SARC was established in 2004 as the Sonic Arts Research Centre at Queen’s University Belfast, led by Professor Michael Alcorn. Funding from Queen’s and Atlantic Philanthropies allowed for the creation of a unique physical and intellectual resource focusing on the intersection between music, technology, sound and society. 

Professor Alcorn established an interdisciplinary team of researchers and educators consisting of staff at Queen’s and a number of new academic positions.

Reflecting a broadening in interdisciplinary research scope, the centre was re-framed as the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Sound and Music as part of a re-launch celebrating 20 years of the SARC building in 2024. Following the appointment of Professor Pedro Rebelo as Director in 2021, the centre is run by a steering committee setting priorities and strategy for the centre and its members. Current membership consists of 42 academics from across six Schools at Queen’s, 23 PhD students and 2 visiting scholars. The membership reflects research interests across performance, composition, sound art, interaction and instrument design, musicology, digital signal processing, ethnography, documentary making, audio-visual, immersive experience, broadcast, urban space, architecture and language.

SARC researchers have consistently performed at the highest level in the Research Excellence Framework (REF) in Unit of Assessment 33 (Music, Drama, Dance, Performing Arts, Film and Screen Studies). In the most recent edition of this UK-wide exercise (REF 2021), the assessment panel highlighted practice research outputs in music at QUB as “world-leading”, a significant portion of which “embodied innovation, creative scope and rigour at the highest level.” Interdisciplinary research, a key part of SARC’s contribution, was also highlighted as "an area of particular strength, with many outputs judged to be instrumental in developing new paradigms and of profound influence.” UoA 33 at QUB’s Research Environment and Research Impact were deemed to be “world-leading” and “internationally excellent” in quality, an achievement that was underpinned by the vitality of SARC’s postgraduate researcher community, “outstanding grant capture”, public engagement, high profile collaborations, as well as a SARC impact case study. This follows successful and developing research profile captured by previous exercises including a 100% 4* (world leading) research environment in REF2014.

SARC’s research remit addresses all forms of sound and music from a variety of perspectives including the human, cultural, physical, social, spatial, creative, environmental, technological. This makes for a highly interdisciplinary research environment with outputs ranging from creative practice, experimental study, technological development, scholarship and participatory projects. Research projects based at SARC have received funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, Economic and Social Research Council, British Academy, British Council, as well as from European and International funders.  

SARC is based in a purpose designed building with a state-of-the-art Sonic Laboratory and multichannel studios. The building was opened by Karlheinz Stockhausen in 2004 during Sonorities Festival Belfast, which is hosted biennially by SARC. Facilities in the nearby Music building include the Harty Room concert hall equipped with two full-concert Steinway grand pianos, a double-manual harpsichord, chamber organ and many percussion and specialist instruments.

Housed in the School of Arts English and Languages, SARC’s membership spreads to the School of Psychology, School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work, School of Natural and Built Environment, School of Electronics, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and the School of History, Anthropology, Philosophy and Politics. 

SARC regularly hosts visiting artists and scholars and has collaborated with international institutions including Stanford University, University of São Paulo, IRCAM, Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, McGill University, Bach-Archiv Leipzig, Stony Brook University, Orpheus Institute, International Institute for Critical Studies in Improvisation, Space21, Drake Music NI, New York University Abu Dhabi and University of Oxford. SARC also has formal professional partnerships with high profile local artists and ensembles including the Ulster Orchestra, Hard Rain Soloist Ensemble and Duke Special. SARC collaborates with Moving on Music in regular events as part of Music @ Queen's Concert Series, Sonorities Festival Belfast and Handmade Music at Accidental Theatre. The SARC building regularly hosts showcases and events in co-production with organisations such as the Northern Ireland Science Festival, Docs Ireland, Being Human Festival, Belfast International Festival and the British Council amongst others. 

SARC's technical team is led by Craig Jackson and includes three creative technicians who support research in the production and post-production of audio-visual outputs, events and other research activities.

SARC's research environment is characterised by a flexible approach to work ranging from individual scholarship to large collaborative research themes. Research interest groups are a mechanism for regular discussion and activity around focused areas of activity.

To find out more about research at SARC, please explore our Researcher profiles as well as current and recent projects.