Phenomena: Pilot – Part I: Spatial Sound at MiserArt Gallery

2026.11.14 · in progress · spatial sound · audio engineering · education · public task

A public task titled "Open Meeting with Experimental Music and Spatial Sound Technology" delivered by PZA Foundation and co-financed by the Municipality of Wrocław. Integrating immersive audio engineering, inclusive community spaces, and live performances.

Context and the Public Task (Art. 19a)

This event marks the programme debut of the Audiovisual Phenomena Lab Foundation (PZA). It is conducted as a public benefit task supporting local community development, contemporary culture, and arts heritage under Article 19a of the Polish Public Benefit and Volunteer Work Act.

Attendance across all parts of the gathering is 100% free of charge.

Core Rationale: Democratising Immersive Culture

Cutting-edge intersections of spatial audio engineering and new media art are predominantly confined to ticketed commercial festivals. PZA’s project breaks down this economic barrier, making a high-calibre multichannel listening environment accessible to all Wrocław residents free of admission costs.

The initiative also aligns with the wider European movement utilising ambient music and spatial acoustic environments to foster urban mental well-being. Under modern sensory overload and urban strain, deep listening practices provide vital sensory hygiene, restorative calm, and stress reduction. The intimate setting of MiserArt Gallery provides a welcoming acoustic sanctuary tailored for focused listening and communal recovery.

The Venue: MiserArt Gallery in Wrocław’s Nadodrze

Choosing ul. Wojciecha Cybulskiego 35A in the Nadodrze district was a deliberate mission choice rather than a commercial room booking. MiserArt is a Creative Zone within Inclusion Initiatives, active since 2014 in the courtyards of Nadodrze. People experiencing homelessness, craftspeople, street workers, and artists work here side by side.

The premises host a carpentry shop, metalworking forge, wood-fired Bread Workshop, and the Street Outpatient Clinic delivering immediate medical aid across Wrocław. From day one, PZA has prioritised linking technical research with community revitalization. Hosting this premiere at MiserArt connects niche audio research with grassroots social inclusion.

Engineering Architecture: Ambisonics and VBAP

For the concerts, we construct a custom multichannel acoustic reproduction rig inside MiserArt, stepping beyond conventional stereo constraints. Acoustic sources are positioned as dynamic coordinates moving across the listening field:

Multichannel Monitor Grid: an array of precision studio monitors set in an octagonal perimeter, supported by dedicated sub-bass units.
VBAP (Vector Base Amplitude Panning): dynamic real-time spatial panning algorithm allowing live positioning and spatial trajectories of independent sound objects.
Ambisonics: technology reproducing a two-/three-dimensional acoustic soundfield, enveloping the audience in a coherent acoustic panorama.
Dedicated Low-Latency Pipeline & DAW: portable audio workstation engineered for low-latency live multichannel mixing and real-time spatial processing.
Synchronized LED Lighting (DMX/ArtNet): custom real-time parameter mapping for dynamic illumination.

Event Programme (14 November 2026)

17:30 – Doors Open & Community Gathering: welcoming tea, ambient warm-up set by the PZA team, spatial sound demonstration, and an open conversation and Q&A session.
18:00 – Performance: Kacperdhl (live): Wrocław ambient blending modern classical influences and guitars in a hybrid live concert format.
19:00 – Main Performance: Olga Anna Markowska (live): cellist, composer, and sound artist (appearances at Unsound, Ephemera, Up To Date, Cafe OTO in London, Ancienne Belgique in Brussels); original work for cello, ambient, and multichannel acoustic space.
20:00 – Performance: holoe (live): artist affiliated with the Katowice Tonarium immersive facility and Soundscape Foundation; dense, dynamic electronic live set operating with spatial bass, closing the concert chapter.

Accessibility Standards

The event is designed around statutory accessibility guidelines for participants with individual needs:

Architectural Accessibility: the gallery hall is situated on the ground floor (level 0) with zero steps or internal thresholds. Restrooms are wheelchair accessible. On the cobblestone courtyard, the organizer provides coordinator assistance upon advance notice.
Sensory Accessibility: synchronised architectural lighting provides an alternative visual narrative for hearing-impaired visitors. Ground-level subwoofers convey somatosensory acoustic vibrations directly through the floor. Free protective earplugs are provided by the coordinator, and a designated low-stimulus chillout area is provided on-site.
Information Accessibility: all text materials use plain language conventions. Printed programme booklets with agendas are distributed on-site.

Under this public task, the Foundation will deliver:

One open 4-hour audiovisual event for a minimum of 45–60 direct attendees.
An open technical demonstration and educational Q&A on spatial sound engineering.
A publicly accessible technological case study detailing the acoustic tuning and multichannel VBAP configuration in a post-industrial heritage space, published freely on our website for local creatives and technicians.

Event Details:

Location: MiserArt Gallery, ul. Wojciecha Cybulskiego 35A, Wrocław (Nadodrze)
Date: 14 November 2026 | Doors: 17:30 | Programme: 18:00–21:30
Admission: Free and open to everyone
Online RSVP: Join the Facebook Event

The public task “Open Meeting with Experimental Music and Spatial Sound Technology” is co-financed by the Municipality of Wrocław (www.wroclaw.pl).