26-27-28th September 2025 @ Electro-Studios, West St Leonards
Change won't happen unless we come together and know how to listen for it
Buy your ticket now to join in changing the story through Sono-Electro's programme of ground-breaking sound art installations and performances which will change the way you listen – step into the centre of the sound of change, and discover new opportunities to connect with others in one shared space.︎︎︎
The Programme
Friday 26th SEP
Artist Residency Showcase
Celebrate the festival’s Artists in Residencies from Ben Branagan’s Cyanotype collaborations with local schools Ark Alexandra Hastings and East Sussex College, and ZEROH’s light responsive and sound-making kites, and
Carl Bigmore’s exploration of his long standing fascination with whales. Inviting the audience to imagine the complex interior world of our evolutionary cousins and the stories we tell about them through a mixture of field recordings, samples and live performance combined with photography.
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4pm-6pm
Georgina Cook
Tapping into her memories of the time spent singing to her baby to help him sleep each night, ‘Row Your Boat’ sees artist Georgina Cook sing the nursery rhyme “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” in durational form in a small boat moored inside the gallery space.
6:30pm
Carl Bigmore
Activates his installation with a live performance which incorporates rhythms and textures of whale song intersected with guitar and effects.
7:30pm
‘Seven Whirling Women’
A powerful visual and emotional experience. In the highlands and islands of Scotland and Ireland, there were women known as keeners. They gave voice to grief, crying on behalf of their people, so no one carried sorrow alone
Artist Residency Showcase
Celebrate the festival’s Artists in Residencies from Ben Branagan’s Cyanotype collaborations with local schools Ark Alexandra Hastings and East Sussex College, and ZEROH’s light responsive and sound-making kites, and
Carl Bigmore’s exploration of his long standing fascination with whales. Inviting the audience to imagine the complex interior world of our evolutionary cousins and the stories we tell about them through a mixture of field recordings, samples and live performance combined with photography.
4pm-6pm
Georgina Cook
Tapping into her memories of the time spent singing to her baby to help him sleep each night, ‘Row Your Boat’ sees artist Georgina Cook sing the nursery rhyme “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” in durational form in a small boat moored inside the gallery space.
6:30pm
Carl Bigmore
Activates his installation with a live performance which incorporates rhythms and textures of whale song intersected with guitar and effects.
7:30pm
‘Seven Whirling Women’
A powerful visual and emotional experience. In the highlands and islands of Scotland and Ireland, there were women known as keeners. They gave voice to grief, crying on behalf of their people, so no one carried sorrow alone
Saturday 27th SEP
Sono-Satellite
A day-long showcasing of the festival’s young artist programme. A community-driven arts education incentive by Pablo McFee to ready early artists to present at the Sono-Electro festival, and sound artist veteran, Ted Barrow. Sonics Hastings closes the day with their collaborative performance, Spin Cycle.![]()
11:00am - 15:00
Seever, Ashley/APEXMUZIK, Ruben,
Neo/Vicenzo,
Jakk Roughneck,
Alice Barnard,
Karlton /Sustraperazzi
3:30pm
>>reanimated<< (Ted Barrow)
4:30pm
Sonics Hastings’ Spin Cycle
Sono-Satellite
A day-long showcasing of the festival’s young artist programme. A community-driven arts education incentive by Pablo McFee to ready early artists to present at the Sono-Electro festival, and sound artist veteran, Ted Barrow. Sonics Hastings closes the day with their collaborative performance, Spin Cycle.
11:00am - 15:00
Seever, Ashley/APEXMUZIK, Ruben,
Neo/Vicenzo,
Jakk Roughneck,
Alice Barnard,
Karlton /Sustraperazzi
3:30pm
>>reanimated<< (Ted Barrow)
4:30pm
Sonics Hastings’ Spin Cycle
Sunday 28th SEP
XMTR Crossover Day
The grand finale of the festival is also a crossover day with XMTR festival. From navigating inclusion to an all out All-Star Big Band by the coast to close the festival until next year.
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1pm - 2:30pm
Isobel Anderson & Gascia Ouzounian
3pm
Felipe Viveros - CeremonyFelipe Viveros is a Chilean born multimedia artist, producer and composer. Felipe’s work focuses at the intersection of sound design, ethnomusicology and electronic music. He has toured globally and collaborated with artists the likes of Nick Mulvey, Eic Terena and Chris Levine.
3:30pm
Gascia Ouzounian+Ger Gormley
5pm
Statue of Liberty All-Star Big Band
XMTR Crossover Day
The grand finale of the festival is also a crossover day with XMTR festival. From navigating inclusion to an all out All-Star Big Band by the coast to close the festival until next year.
1pm - 2:30pm
Isobel Anderson & Gascia Ouzounian
3pm
Felipe Viveros - CeremonyFelipe Viveros is a Chilean born multimedia artist, producer and composer. Felipe’s work focuses at the intersection of sound design, ethnomusicology and electronic music. He has toured globally and collaborated with artists the likes of Nick Mulvey, Eic Terena and Chris Levine.
3:30pm
Gascia Ouzounian+Ger Gormley
5pm
Statue of Liberty All-Star Big Band
Friday 26th September
Artist In Residence - Ben Branagan
Sound Installation throughout the weekend
Ben’s participatory project, Sketch for a Garden, explores the garden not only as a physical space but as an ongoing process—a site of care, connection, and collaboration.
Occupying the ESPS landing and rooftop garden, the project connects the festival site to its surrounding landscape through community workshops and an evolving mixed-media installation. In response to local environments such as the Coombe Valley Nature Reserve and the nearby beachfront, participants will work with collected materials to create a series of cyanotype prints that explore natural forms and imagined garden spaces.
Cyanotypes are an early photographic process known for their vivid blue tones. Their 1:1 shadow impressions offer an alternative way of seeing—challenging traditional photographic perspectives.
Sound Installation throughout the weekend
Ben’s participatory project, Sketch for a Garden, explores the garden not only as a physical space but as an ongoing process—a site of care, connection, and collaboration.
Occupying the ESPS landing and rooftop garden, the project connects the festival site to its surrounding landscape through community workshops and an evolving mixed-media installation. In response to local environments such as the Coombe Valley Nature Reserve and the nearby beachfront, participants will work with collected materials to create a series of cyanotype prints that explore natural forms and imagined garden spaces.
Cyanotypes are an early photographic process known for their vivid blue tones. Their 1:1 shadow impressions offer an alternative way of seeing—challenging traditional photographic perspectives.
Artist in Residence - Carl Bigmore
Sound Installation throughout the weekend
Performance Friday 26th September 6:30pm
Through a mixture of field recordings, samples and live performance combined with photography, Carl will explore a long standing fascination with whales, inviting the audience to imagine the complex interior world of our evolutionary cousins and the stories we tell about them.
He says, “An early childhood encounter with a Danish cartoon entitled Samon and Sally about an albino whale left an indelible mark on me. With its ecological themes and reference to the mythological white whale of Moby Dick, the strange melancholy tone of the film flickered its way from the TV into my little consciousness. It etched a deeply empathetic connection to the whale.
Sound Installation throughout the weekend
Performance Friday 26th September 6:30pm
Through a mixture of field recordings, samples and live performance combined with photography, Carl will explore a long standing fascination with whales, inviting the audience to imagine the complex interior world of our evolutionary cousins and the stories we tell about them.
He says, “An early childhood encounter with a Danish cartoon entitled Samon and Sally about an albino whale left an indelible mark on me. With its ecological themes and reference to the mythological white whale of Moby Dick, the strange melancholy tone of the film flickered its way from the TV into my little consciousness. It etched a deeply empathetic connection to the whale.
Georgina Cook - Row Your Boat
Friday 26th September 4pm - 6pm
Tapping into her memories of the time spent singing to her baby to help him sleep each night, ‘Row, Row, Row’ sees artist Georgina Cook sing the nursery rhyme “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” in durational form in a small boat moored inside the gallery space.
Audience participation is neither encouraged nor restricted.
Friday 26th September 4pm - 6pm
Tapping into her memories of the time spent singing to her baby to help him sleep each night, ‘Row, Row, Row’ sees artist Georgina Cook sing the nursery rhyme “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” in durational form in a small boat moored inside the gallery space.
Audience participation is neither encouraged nor restricted.
Artist in Residence - Zeroh
Sound Installation throughout the weekendDuring their residency ZEROH will be continuing their explorations into reflective structures and sky hangings. Creating constructs for land, beach and air. Audio will be driven by the elements and spontaneous.
Sound Installation throughout the weekendDuring their residency ZEROH will be continuing their explorations into reflective structures and sky hangings. Creating constructs for land, beach and air. Audio will be driven by the elements and spontaneous.
7 Whirling Women
Friday 26th September 7:30pm - 8:30pm
The concept for 7 Whirling Women originated from a performance I created for my mother as part of an exhibition called Mum Before Me, which invited artists to explore their mothers’ lives before they were born. My mother, an Anglo-Indian woman, had her ethnicity suppressed by her paternal colonial family. She was separated from her mother and by extension, from her Indian roots. That unresolved disconnection made it difficult for her, and for me, to fully understand her identity.
' 7 Whirling Women ' and participatory ritual curated by Caroline Gregory.
Choreography: Cate Brick
Whirling Women: Cate Brick, Ella Lowden, Marybeth Haas, Diane Roesch, Maitri Gold, Rosa Campbell
Friday 26th September 7:30pm - 8:30pm
The concept for 7 Whirling Women originated from a performance I created for my mother as part of an exhibition called Mum Before Me, which invited artists to explore their mothers’ lives before they were born. My mother, an Anglo-Indian woman, had her ethnicity suppressed by her paternal colonial family. She was separated from her mother and by extension, from her Indian roots. That unresolved disconnection made it difficult for her, and for me, to fully understand her identity.
' 7 Whirling Women ' and participatory ritual curated by Caroline Gregory.
Choreography: Cate Brick
Whirling Women: Cate Brick, Ella Lowden, Marybeth Haas, Diane Roesch, Maitri Gold, Rosa Campbell
Saturday 27th September
Sono-Satellite
Saturday 27th September 11am - 3pm
A day-long showcasing of the festival’s young artist programme. A community-driven arts education incentive by Pablo McFee to ready early artists to present at the Sono-Electro festival, and sound artist veteran, Ted Barrow.
Saturday 27th September 11am - 3pm
A day-long showcasing of the festival’s young artist programme. A community-driven arts education incentive by Pablo McFee to ready early artists to present at the Sono-Electro festival, and sound artist veteran, Ted Barrow.
Sonics Hastings’ Spin Cycle
Saturday 27th September 4:30pm - 6:30pm
Spin Cycle is your opportunity to be part of a longform, collaborative improvised music performance over two hours. There are 24 randomly allocated 15 minute slots available for anyone who has an interest in the styles of music SONICS has presented since 2015.
All experience levels are welcome with priority access being given to those applying from under-represented groups within the local scene. Bring ONE instrument or object to play only – this could be voice, guitar, phone, percussion, found object…anything!
Saturday 27th September 4:30pm - 6:30pm
Spin Cycle is your opportunity to be part of a longform, collaborative improvised music performance over two hours. There are 24 randomly allocated 15 minute slots available for anyone who has an interest in the styles of music SONICS has presented since 2015.
All experience levels are welcome with priority access being given to those applying from under-represented groups within the local scene. Bring ONE instrument or object to play only – this could be voice, guitar, phone, percussion, found object…anything!
XMTR Festival’s SONIC COMMUNION
Henry Ward Hall, 7:30PM"An evening of live sonic storytelling with ‘Souvenirs’ - Helen Zaltzman + Martin Austwick, a 19th century tale of about a fight over a type-face, motherhood is put to the test in ‘Why Should I Brush My Teeth Mummy’ by artist-parents Eleanor Westbrook and Tara Franks, ‘I Used to Know H.I.M is a sonic history of Hip-Hop from a female perspective by Yasmin Dunkwah and Adelaide Banks. And finally we can all reward ourselves for just being here with the Reward Yourself Awards!"
Henry Ward Hall, 7:30PM"An evening of live sonic storytelling with ‘Souvenirs’ - Helen Zaltzman + Martin Austwick, a 19th century tale of about a fight over a type-face, motherhood is put to the test in ‘Why Should I Brush My Teeth Mummy’ by artist-parents Eleanor Westbrook and Tara Franks, ‘I Used to Know H.I.M is a sonic history of Hip-Hop from a female perspective by Yasmin Dunkwah and Adelaide Banks. And finally we can all reward ourselves for just being here with the Reward Yourself Awards!"
Sunday 28 September
Isobel Anderson - Gender, Omission and Audio Ethics: A Live Listening of Time Loops
Sunday 28th September 1pm - 2:30pmJoin Isobel Anderson and Gascia Ouzounian for a live listening of Time Loops, a podcast following Shiva Feshareki and Sarah Angliss as they compose new works for Icebreaker Ensemble at the Science Museum. As the episode unfolds, unexpected voices surface, raising questions of who gets included or left out in audio production and music alike. Isobel and Gascia will then lead an open discussion on whether there is ever a case for deliberate omission, especially in light of historical patterns of exclusion.
Sunday 28th September 1pm - 2:30pmJoin Isobel Anderson and Gascia Ouzounian for a live listening of Time Loops, a podcast following Shiva Feshareki and Sarah Angliss as they compose new works for Icebreaker Ensemble at the Science Museum. As the episode unfolds, unexpected voices surface, raising questions of who gets included or left out in audio production and music alike. Isobel and Gascia will then lead an open discussion on whether there is ever a case for deliberate omission, especially in light of historical patterns of exclusion.
Gascia Ouzounian + Ger Gormley
Sunday 28th September 3:30pm - 4:30pm
Sound artist Gerard Gormley and violinist Gascia Ouzounian present a live performance that transforms the Barbican Estate into a resonant collaborator. Based on an album by the same name, the live performance documents a process that treats architecture not merely as a container for sound but as an active sonic medium. In Concrete Dreams of Sound, sound is channelled through building materials using contact microphones and vibrational speakers. Sounds were recorded in situ--through concrete, water, air--and subsequently reinserted into those same spaces, creating recursive, site-specific compositions.
Sunday 28th September 3:30pm - 4:30pm
Sound artist Gerard Gormley and violinist Gascia Ouzounian present a live performance that transforms the Barbican Estate into a resonant collaborator. Based on an album by the same name, the live performance documents a process that treats architecture not merely as a container for sound but as an active sonic medium. In Concrete Dreams of Sound, sound is channelled through building materials using contact microphones and vibrational speakers. Sounds were recorded in situ--through concrete, water, air--and subsequently reinserted into those same spaces, creating recursive, site-specific compositions.
Statue of Liberty All-Star Big Band
Sunday 28th September 5pm - 6pm
Statue of Liberty is an all-star big band devised for Sono-Electro 2025 by Ed Baxter, BASCA-award winning sound artist, co-founder of Resonance FM, one of “100 people who have made Britain a better, happier place” (The Independent on Sunday’s Happiness List) and “probably the most influential UK new music curator of the last 25+ years” (Cafe OTO). Statue of Liberty is a monumental piece of conceptual art, designed to welcome people crossing the Channel at a time of encroaching fascism, small-mindedness and intolerance. Two dozen exceptional players from diverse scenes and genres come together to realise a mind-boggling repertoire which embraces aberrant standards, free improv, electronica, art rock and ambient.
Sunday 28th September 5pm - 6pm
Statue of Liberty is an all-star big band devised for Sono-Electro 2025 by Ed Baxter, BASCA-award winning sound artist, co-founder of Resonance FM, one of “100 people who have made Britain a better, happier place” (The Independent on Sunday’s Happiness List) and “probably the most influential UK new music curator of the last 25+ years” (Cafe OTO). Statue of Liberty is a monumental piece of conceptual art, designed to welcome people crossing the Channel at a time of encroaching fascism, small-mindedness and intolerance. Two dozen exceptional players from diverse scenes and genres come together to realise a mind-boggling repertoire which embraces aberrant standards, free improv, electronica, art rock and ambient.
Proceeds from this, the band’s inaugural performance, will be donated to the Refugee Buddy Project in Hastings.