Everywhere, all at once while remaining underground; geographically disparate while rooted to place – the contemporary ambient music scene is thriving. The inaugural Contemporary Ambient Research Symposium (CARS) invites academics, researchers, critics, and practitioners to present on topics relating to ambient music and globalised music scenes.

The first symposium aims to form new connections by providing presentation and networking activities for researchers and practitioners operating within the related fields, with the intention to establish a regular bi-annual event with published proceedings.

Presenters and attendees are invited to submit a short fragment of music and/or sound (max 30 seconds) ahead of the symposium; the sounds gathered will be used as source material for a commissioned production and performance in place of a traditional keynote speaker.

Please send music/sound fragments in WAV format to james.armstrong@uca.ac.uk by Friday 4th October.

Lunch and refreshments will be provided to registered attendees throughout the day. Following the close of the symposium, a public performance by Bob Holroyd will take place, starting at 7pm. More information will be added to a separate event listing in due course.

Programme (subject to change)

09:30 Tea & Coffee

10:00 Welcome

10:15 Paper Presentation 1

10:45 Paper Presentation 2

11:15 Refreshments

11:45 Workshop

12:45 Lunch

13:45 Paper Presentation 3

14:15 Paper Presentation 4

14:45 Paper Presentation 5

15:15 Installation View & Refreshments

16:00 Keynote Performance

16:40 Close

Contemporary Ambient Research Symposium 2024