Dr Mariana Bogdanova
Lecturer in Management

Soundscape Conversations: Connecting Voluntary and Community Organisations
Funder: HEIF Public Engagement Fund
Duration: April 2024 - September 2024

Knowledge exchange between the University and the community through creative conversation using sound sculptures. This is a knowledge exchange six month project between Brunel academics, students, and community organisations in the area. Together we develop sound installations through which we “speak to the public” about their work. The project will create and put up a visually and audio-engaging sculptures/public art in the shape of bird feeders and bird cages fitted with audio speakers in public spaces including the University campus. The installation will play discussions to passers by, which take place between researchers and community workers about what’s happening in the third sector, how these actors do what they do, where they struggle, and how our Brunel management expertise becomes problem-solving for these actors. The project will ask student to take part in creating creative content (poetry, writing, reflection, music), academics to provide their views on topics relevant to community organisations (social work expertise, management advice, public policy engagement advice), and community workers to talk about what they encounter in their daily work. The project brings together members of the community and helps us all see how we can exchange ideas and work together to make the community a better place.