Sownd Affects Blog
Insights, thoughts, and stories about audio accessibility and inclusive sound design.
Hackney's Grassroots Music Venues Become UK's First Audio Inclusive Live Music Spaces
Hackney, London - Three Hackney grassroots music venues - Vortex, SJQ, and Paper Dress Vintage have undergone transformational audio-inclusive upgrades, setting a new benchmark for accessible live music experiences. Spearheaded by the pioneering initiative Sownd Affects, and bolstered by funding from Arts Council England, this project aims to make live music more inclusive for the one in three individuals sensitive to noise, including those who are neurodivergent, hard of hearing, or living with conditions like misophonia.
What Makes an Environment Noise-Friendly? Designing for Sound, Not Against It
You can walk into any coffee shop or coworking space and you will notice that there is a hum of conversation, clicking of a mouse, clanking of keyboards, and relaxing music in the background. Contrary to outdated design norms, the most inclusive and calming spaces aren’t the quietest. They’re the ones that treat sound with intention. The idea of “noise-friendly” environments is not about adding more sound. It is actually about creating spaces that embrace noise as a tool and not a nuisance. Instead of giving some negativity to the concept of noise, why not shape it and make it functional and inclusive?
5 Ways That Sound Affects the Human Body
Wellness is a term that gets thrown around a lot these days – whether it’s about yoga, veganism or mindfulness. But we don’t often give any thought to our hearing. Shouldn’t we look after our hearing wellness in the same way as we might look after our diets or our eyesight? From work to travel, home to meeting friends, every day we encounter a whole host of sounds that have the ability to influence us positively or negatively. And it’s not just our hearing that’s affected. Even when we’re wearing noise-cancelling headphones, sound can impact both our physical and mental health in more ways than you might imagine! So, when it comes to wellness, there’s more to it than meets the eye. Here are 5 ways that sound affects the human body…
Are You Excluding 30% of Your Workforce and Customers? The Audio Inclusivity Gap Costing UK Businesses Millions
Audio inclusivity addresses the needs of 30% of the UK population - over 20 million noise-sensitive individuals whose workplace and customer experience requirements remain largely unmet. Research demonstrates that businesses implementing audio inclusive design achieve 20-30% productivity improvements whilst capturing previously underserved market segments. Learn how inclusive sound environments transform from reactive accessibility costs to proactive competitive advantages across corporate offices, hospitality, retail, and service sectors.