Baltasound Junior on Unst is taking part in a unique and innovative national education programme entitled ‘Sonic Postcards’, which uses the environment as the inspiration for creative arts and ICT activities. This is the most northerly project to take part in the Sonic Postcards project so far!

Run by national sound and technology organisation, ‘Sonic Arts Network’, the project aims to explore and compare the local sound environments of young people right across the UK. This project has worked in partnership with Scottish Natural Heritage and been very successful at raising the pupils’ awareness of their local environment and the environment of others.

Students from Baltasound have been exploring their local soundscape (comparable to landscape), creating journals and maps from sounds they hear around them in their everyday environments – for example their journey to school, Herma Ness nature reserve, the Keen of Hamar and the beach.

The project has been led by local artist Roxane Permar. Mike Pennington added the environmental aspect to the project along with SNH warden for Herma Ness, Gareth Thomas. Karen Hall, SNH Project Manager said, ‘This project is fantastic as it is increasing awareness about the reserve getting kids to see what is on their doorstep but in a totally different way.’

Artist and workshop leader Roxane Permar is please to be taking part in this project, ‘It is a great opportunity to be able to take part in a national project and get sounds from Shetland played all over the country.’

Using digital music technology on computers, pupils then become sound designers themselves - making their own sonic postcards using computer music software.

The project then encourages schools to exchange the completed postcards with other schools via broadband internet connections, gaining a unique insight into their own environments and sharing a range of environments with other schools - from the urban inner city to the rural countryside, opening windows on new places, other lives, and different cultures.

On Thursday 2nd June the work is being performed in two different locations. Firstly the work will be performed at Baltasound Junior High at 2pm and then Haroldswick Heritage Centre between 7-9pm. The work marks part of the 50th anniversary celebrations of Herma Ness nature reserve.

Project Co-ordinator Rebecca Laurence, says “Often this is pupils’ first experience of concentrated listening and they surprise themselves with what they hear - suddenly they are tuning in to everyday sounds that are often taken for granted, significantly developing their aural perception of the world. This project is about listening through a partnership of technology and creativity.”

Sonic Postcards links a number of curriculum studies, including art, music, geography and ICT, as well as English and citizenship to name but a few and is linked to key government initiatives for e-learning and for the environment.

The project is supported by £166,190 initial funding from NESTA (the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts) – the organisation that nurtures UK creativity and innovation.

For further information call Rebecca Laurence, Sonic Postcards Project Director on 020 7928 7337 or email becca@sonicartsnetwork.org