Overhear are looking for collaborators for an audio poetry project

Overhear is a mobile app based in the Midlands which uses audio to engage people with space, poetry and technology. They are looking for collaborators for future audio projects and there are multiple ways you can get involved whether you’re an arts organisation, creative practitioner, or host.

Overhear work with organisations, artists and community groups to digitally pin poetry, short stories and oral histories to real-life locations. They use a mobile app, geolocation and QR codes to link audio recordings to locations, encouraging users to look at the world around them in new and unique ways. Collaboration lies at the heart of their ethos: “To every collaboration, we bring our expertise with audio production, creative facilitation and our ever-evolving App”

There are different ways you can collaborate with Overhear, including writing bids, developing site-specific ideas, creating audio content or hosting an event – Overhear would love to hear from you! Just send an email to hello@theoverhear.app.

How to collaborate with Overhear

Writing Bids

Overhear are looking for partners to collaborate with them on funding applications. Audio is the best medium for in-situ storytelling and using technology without detracting from an audience’s engagement with their surroundings. Whether you’ve got an idea and need help with the tech, or you’ve got the perfect venue for an audio installation, contact Overhear now.

Creating Audio Content

Overhear are also looking for creative collaborators to develop content, tell stories and find new ways to use space. You may have an exciting idea to integrate audio with your artistic practice, or you may want to amplify your communities’ voices with innovative technology. If you want to engage people through art, poetry and space contact Overhear now.

Events & Audience Engagement

Overhear’s approach to producing engaging & meaningful work includes events such as community workshops and walking tours, alongside the creative content on the digital map.

  • Poetry Workshops: Their Pin-a-Poem workshops invite practitioners to collaborate and devise creative writing based workshops, engaging with the group and responding to the space, ideas and audio content/ project. Facilitators get to offer an exciting new dimension to their workshops and participants end up with recordings of their work published to the app.
  • Walking Tours: Overhear also organise walking tours to bring the digital content of the app to life – they are led by practitioners to take audience engagement to the next level. The walking tours give audiences a taste of the app through real-life performances and facilitating a space for conversation and personal insights in response to the project.

If you are a practitioner and interested in collaborating on workshops or walking tours, contact Overhear now.

The Overhear Team & Co-Owner Callout

Overhear’s team is currently made up of three co-directors: Adrian B Earle (writer, poet, media maker), Kibriya Mehrban (writer and marketer) and Tom Peel (Overhear founder, musician, workshop facilitator). Their structure is holocratic – this means each co-director is completely equal and empowered to share ideas, critiques and suggestions. Overhear are experts in collaboration and are always looking to forge new creative relationships!

Overhear are currently looking for two new co-directors: a Community Lead and a Business Lead. If you think your ethos and passion for collaboration aligns with Overhear’s then get in touch now.

Previous Projects

Overhear have previously worked on projects including Birmingham 2022 (Soho Settlers), Coventry City of Culture (Re:Versing the Sherborne, BBC Contains Strong Language) and are currently working on a project for Midland Metropolitan Hospital, which includes running workshops with patients recovering from strokes.