The experimental music organisation Full of Noises (FON) has been celebrating 15 years with a series of concerts, events, and films.
The celebration, which is being held at their newly redeveloped venue in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, commemorates a decade and a half of bringing new music and sound art to the region.
The organisation started its journey in 2009 and it was born as a biennial experimental sound and music festival.
Their first concert was held at a former canteen building, now a submarine plant.
FON has since been actively championing new music and sound art from their base in Piel View House, formerly a park-keepers lodge in Barrow Park.
In the past 15 years, FON has brought global artists to Barrow and organised more than 200 events.
It has worked with over 350 artists from Cumbria, Europe and beyond.
Strikingly, its early concerts featured performances from 1970s experimental krautrock legends Faust, Icelandic composer Hildur Gudnadottir, Lee Patterson and Japanese-Korean artist Ryoko Akama.C
FON’s artistic director, Glenn Boulter, said: "Full of Noises started in 2009 with five locally based artists, who were interested in music and sound, deciding to stage a festival.
"We had a wish list of artists we wanted to perform and were amazed when nearly all of them accepted our invitation to come to Barrow and play."
FON has played a significant role in taking sound art commissions to the Sao Paulo Biennial and projects across Europe and Japan.
It launched the redeveloped Piel View House in Spring 2023, transforming it into a nationally recognised centre for sound art.
The £670k redevelopment was supported by Arts Council England, The Sir John Fisher Foundation and Westmorland and Furness Council.
Andrew Deakin, a founding member, said: “Cumbria didn’t have too many experimental music festivals at the time - so we just thought it would be a fun thing to do.
"And 15 years on it’s still going."
FON has further plans, including a 15th birthday concert on Saturday, October 12 with musicians and guest artists.
They are developing a year-long programme of film screenings with director talks as part of their Light in The Park cinema series.
FON presents concerts, workshops, events, films and family activities throughout the year, developing talent and enabling creativity to shine.
Recent months have seen turntablist NikNak, Tara Clerkin Trio and Hyperdawn performing at Piel View House.
The autumn season will witness the performance of Australian/American super-duo Jim White and Marisa Anderson and Los Angeles-based Japanese artist Tashi Wada.
FON remains committed, aiming to make sound and music accessible to all.
FON’s artistic director, Glenn Boulter, said: "Full of Noises started in 2009 with five locally based artists, who were interested in music and sound, deciding to stage a festival.
"We had a wish list of artists we wanted to perform and were amazed when nearly all of them accepted our invitation to come to Barrow and play."
FON has played a significant role in taking sound art commissions to the Sao Paulo Biennial and projects across Europe and Japan.
It launched the redeveloped Piel View House in Spring 2023, transforming it into a nationally recognised centre for sound art.
The £670k redevelopment was supported by Arts Council England, The Sir John Fisher Foundation and Westmorland and Furness Council.
Andrew Deakin, a founding member, said: “Cumbria didn’t have too many experimental music festivals at the time - so we just thought it would be a fun thing to do.
"And 15 years on it’s still going."
FON has further plans, including a 15th birthday concert on Saturday, October 12 with musicians and guest artists.
They are developing a year-long programme of film screenings with director talks as part of their Light in The Park cinema series.
FON presents concerts, workshops, events, films and family activities throughout the year, developing talent and enabling creativity to shine.
Recent months have seen turntablist NikNak, Tara Clerkin Trio and Hyperdawn performing at Piel View House.
The autumn season will witness the performance of Australian/American super-duo Jim White and Marisa Anderson and Los Angeles-based Japanese artist Tashi Wada.
FON remains committed, aiming to make sound and music accessible to all.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here