La Rentrée
In France, the month of September is known as ‘la rentrée’, the return. It’s the time of year when the summer holidays end, the days shorten, and we return to work or studies.
I’ve just been out on a wonderful sunny walk in Hayes, west of London, with a lovely group of recent acquaintances. We explored a lesser-known corner of the capital, rich in industrial and literary history, from the vinyl factory that once pressed Beatles records to the fields where George Orwell used to wander as a schoolteacher. We chatted and laughed, shared stories and orange polenta cake and stopped for iced lollies.
As I sit down to write this week’s newsletter, I can feel the spirit of ‘la rentrée’. It’s a bittersweet feeling of having to sit in front of a screen again, while also brimming with tales to tell, like a school kid back from holidays.
That of course is one of the reasons why we walk, isn’t it? We wander to return again, having found some new version of ourselves. We go out to harvest stories, bringing them home to feed our souls.
I’ve often thought that writing and walking are intimately connected. With each step we learn to find our own rhythm and meter. Walking requires a certain amount of attention but leaves parts of the mind free to think, and there’s no better way to clear writer’s block or get the creative energy flowing than to go for a walk.
Obviously, I’m not alone, as the many brilliant entries for our recent Walking Together competition show. We’ve just published the 27 poems and stories long listed for the award and you can read them here. Mark your favourites, leave comments and share on social media.
This publication also marks start of Sound Walk September, our annual Awards celebrating the skills of those composing audio, listening experiences, and sound walks. All sound walks created since January 2023 can enter this year’s Awards (deadline 30 September 2024). Free entry and €1000 of prizes.
And if you’re still putting the final touches on your sound walk, or wondering how to enter next year, why not join us Tuesday at 7pm BST and meet last year’s SWS winner Ed Coulson, and runner-up Dawn Matheson, discussing how they made their successful sound walks. Register here for FREE for the event.
And finally, a special shout-out to the sponsor of this week’s newsletter Echoes, a key platform provider for many entries to the Sound Walk September Awards. If you haven’t checked out their platform yet, take a look and discover a new world of possibilities for sound and walking.
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Writer, walker, digital storyteller, psychogeographer
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Supported by:
Echoes
ECHOES specialises in geolocative audio. Our free platform allows creators to make and publish incredible GPS-triggered walking experiences. We also create apps which focus on sound and location, like The Royal Parks and The Royal Academy’s collaborative ‘Music for Trees’ app.
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Free for supporting members, open to everyone
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2024-09-03 18:00
· Online
As we start a month of celebrating sound walks, we invite you to join an online café with last year’s winner and runner up, exploring their approach to making winning sound walks and where next might sound walk composition take us all. The winner of the SWS23 Awards was Headford Lace Trail, by Ed Coulson, Keep reading
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2024-09-10 18:00
· Online
“a hypnotic, sensual tapestry” Elizabeth Mahoney writing about Diane’s Lonely Nights radio feature in The Guardian “a superbly crafted evocation of a way of life lost – but not entirely forgotten” the Radio Times on Diane’s experimental audio documentary feature Ghost Town (for Between the Ears, BBC Radio 3) “She is a... Keep reading
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Latest podcast episodes
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Join your host @thebuzzknight for a look at the month of September in Music History. For suggestions or comments write [email protected] Connect with Buzz on... Start listening
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Join @thebuzzknight for this episode with film maker Denny Tedesco. He is the son of Tommy Tedesco, who was part of the famous “Wrecking Crew” which Denny turned in... Start listening
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Andrew Stuck has travelled to Wolverhampton to meet Daniella Turbin, whose walking art practice includes drawing and photography, to talk about her year long projec... Start listening
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Join @thebuzzknight on this episode of Takin A Walk with Bill Denk, the founder and creator of a new platform called “Go Goods”, which will help artists earn 500x m... Start listening
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Today on your walk, reflect on the following question: What is luxurious to you? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Start listening
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Join @thebuzzknight for an episode with renowned American percussionist Lenny Castro. Lenny is one of the most prolific session players, working with iconic artists... Start listening
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Support walk · listen · create
walk · listen · create is a member-supported organisation. If you like what we do, and want to see more of it, please become a supporting member.
You will be facilitating a more sustainable organisation and you will contribute to larger prizes for both the SWS and Marŝarto awards. And, as a supporting member, you get free access to our online cafés.
Support us from 5 euros per month. It’s even a bit cheaper if you commit for a whole year. Check out the details.
New walking pieces
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An immersive six-episode podcast combining personal essay with soundwalks and interviews that explores the intersection of walking and spirituality. Created as a podcaster in residence with Grace Cathedral in San Francisco, California. Keep reading
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John Cage's 1959 score, consisting of of a list of properties, a floor plan showing the placements of instruments and objects, three pages with a timeline (one minute each) with descriptions and pictographic notations of occurrence of events, and a list of notes "regarding some of the actions to be made in the order of... Keep reading
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A 1960s New York based Fluxus work by Robert Filliou Keep reading
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The ‘Wooden Floor Walk’ took place on 23 August 2024 in a large group house on the edge of the forest in Biel/Bienne (Switzerland). The house is largely made of wood. 18 participants crossed the room very slowly (15 minutes). A wooden floor sound piece was created. Keep reading
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The Stonington Soundwalk takes the listener on a walk past old sardine factories and music halls, neighborhoods and town piers. It features the stories of local residents, both past and present, recorded and edited by audio producer Galen Koch. Keep reading
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For Sound Walk September 2020, walk · listen · create created a collaborative sound walk. Everyone was invited to participate in this project involving scores of participants, with the aim of creating a 30-day sound walk. Keep reading
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Upcoming events
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2024-09-03 18:00
· Online
As we start a month of celebrating sound walks, we invite you to join an online café with last year’s winner and runner up, exploring their approach to making winni... Keep reading
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6 - 8 Sep, 2024
· Online
Fourth World Congress of Psychogeography
Friday 6 September - Sunday 8 September 2024
FREE 'festival pass' tickets bookable here: https://www.canterbury.ac.uk/eve... Keep reading
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From our network
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The 20th anniversary production of Alan Bennett’s The History Boys feels fresh for today’s audiences. Read my Broadway World review here
Keep reading
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Hand-in-hand immediately brings to mind an image of two people, young or old walking together side-by-side. We’ve borrowed the title from a story written by Austral... Keep reading
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Créer des tiers-espaces écoutants, une amorce d’un projet de recherche-action. Je cherche des voix complices. En présence, à distance… On marche, on parle, on écout... Keep reading
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Long listed for the Write about Walking Together competition 2024 Hi! It’s me. I’ve switched off share location cos I’m only on 13%. I’ll call you when I get in. Th... Keep reading
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Long listed for the Write about Walking Together competition 2024 The promenade sounds grand, but nothing is very grand in this small town anymore. I walk here ever... Keep reading
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Long listed for the Write about Walking Together competition 2024 The causeway is narrow. Slush refreezes under our feet. Prints of claws cover hooves and paws. We ... Keep reading
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Long listed for the Write about Walking Together competition 2024 Satellite imagery showed an unusual shade of green. The map overlay placed it in a remote location... Keep reading
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Long listed for the Write about Walking Together competition 2024 “Not More Gnomes!” – written and read by Rachel Henson Your laughter couldn’t hide your horror.“Ye... Keep reading
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Long listed for the Write about Walking Together competition 2024 Thyme – written and read by Damaris West Where the stream is a pathup the sandstone bouldersand th... Keep reading
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Long listed for the Write about Walking Together competition 2024 An Unlikely Pair – written and ready Sarah Leavesley One has a chronic condition that wheezes his ... Keep reading
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Long listed for the Write about Walking Together competition 2024 Flower Key – written and read by Chantal Lyons When we begin dating, all I know of his suburb is i... Keep reading
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Long listed for the Write about Walking Together competition 2024 Sharing – written and read by Damaris West This is your habit: always gazing up, while I look down... Keep reading
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Long listed for the Write about Walking Together competition 2024 Every Sunday, Gran and I walked through the Narromine Wetlands. This started about 15 years ago, w... Keep reading
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Latest videos
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An adaptation of One-Minute Scenario by Robert Filliou. Keep reading
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Video recording of a WALC Café hosted by Clare Qualmann with guest Eléonore Ozanne discussing Women walking, The city, At night. A performance series in the form of collective walks between women. It was began by Eléonore Ozanne in Seville, Spain in September 2022 on the night of the ‘Harvest Moon’, and has subsequentl... Keep reading
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A nighttime recording Keep reading
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Cautiously back to regular life, today marks the end of the first month of back to school for kids after a six month COVID hiatus. Happy sounds and COVID talk fills the playground. Keep reading
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Within Greenwich Park are many ancient sweet chestnuts - you accompany on encountering one, and then listen to Greg Packman, a former tree officer for Royal Parks (of which Greenwich is one) telling us a bit more about sweet chestnuts there. Keep reading
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The everyday environment of a small town up the hill of Florence explored and inhabited with bodies and minds focused on listening. In the middle of the night, silently and slowly, to question the space where we live, to establish new connections, and develop critical thoughts. With Chiara Mellini, Elena Di Padova, Mas... Keep reading
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Halifax Waterfront, along Lower Water Street and the board walk. Keep reading
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Stuff we found
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Maps Mania is a blog dedicated to tracking the very best digital interactive maps on the internet and the tools used to create them. Source: Maps Mania: Anime Pilgr... Keep reading
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Glicéria Tupinambá is one of three indigenous artists representing Brazil at this year’s Venice Biennale. … Source: We are walking birds – talking to Glicéria Tupin... Keep reading
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Kimia Studios and Parcours Street Art Brussels have collaborated to create a feminist walking tour 4.2 km long An accompanying podcast lasts 90 minutes. Source: Bru... Keep reading
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A sacred path to spiritual renewal. A journey from head to heart. A test of endurance. A life-changing road to enlightenment. Source: 7 epic pilgrimage routes aroun... Keep reading
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Unveiling Israel’s structures of segregation, confinement, surveillance, and restrictions on freedom in the occupied West Bank Source: Driving in Palestine: Rehab N... Keep reading
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