OPEN CALL FOR ARTISTS – SANE Residency Program

The Spatial Audio Network Europe (SANE) unites pioneers in the rapidly growing field of immersive 3D audio across art, science, and industry. SANE is Europe’s first platform of its kind, pushing the boundaries of 3D audio, which is set to become the future medium of the music industry. This technology enables the creation and reproduction of acoustic virtual realities, offering new dimensions for collective listening and concert experiences.

SANE aims to develop a groundbreaking platform for 3D audio live events, streaming concerts in the highest definition from one 3D audio venue to another across Europe. This will increase the availability of high-quality 3D audio content, connect innovative venues, and provide continuous access to immersive listening experiences.

The network brings together experts from creative industries, cultural institutions, and science, including the Centre for Immersive Media Art, Music and Technology (Germany), Hochschule Anhalt University of Applied Sciences (Germany), Effenaar with 4DSOUND (Netherlands), Music Innovation Hub with INTORNO LABS (Italy), and University of Graz, IEM (Austria).

Activities and Goals for 2024/25:

• Achieving compatibility between 3D audio venues and technologies.
• Establishing a streaming standard for multichannel 3D audio formats.
• Supporting spatial artistic creation and production through residencies.
• Launching a hybrid concert series of 3D audio performances.

Artist Profile: We seek experienced musicians and sound artists in 3D audio based in Europe. The open call for artists in residence is a central element of SANE, providing opportunities for artists to work in spatial audio and present their created performances and concerts live across Europe. We are selecting 8 musicians with spatial audio backgrounds to participate in the residency program and perform live. All selected artists and jury members will be represented online.

The open call encourages applications from female, transgender, or non-binary individuals. Two artists will be chosen per residence host, with a focus on gender diversity and local representation. Local cooperation partners will set up juries to select artists, ensuring a balanced, participatory, and diverse mix.

The process includes the following steps:

• Application submission (deadline: October 18, 2024)
• Jury selection and result publication (by November 18, 2024)
• Coordination and execution of residencies (between January – April 2025)
• Presentation of artistic creations / concerts (between May – October 2025)

What We Offer: The program provides participating artists with:

• 3D audio training and a one-week residency for production in a fully equipped 3D audio studio with technical assistance
• being involved into the R&D process of SANE and testing cutting edge 3D audio technologies
• Artist fee of 1000 € for the residency period
• Budget for accommodation and travel expenses
• playing up to 3 concerts in 3D audio equipped venues between May – October 2025

Application

The application form is now open and will remain available until October 18, 2024, 12:00 pm CET. You can submit your application starting immediately. Please ensure that your application includes the following information:

Short Biography Briefly tell us a few things about yourself that we should know (max. 1000 characters).

Project Outline Tell us about the project you want to create during your SANE- residency. What specific support are you expecting from us? (max. 3000 characters).

Links to Media, Music, Audio Samples, Videos Please share with us videos and audio samples of your representative previous works that are relevant to your proposed project. (max. 5 links, no download links!).

Select your preferred hosts and location for your residency (max 2)

• La Capsula Studio by Music Innovation Hub in collaboration with Intorno Labs (Milan, Italy)

• ECHO FACTORY in Collaboration with HELLERAU (Dresden, Germany)
• ZiMMT (Leipzig, Germany)
• Effenar in Collaboration with 4DSOUND (Eindhoven, Netherlands)

Why do you prefer this host(s)? (max. 300 characters)

Time Frame During which period do you need the coaching? You can specify multiple time frames, which increases the chance of a match.

• January 25
• February 25
• March 25
• April 25

The Hosts:

⫻ Center for Immersive Media Art, Music and Technology (ZiMMT), Leipzig, Germany:
ZiMMT offers a hall-sized spatial audio installation with 32 speakers, providing an immersive experience for art and music. Founded in 2020, ZiMMT is a venue for immersive arts, research, and knowledge transfer, enabling productions, interdisciplinary labs, residencies, software development, and events. Most events are hybrid, featuring immersive live streams with binaural sound and multiple cameras.
zimmt.net

⫻ La Capsula Studio by Music Innovation Hub (MiH), Milan, Italy:
MiH views music as a driving force for social innovation, promoting socially responsible projects in the music industry. Founded in 2018, MiH is the first social enterprise of its kind in Italy, developing solutions for the growth of the music industry and sustainable futures through music projects. They offer international programs for training, incubation, and networking, and organize various live events, including Heroes and Linecheck. Their space LA CAPSULA is equipped for 360° filming and streaming for showcases.
musicinnovationhub.org

⫻ Effenaar + 4DSOUND, Eindhoven, Netherlands:
Effenaar, a well-known venue in Eindhoven for over 50 years, combines a multifunctional pop stage with innovation through Effenaar Lab, a space for high-tech music experiments. Since 2018, Effenaar Lab has been a hub for new technologies impacting the music industry, including 5G, AR, VR, and live streaming. Collaborating with artists, tech companies, and educational institutions, Effenaar Lab has grown into a unique place for innovation in the Netherlands. 4DSOUND is an Amsterdam-based studio focusing on spatial sound as a creative medium and has been at the forefront of some of the most creatively challenging and technically complex projects using spatial audio in the context of music, dance, opera, architecture, and research. The studio has pioneered the design of omnidirectional sound installations, which are powered by their own spatial sound software, the 4DSOUND engine.
effenaar.nl
4dsound.net

⫻ ECHO FACTORY (EF), Hellerau/Dresden, Germany:
ECHO FACTORY develops hybrid, analogue-digital formats at the intersection of music, visual, and performing arts. Founded in 2021 by Brigitta Muntendorf, ECHO FACTORY networks internationally with research labs for digital productions and promotes trans-digital arts and culture. Main partners include HELLERAU – European Centre for the Arts, Ars Electronica and the Goethe-Institut.
echofactory.org