Soundscapes of the World

The ART of Listening: Designing and Creating Interdisciplinary Soundscapes Through the Performing Arts

Introduction

Soundscapes of the World, which ran from September 2025 to January 2026, took pupils on a sensory journey through exploring, creating, sharing and comparing cultural soundscapes that represented the rich multi-sensory world that they lived in and showcasing these at the Victoria and Albert Museum, Dundee during January 2026, as well as exhibitions in schools around the world.

Soundscapes, also known as acoustic ecology, have been used for many years to capture the auditory aspect of an environment, where ‘the listener applies their meaning of sound to the environment or, conversely, how the environment gives meaning to sound’ ( R. Murray Schafer - The World Soundscape Project).  According to Waddington (2022), Soundscape ecology ‘is the study of sound and of how sounds of different origins shape the world around them. It is about how life on our planet, including our own, is shaped by its auditory environment’ (p X)

During the project, pupils developed their design and creative skills to:

• experience the inspiration and power of the arts

• recognise and nurture their creative and aesthetic talents

• develop skills and techniques pertaining to Art, Music and Dance

• deepen their understanding of culture in their location and the wider world (Education Scotland, 2018).

The Project

The theme for the soundscape project was school outdoor areas due to linking with the Victoria and Albert Museum, Dundee's Garden Design Exhibition, and promoting Outdoor Learning.  Schools from Croatia, Greece, India, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Scotland and the USA were involved.  Schools were provided with guidance, support and lesson activities throughout the project by the partnership team to develop pupils' photography, listening, sound creation, abstract art and contemporary dance skills and create a cultural soundscape. 

As each school engaged with the different activities, they shared their wonderful work on the Soundscpaes of the World Padlet page (see below).

Soundscapes of the World Map

You can view each school who participated on the Soundscape of the World map below.  If you would like to take include your school on the map, please contact Sharon Tonner-Saunders.

SOTW was created by Sharon Tonner-Saunders, a lecturer in education at the University of Dundee and in partnership with:

• Gary Jamieson, the Schools Development Officer at the Victoria and Albert Museum, Dundee

• Carol Murdoch, the Company Director of Love Outdoor Learning

• Zoe Huxley, Class teacher at St Mary's Primary School, Bathgate, Scotland.  

SOTW was also supported by experienced teachers around the world who act as facilitators to support new teachers in the project. These teachers, who have been part of Sharon's projects for many years are:

• Sarah Ausborn, Willagillespie Elementary, USA

• Kristina Bernane, Kindergarten Mežmaliņa, Latvia

• Mirela Djeska, Osnovna škola Antun Gustav Matoš Tovarnik, Croatia

• Monika Smoragiewicz, Szkoła Podstawowa im KOU w Czersku, Poland

• Athina Parousi, Mavrothalassa, Greece

• Georgia Maneta, 2nd Primary School Mileon-Kalon Neron, Greece

• Nicki McMaster, Andover Primary School, Scotland

• Neve Crombie, Cairneyhill Primary School, Scotland