Distant Mirror
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Distant Mirror 〰️
Our 2026 proposal cycle is open Nov 1 through Dec 11, 2025. Here is a link.
Images: Sound Scene 2024
Photos: Anthony Washington
Logistics
When: Festival Date To Be Confirmed Soon (May 2+3 or June 13+14, 2026)
Where: Sound Scene 2026 will take place indoors + outdoors at the Smithsonian’s Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington D.C.
Theme: "Distant Mirror" What can be heard when we consider the future and the past at the same time?
Pulitzer Prize winning author Barbara W. Tuchman wrote the book, A Distant Mirror, looking back at 14th century history to explore its contrasts and contradictions: conquest, triumph, chaos and spiritual tribulation.
Distance gives us perspective. Some have called the Arctic a "distant mirror" that reflects humanity's relationship with nature.
Does your proposal consider predictions, history, reflection, the environment, self, others, or identity? What new insights are revealed when we look forward and back at once? How does your work illuminate what is experienced, mirrored, rejected, evolving, lived and/or understood here or abroad?
Submission Deadline: December 11, 2025.
Guidelines
Accessibility: We believe it is our collective moral obligation to provide seamless, accessible and unhindered art experiences for all audiences. We look to Sound Scene artists to maximize accessibility in their proposal design and will work with accepted artists to incorporate standards of accessible design. To learn more about accessible exhibition design, please refer to the Smithsonian’s Guidelines for Accessible Exhibition Design.
Challenge us! We are ready for your creativity to push beyond our expectations and blow our minds! In the past we have showcased a combination of interactive installations, multi-sensory artwork, improvisational performances and small group workshops. Please help us to continue to think outside the box.
Follow the rules: Sound Scene is hosted by the Smithsonian’s Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. All proposals must adhere to their policies. Please be sure to familiarize yourself with this document ahead of submitting your proposal.
FAQs
Who should submit a proposal? You! We welcome proposals regardless of experience level or discipline. Artists must be at least 18 years old at the time of Sound Scene 2026 or apply in partnership with an adult.
Do you ONLY accept audio work? No! Sound Scene’s mission is to challenge sensory expectations and inspire guests to think about, experience, and explore art in new ways. Our roots are in sound art, but many pieces at Sound Scene are multimedia, interactive, or multi-sensory. Proposals most often fall into 1 of these 3 categories: interactive installation, live performance, small group workshop.
What are you looking for in a proposal? Sound Scene curators ask a few questions of each proposal:
How does this work illuminate the Sound Scene theme?
Has the artist demonstrated the experience needed to bring this work to life?
Will this be a meaningful experience for audiences at Sound Scene?
Can I submit more than one proposal? Yes! Artists often submit more than one idea for a given year (and sometimes across fields such as a workshop and a live performance). Please note: each proposal requires its own separate submission as each may be reviewed by different Creative Advisory Committee members.
Is there a fee to submit a proposal? No, and you’re welcome to submit more than one proposal.
How does funding work? Sound Scene provides all artists an honorarium for their work (between $200-$2,000). This amount varies depending on the work itself. Sound Scene is unable to reimburse or fund transportation to/from Sound Scene..
Am I expected to be onsite for the festival? We do ask artists to be on-site (or designate someone to be on-site) to facilitate set-up and tear down. In addition to presenting a memorable festival, Sound Scene is a great opportunity to bring creative artists together. If there are concerns about your attendance for any reason, please note this in your submission and we will try to work with you the best we can.
Are proposals only welcome from DC residents? No, all artists are welcome.
Who plans Sound Scene? Sound Scene is organized by an audio arts collective called the DC Listening Lounge and presented in partnership with our supporting venue.
Who reviews proposals? All proposals are reviewed by our Creative Advisory Committee. It is a group made up of artists and other creative professionals from a variety of geographies and disciplines.
Other Helpful Information
We exhibit indoors and outdoors. Weather resistant proposals are a plus.
We welcome indoor works that consider headphones, directional speakers or other creative approaches to sensory engagement that endeavor to minimize sound bleed (please assume your work may be experienced in relative proximity to another’s).
Works that do not require plug-in power are helpful in that they allow for more flexibility in placement/installation.
There are very few fully dark spaces available and so proposals that involve projection/s onto walls or surfaces are discouraged.
