Voiceover Project
VoiceOver is a closed network of ‘radio boxes’ distributed to a small community of people that enables them to communicate with each other and share experiences.
VoiceOver is a hyperlocal social radio network built on 3g or 4g network that everyone in a community can listen in on and contribute to. By enabling participants to connect to, discover and engage with their communities, VoiceOver reduces loneliness and social isolation and reimagines what a 21st century community radio could be. It combines a state-of-the-art technology with a user-friendly, accessible and familiar object.
The tool is similar to a normal radio - a companion that is always there - broadcasting the voices of the neighbourhood, local news, event updates or general community chit-chat. But unlike normal radios, the members themselves respond to each others’ messages, and eventually even can create their own radio programme for their community.
Over four weeks in summer of 2018, artist Emma Frankland invited twenty-five members of Brighton’s trans (including non binary) community to archive their thoughts and feelings using VoiceOver radio boxes.
Commissioned by Brighton Digital Festival, we were invited to work with over four weeks in summer of 2018 with local artist Emma Frankland. She invited twenty-five members of Brighton’s trans (including
Each week Emma would send some provocations or questions – Who are you? What is community? What would you say to your younger self? And once a week they would listen to a specially recorded broadcast, made by a trans artist. These broadcasts themselves served as prompts on the themes of pride, love and existing outside our front door; on trans history; on the nature of community and on what it is to be a young trans person.
VoiceOver Brighton demonstrated one of Brighton Digital Festival’s core beliefs, which is that technology can, in the right hands, provide spaces for marginalised and precarious communities to make their voices heard.
— Laurence Hill, Director, Brighton Digital Festival
The participants were asked to share words and music that they would like to be heard by other trans identified people and also to share words for the world to hear. Whenever anyone at home recorded something on their radio box, a banner embedded with LED lights located outside the Marlborough Pub & Theatre responded in real-time by displaying their chosen colour. As participation grew, the banner filled with coloured lights – symbolising all their growing contributions. Each colour in the banner represents a specific participant. Over four weeks, 374 pieces of audio content were generated.
The content was featured in a solo exhibition at Brighton Pop Up Gallery from 28th September to 13th October. Two audio pieces were created from the recordings by Emma and her collaborator, Juan Carlos Otero. One is an audio landscape which is for members of the public to hear. Another one for anyone who identify themselves as trans (including non binary).
VoiceOver Brighton is a project by Umbrellium in collaboration with Emma Frankland. Commissioned by Brighton Digital Festival.
