Since its conception in 1998, the purpose of Activating the Medium has been to introduce and explore the medium of sound as art to new audiences. Through the mediums of performance, sound installation and new concept technologies, we have worked to inform a new audience to the ambient and expressive aural phenomena of the sonic arts. Sound is perhaps the newest of genres finding a permanent voice within the gallery and museum systems today. Sound has also found its place within both the visual and performance arts programs around the world. In order to promote the education of sound in the arts, Randy Yau and David Prochaska curated the first Activating the Medium in conjunction with Cuesta College Fine Arts in San Luis Obispo California. Our location allowed us to bring in artists from two major metropolitan areas (Los Angeles and San Francisco) where sound art and performance has been building a more informed audience over the last decade. There has now been four festivals in San Luis Obispo, bringing together sound artists from San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, Chico and as far away as Italy, Japan, Germany and Australia. Since 2000, Activating the Medium has since joined forces with one of the Bay Area’s most prolific sound organization 23five. This collaboration has allowed us to become one of the most important group of artists and performers making a professional commitment to activating the medium of sound. Our commitment is to build a larger more educated audience within the sonic arts and to help expose all to the ever expanding medium of sound.
Links:
Ninth Activating the Medium
23five
