The Showroom is hosting a listening session convened by Matt Lewis (Senior Tutor, Digital Narrative Arts, Royal College of Art) and Cecilia Wee (Tutor, Communication MFA, Royal College of Art). The event is facilitated by activist, academic and Migrant Champion for Hackney, Manal Massalha, and draws on themes and research from the book Polisonics: Collective Listening and the Politics of Sound.

Focussing on community listening and the capacity of radio as a medium that connects, we explore how sound and collective listening can help reshape paradigms and challenge systemic inequalities, build communities, and resist structural injustice.

Working with Radio Alhara, Radio Monteaudio and Grenfell impacted communities and members of the Grenfell Health and Well Being Service , the session will be a space to listen to a series of sonic responses, followed by discussion with audience members and contributors.

Polisonics: Collective Listening and the Politics of Sound is edited by Matt Lewis and Manal Massalha and published by Focal Press. The volume traces how sound systems, audio description, community mourning, and asylum biometrics shape the politics of listening.