Call for Proposals: Deep Listening Residency & Commission
The Center for Deep Listening at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) invites artists and sonic practitioners to propose site-specific works that engage our campus community (located in Troy, New York) in Pauline Oliveros’ practices of sonic awareness. Proposals can range from media installations to mobile apps to soundmaps to score booklets, but should be designed as permanent or semi-permanent public artworks.
Selected artists will co-develop their projects with RPI students and faculty through a combination of remote and on-site residency activities. (Minimum 2 student co-design and consultation sessions required.) Projects must take place between September 2025 and December 2026.
In addition to a $2,500 USD commissioning fee, selected artists will receive:
- Production budget of up to $1,500 for materials, equipment, and technical support
- Travel and lodging support for on-site residency period(s)
Key Dates
| Application Opens | February 18, 2025 |
| Submission Deadline | April 6, 2025 (end-of-day) |
| Notifications | April 21, 2025 |
Application Materials
Please submit a concept pitch (1-2 page PDF) that includes:
- How your proposal connects to Deep Listening philosophy/practice
- Strategy for student involvement
- Technical/resource needs
- Work Samples: 3–5 examples (links preferred)
- Budget Outline: Any needed materials, estimated travel costs
Evaluation Rubric
Proposals will be assessed by a committee of RPI faculty and students on the following criteria:
| Criteria | Key Considerations |
| Deep Listening Engagement | The degree to which the proposed project is both informed by and opens up new avenues of engagement with the various legacies of Oliveros and Deep listening philosophy and practice (e.g. sonic meditation, non-standard notations, improvisational technologies, community activism…) |
| Potential for Audience Engagement | The potential for the proposed project to (implicitly or explicitly) engage and excite campus community and visitors about Deep Listening principles / practices/ processes / philosophies. |
| Student Engagement | Are RPI students meaningfully involved beyond token roles? Does the proposal outline clear collaboration phases (design / testing / documentation)? |
| Feasibility | The ability of RPI to realistically support the proposed project with existing spaces and staff. |
Submission Details
Apply Here: https://forms.gle/vym8zRshvYK7ZdwU6
Deadline: April 6, 2025 (end-of-day)