1 July 2025
Open Letter to the Ivors Academy

Dear Ivors Academy,

We want to express our grave concern regarding your decision to remove the Sound Art category from the Ivors Classical Awards.

When the category of Sonic Art (2008-2019) was renamed Sound Art in 2020, many sound practitioners working in this hybrid field felt great pride in being recognised by such an esteemed organisation. It also indicated that the Ivors were responding to modern trends and increasingly exploring more hybrid territories.

We believe it is crucial to recognise the central role that sound art—understood in its broadest sense—plays in shaping contemporary music practice. Removing this category risks narrowing the definition of what counts as classical music in the UK today. That is not only out of step with current practice, but also out of touch with the next generation of composers and artists working across disciplines.

The UK boasts a vibrant sound art community that has produced many innovative and groundbreaking works over the past decades.

We sincerely urge you to reconsider your decision and to reinstate the Sound Art category from 2026 onwards.

Sound Art Brighton.

195
signatures
177 verified
  1. Dr Kersten Glandien, academic / curator, Sound Art Brighton, Brighton
  2. Dr Olivia Louvel, Sound artist/Researcher, Sound Art Brighton, Brighton
  3. chris cutler, musician/author, london
  4. simon james, sound artist, simonsound, Hove
  5. Hannah Kemp-Welch, Artist, London
  6. Dr Louise Gray, writer/lecturer, The Wire, London
  7. Ali Donaldson, Writer, Hove & Saumur
  8. Caroline Kraabel, music creator, Ivors member (Jazz+ committee), ONe_Orchestra New, London
  9. Sound Arts UK, nationwide
  10. Dr Benjamin Tassie, Composer & Researcher, Sheffield
  11. Angus Carlyle, Academic, University of the Arts London, London
  12. Dr Emily Peasgood, Guildhall School of Music and Drama & Emily Peasgood Studio, Ramsgate
  13. Lore Lixenberg, Sound art/voice/musician, York University, London
  14. Katia Farn, organist, choir director, composer, st mary's parish church, handsworth, birmingham
  15. Yvette, Creative, Kent
  16. Dr Joe Inkpen, Musician/composer/educator, Margate
  17. Dr Mark Hanslip
  18. Una Lee, Artist
  19. Emma Margetson, Senior Lecturer in Music and Sound, University of Greenwich, London
  20. Amy Cunningham, academic and artist, University of Brighton, Brighton
...
137 more
verified signatures
  1. margaret fiedler mcginnis, Musician/Composer/Sculptor, London
  2. Maja Mihalik, Newbury
  3. Liam Slevin, Artistic Director, The Auxiliary Project Space, Middlesbrough
  4. Wajid Yaseen, Creative Director, Modus Arts, NPO Arts Council, London
  5. Simon Emmerson, composer/performer/writer, Hove
  6. Dr Luc Messinezis, Sound Artist & Academic, University of the Peloponnese, Athens, Greece
  7. Glenn Boulter, Artistic Director, Full of Noises, Barrow-in-Furness
  8. Ehsan Valaei, Musician, London
  9. Martin Green, Music/Sound Art, grateful Ivors Sound Art recipiant 2019, Edinburgh
  10. David petts, Musician, ReR Megacorp, London
  11. Carol Lawrence, Retired, Crowborough
  12. Noor-e-Sehar Ali, Writer, sound artist, London
  13. Lucy Schaufer, musician/producer, Wild Plum Arts, Bradford on Avon
  14. Veronica Petukhov, artist, Veronica Petukhov, Glasgow
  15. will Hughes, Artist, Stockton-on-tees
  16. Jenn Kirby, Composer/performer/lecturer, Liverpool
  17. Frank Schulte, sound and media artist, curator, monheim triennale, cologne
  18. Abi Bliss, Co-director/Project producer, Yorkshire Sound Women Network, Huddersfield
  19. Ruth Jarman, artist, Semiconductor, Brighton
  20. Simon Opit, Retired, Edinburgh
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