The listening session is the first of an upcoming series.
Sounds of Resistance: The Palestinian Sound Archive will run its first listening session on 15 April 2026 from 6.30pm to 8.30pm. Taking place at The Showroom in West London, it comes as the first session in an upcoming series.
Sounds of Resistance is an event series curated by Attia Shiraz, in which music archivists and DJs alike run communal listening sessions. The aim of these is to share and celebrate cultural memories through the sounds and visuals of their chosen music, paired with the context of differing instances of musical resistance.
The art and practice of archiving and electronic music production are increasingly playing a role in reshaping cultural movements in the SWANA (South West Asia and North Africa) region as it experiences major social changes amid political destruction. Such musical practices act as vital interventions for upholding cultural memory, platforming resistance, preserving heritage and celebrating community.
The series works to respond to The Showroom’s current punk-inspired exhibition Slits Are Girls by Ângela Ferreira and Mandy El-Sayegh’s mural commission This is a Sign: Notes on Assembly, which focuses on social justice and resistance.
This first session will explore the art of musical archives as a decolonial method and act of resistance, through sharing traditional sounds and images that document Palestinian heritage and culture.
The Palestinian Sound Archive is dedicated to preserving Palestinian history through various forms, such as re-releasing music and sound recordings (in both physical and digital formats), club nights and radio sets, audio-visual installations, live performances and storytelling sessions. The histories and lived experiences of the musicians who made these sounds are also shared through live performances.
The Palestinian Sound Archive was founded by Mo’min Swaitat in 2019 and is supported by freelance visual and sound artists, musicians, DJs, curators, organisers and researchers.
GO: Visit https://theshowroom.org for more information.