathered Piano site at Warbler’s Roost.
3) Sound Travels Exhibitions
Waterscape by Lina Choi
June 11 – September 7, 2026
NAISA North Media Arts Centre, 313 Highway 124, South River
Admission by Donation
View more information
Waterscape is a sound sculpture by Lina Choi that produces water-like sounds through small motor-driven devices. Each element creates subtle drops and flows, forming an evolving, immersive sound environment. Inspired by the movement of water, the work reinterprets these rhythms through mechanical systems, blurring the line between natural and artificial. The surrounding sounds invite listeners to slow down and experience a shifting sonic landscape.
Voice of the Water by Eric Powell
Permanent Installation | Ongoing
Pay By Donation
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.Visit here for more information
Sensation of Distribution by Mitchell Akiyama and Brady Peters & Decomposing Piano
While you are at NAISA, step outside to discover the natural resonance of tubing in the Sensation of Distribution by Mitchell Akiyama and Brady Peters or join Executive Director Nadene Theriault-Copeland on August 9 and September 13 from 1 to 3pm to improvise on the Decomposing Piano.
4) SOUNDplay Festival
September 18 – December 21, 2026
NAISA North Media Arts Centre, 313 Highway 124, South River
SOUNDplay Festival returns for its 25th annual edition featuring a new sound installation by Julia White entitled By the Light of the Wild Within and a poetry film screening on December 5 featuring works by Sundridge multi-disciplinary artist Mary McDonald.
THANK YOU!!
NAISA's Board of Directors and Staff are truly touched by the generosity of over 80 people in the community that contributed to NAISA's 25 for 25 Fundraising Campaign. We reached $22K!! Contributions are always welcome.
About NAISA
New Adventures in Sound Art (NAISA) 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 SOUNDplay 2025.
New Adventures in Sound Art is located in the traditional territory of the Anishinabewaki peoples covered by the Williams Treaty (1923) and Robinson-Huron Treaty (1850). New Adventures in Sound Art recognizes the significant ongoing contributions of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples to aural culture in Canada.
Inquiries & general information:
Nadene Thériault-Copeland, Executive Director
Contact New Adventures in Sound Art
NAISA North Media Arts Centre is Accessible.
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