Leeds Art Gallery are putting out a call to the people of Leeds to contribute to a new ‘audio artwork’  of nature sounds and celebrating the importance of nature and greenspace to us – especially during lockdown.  You don’t need special skills or any specialist equipment, see the information below from the organisers:

“We need your help to create a soundscape of nature sounds recorded during lockdown, for a new crowd-sourced collaborative artwork by electronic musician Leafcutter John.

To raise awareness about issues of access to greenspace and to celebrate the important role that nature has played for many of us in a uniquely challenging year, Leafcutter John has been commissioned by Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival and Leeds Art Gallery, to create an original audio artwork entitled Lockdown Patchwork. Drawing on our current Natural Encounters exhibition, which explores how artists have responded to nature, the piece will use submissions, videos, field recordings and interviews to capture and share the experiences of people who have been connected by their enjoyment of nature, parks and greens spaces during the pandemic.

What we need from you

If there’s an outdoor space that matters to you, no matter where or what it is, we want you to capture sounds from it. You might not think of yourself as a sound recordist, but if you have a smartphone, portable recorder or any other recording tool, then you most definitely are. Your submission could be birdsong recorded on your balcony, chatter on your allotment patch, a river flowing or a dog in the park. It’s anything you like, captured anywhere you like. The only requirements are that you must have made the recording yourself and you must be happy for Leafcutter John to use it as an ingredient in his final work.

More information and how to apply

The deadline for submissions is 11 December. If you fancy getting involved, download our information pack (PDF, 150KB) and follow our simple step-by-step guide.”