BBC Radio 4, in collaboration with RIBA, just launched a competition for the design of a portable ‘pod’ to enable their conversations, which have become essential listening, valued moments in their hectic broadcasting schedules, to take place in different venues around the UK such as shopping centers, libraries and festivals. For some people it might be the chance to capture memories, to relive shared moments, to put down for posterity how we feel about each other - or to have the one conversation they have always wanted to have. The Listening Project enables more of the general public the opportunity to record a conversation. The deadline to register is April 18 and the submission deadline is April 23. More information on the competition after the break.
What is The Listening Project? It’s an ambitious oral history exercise that the BBC has undertaken in conjunction with the British Library which aims to build a sound archive of our times for future generations to hear. If you haven’t heard any then this is how it works: two people who love or care about each other sit down and talk about something that really matters to them, it can be anything from huge elephants in the room of life to the hoverflies that dance on the surface of our everyday lives.
For some people it might be the chance to capture memories, to relive shared moments, to put down for posterity how we feel about each other - or to have the one conversation they have always wanted to have. And so we, the listeners, have had the privilege of aurally peeking into the worlds of so many strangers - the magic of radio being that by the time we have spent just 2 and a half minutes in their company they aren’t strangers to us any more.
BBC Radio 4's The Listening Project is about creating important conversational opportunities between two people - siblings, parents, couples etc. We want to create a special Listening Pod to travel around the UK, to extend the geographical reach of this unique and important oral history project. We are looking for a unique and welcoming space where 2 possibly 3 members of the public can record a conversation that matters deeply to them.
For more information on the competition, please visit here.