Through different case studies, we will explore the challenges of curating sound, particularly when the aim is to prioritize environmental awareness and ecological thinking, which extends beyond the traditional notion of nature and the environment. Ecological thinking demands a broader perspective that recognizes the complexity and interconnectedness of all systems—natural, cultural, and social. This approach encourages a deeper engagement with the complexities and contradictions of our globalized world, pushing the boundaries of what ecological sound art can convey and the conversations it can provoke.

Soundscape researcher, director and curator. Founder and director of SONORA cultural association, the sound art festival Lisboa Soa and the Invisible Places symposium, she has a PhD in Communication and Arts from Universidade Nova and teaches on the degree programme in Sound Sciences and Technologies at Universidade Lusófona. Her activities as a researcher and curator have resulted in different documentaries, such as Soundwalkers (2008) and SOA (2020), where interviews, art and sound environments combine to broaden awareness of sound.  She curated the exhibition Sound Art in Public Spaces for the European project Sounds Now and and regularly collaborates with other organisations, artists and festivals. Castro is currently the President of the Executive Board of the World Forum for Acoustic Ecology.

Photo credit: VeraMarmelo