Journey in Audio
Journey in Audio offers professional training and access to high-quality equipment to document travel, fieldwork or a research expedition through audio recorded in the field.
Are you planning a geographical journey, fieldwork or a research expedition with a story you want to tell using audio recorded in the field?
Apply for the Journey in Audio workshop for hands-on, small-group training.
Participants will receive:
- A one-day, in-person workshop led by a professional audio producer at the Royal Geographical Society in London, scheduled for spring 2025 (date to be confirmed), before you go into the field.
- The loan of professional-standard handheld audio recording equipment for use in the field.
- A non-commercial license for REAPER digital audio production software.
- A financial contribution for travel and accommodation (if required) to attend the workshop.
- Group and one-to-one feedback sessions online on the first cut of your audio work upon your return.
- The opportunity to share your audio work through the Society’s channels (subject to review for quality and content).
The workshop day at the Society will provide an introduction to soundscapes, how sound is used in storytelling, and how to build a narrative. Participants will receive practical training on using audio recording equipment, including capturing sounds in the field and how to approach interviews. There will be hands-on practice to apply these skills.
The workshop will also provide an overview of REAPER audio production software to help you create your work. Participants will be required to complete some basic, self-taught training with the software in advance of the workshop.
Eligibility
- This workshop is open to geographical journeys, a period of fieldwork or research expedition being undertaken by individuals or small teams between mid-April and the end of October 2025.
- Applicants will be expected to have a clear plan for their travel, fieldwork or research expedition and the financial and practical means to undertake it.
- Eligible projects may focus on any geography-related topic.
- All applications are welcome, however attendees must be able to join the in-person workshop day at the Royal Geographical Society in London on a date to be confirmed in March/early April 2025, as well as participate in online feedback sessions in October 2025.
- Applicants with all levels of experience can apply.
- To get the most out of the workshop and opportunity, applicants must be prepared to undertake self-led learning of audio production software REAPER using online tutorials. An introduction session and links to online learning will be provided, but the bulk of the tuition and use of the software will be self-led.
How to apply
To give the best training and feedback experience, places on the workshop are limited.
To apply, please submit a 60 second audio pitch by email to grants@rgs.org and complete the online form below before Friday 31 January 2025.
Your audio pitch should tell us about your project, the story you want to tell, why you want to tell it, why you want to use audio and why an audience will find it interesting. You can record this any way you like (using a phone is fine).