Soundwave is a Bay Area non-profit organization promoting innovative voices in sound with the most captivating sound art and performance experiences.

Founded in 1998, Soundwave is a San Francisco-based 501(c)3 nonprofit arts organization (MEDIATE ART GROUP dba Soundwave) showcasing emerging and established local artists, as well as national and international artists, to bring groundbreaking ideas and perspectives to Bay Area audiences.

Since 2002, we have produced nine festivals of acclaimed avant-art and music, each exploring an avenue of sound and featuring over 750 participating artists and curators from across the United States and Canada as well as Portugal, United Kingdom, Belgium, Norway, Singapore, France, Costa Rica, Austria, Australia and Japan.

Prior to the biennials, Soundwave operated as MEDIATE, and was the mastermind behind The.ME.Project, exploring the evolving human condition.

Artists & Curators

2019: SOUNDWAVE ((9)) TIME

Chief Curator
Tanya Gayer

Curators
Patricia Cariño Valdez.
Sharp & Fine
Christo Oropeza
The House of Malico

Artists
Fela Kutchii
Namaste Shawty
Onmommas 
Red Corvette
San Cha
Persia 
Guillermo Galindo
Christian Burns
Sonja Dale
Megan Kurashige
Shannon Kurashige
Sarah Woods-LaDue
Cory Wright
Steve Adams
Tim De Cillis
Cory Wright
Ben Loory
Szu-Han Ho
Sandra Lawson-Ndu

2018: SOUNDWAVE ((8)) INFRASTRUCTURE

Chief Curator
Tanya Gayer

Curators
Sophia Wang
Sarita Ocón
Sharmi Basu
Shaghayegh Cyrous
Ryanaustin Dennis

Artists
Dana Hemenway
Surabhi Saraf
Gabriel Christian,
Stephanie Hewett,
Felix Sol Linck-Frenz,
Randy Reyes,
Javier Stell-Fresquez
Tiffany Tonel
Christian Nagler.
SAMMAY,
Layel Camargo,
Erika Vivianna Céspedes,
Lauren Garcia,
Lolly Dormido,
Alejandra Fernandez García
Titania Kumeh
Alexa Burrell
Aja Archuleta
Cyrus Yoshi Tabar
Sholeh Asgary
Jeramy DeCristo,
Marshall Trammell,
Mogauwane Mahloele
Anna Friz,
Andy Puls,
Madalyn Merkey
Lexagon,
Tim and Puma Mimi,
None of Them
XUXA SANTAMARIA duo Sofía Córdova and Matt Gonzalez

2017: SONICLABS ((8))

Curators
Tanya Gayer
Dorothy Santos
Tiare Ribeaux

Artists
Shane Myrbeck,
Emily Shisko,
Cullen Miller
Porpentine Charity Heartscape,
Neotenomie,
Rook
Wizard Apprentice
The Jeepneys
Gabriel Dunne

2016: SOUNDWAVE ((7)) ARCHITECTURE

Artistic Director
Tiare Ribeaux

Artists
Matthew Ganucheau
Andrew Blanton
Mary Franck,
Sung Kim
Shanna Sordhal
Dan Gottwald
Taurin Barrera and Bill Baird
Future Cities Lab
Hugh Livingston
Yagiz Mungan
Jason Marsh
Christopher Willits
Gabriel Gold
Kadet Kuhne
Agnes Szelag and Amy Lewis
Joe Lasqo and Ensemble
Kevin Corcoran and Jen Boyd
Meerenai Shim Quartet
Kinetech Arts
Taser Island + Qualia Choir
Stephanie Sherriff and Gabriel Dunne
Amaranth
Jeff Cravath,
Matthew Howell,
Drought Spa
Julia Litman-Cleper,
Rae Diamond,
Lara Durback
Randy Reyes
Nonagon and Colin Sebestyen
Surabhi Saraf
Shinichi Iova-Koga
Dorothy Santos
Shane Mrybeck and Emily Shisko
Suzy Poling
Pamela Z
David Stout (Noisefold)

Panel
Elia Vargas (moderator)
 Jeff Maeshiro (Future Cities Lab)
Anna Friz,
Nathan John (Envelope A+D)

2015: SONICLABS ((7))

Artistic Director
Tiare Ribeaux

Artists
Zoey Vero,
Vanessa Li,
Dan Gottwald,
Gabriel Goldberg 
Geoff Morris,
Russell Butler
Honey SoundSystem
I/O Music Technology
Matthew Howell 

2014: SOUNDWAVE ((6)) WATER

Artistic Director 
Alan So

Artists
Chuck Johnson
Marielle Jakobsons
Christina Stanley
Jason Hoopes
Ben Bracken
Yalls
Rogue Wave
Kacey Johansing
Nat Evans
Chris Duncan,
Travis Johns,
Jim Haynes
Cheryl Leonard
Oona Stern
Daniel Blomquist
IN/S
Edward Schocker
Dohee Lee
Elia Vargas
Pamela Z,
Evan Holm & Karuna Holm
Drew Detweiler and Lyes Bellocine
Jeff Ray
Fernanda D’Agostino
Mem1
Voicehandler
Paul Clipson & Ashley Bellouin
Joshua Churchill
Matt Baldwin
Moses Hacmon
Kasia Krasnoplska & Qimmin Liu,
MEI Collectiv
Conspiracy of Beards,
Jay Kreimer
Luciano Chessa

Waterworld Exhibition Artists
Mary Franck
Jean Tarantino
Reenie Charrière
RE*COLECTIVO
Kadet Kuhne
Merav Tzur
Shane Myrbeck & Emily Shisko
Gene Felice

Symposium Presenters & Panelists
Mike Bogan,
Lauren Wooley,
Chris Sollars,
Michael Swaine (Futurefarmers),
Angela Hennessey,
Barbara Holmes,
Jolyn Gisselburg
Mary M. Cavanagh
Ana Labatista,
Kim Anno,
Ken Eklund (Future Coast),
Gene A. Felice II,
Christina Moretta,
Gregory Gavin. 

2013: SONICLABS ((6))

Artistic Director
Alan So

Artists
Jeff Ray
Jorge Bachmann
Andrew McKinley (Adobe Books)
Christopher Willits
The Mantles
Danny Paul Grody
Danishta Rivero,
Krys Bobrowski
Zachary James Watkins
Andy Strain
Kriika
Christen Lien

Presenters
Sylvia Earle,
Ben Davis

2012: SOUNDWAVE ((5)) HUMANITIES

Artistic Director 
Alan So

Guest Curators
Jennifer Parker (SonicPlace)
Danny Paul Grody (Revelation Zen)

Artists
The Lumerians
Matt Baldwin
Danny Paul Grody
DJ Tristes Tropiques
Shannon O’Malley
UC Santa Cruz’s OpenLab/Mechatronics Group
Joe Cantrell, 
Kadet Kuhne,
Les Stuck,
Sonsherée Giles
Jay Kreimer (Nebraska),
Diana Burgoyne (Canada),
The Cellar Ensemble
M + V (Costa Rica),
Guillermo Galindo,
NASSA (Chicago/SF)
Stephen Hurrel (Scotland),
Andrea Williams & Lee Pembleton
Jon Porras
Eli Kezler (NYC),
Ben Bracken and Ashley Bellouin,
Tom Duff
Michael Elrod,
Voicehandler
Xavier Leonard &  Cassidy Rast
En,
Sean McCann
Marielle V. Jakobsons. 
Jorge Bachman + Monique Goldwater,
Matt Stines + Megan Trout,
Polly Moller + 13-member ensemble
Volti,
Oakland Active Orchestra,
Squonk

2011: SOUNDWAVE PLAYBACK

Artistic Director
Alan So

Artists
Christopher Willits
The Genie
Ed Shocker
Suki O’Kane
Adam Fong
Tako Oda
Myrmyr (w/ 20 vocalists & musicians)
Jacob Felix Heule & Kanoko Nishi 
Gregg Kowalsky
HoraFlora & Shane Myrbeck
Danny Paul Grody
[ruidobello]

2010: SOUNDWAVE ((4)) GREEN SOUND

Artistic Director 
Alan So

Guest Curators
Bay Area Sound Ecology (Phantom Power)
Jorge Bachmann (Viscera)

Artists
Danny Paul Grody
Gregg Kowalsky
Jacob Felix Heule (drums) & Kanoko Nishi
Myrmyr
Aaron Ximm
Jeremiah Moore
Bernie Krause
Brett Ian Balogh
Kemo Sabe
Rock the Bike
Myrmyr
Joshua Churchill
Thomas Carnacki
Christopher Willits
Theresa Wong
Redshift Ensemble
Mason Bates
The Crooked Jades
Jim Haynes
Lissom
Shores
Barn Owl
Christine Choi
Lazurus
Odessa Chen
[ruidobello]
Samuel Leshnick
Jay Kreimer
Peter Rand
AmbientBlack
Elin Øyen Vister (Norway)
Cheryl Leonard
Elise Baldwin
HoraFlora
Takahiro Kawaguchi
Gerard Bec
Extraordinary Forest
The Drift

Illuminated Forest Exhibition Artists
Agnes Szelag,
Ben Bracken,
Jorge Bachmann
Alan So,
Vaughn Bell,
Alyce Santoro,
Sam Easterson,
Rennie Charriere,
Suzanne Husky,
Jessica Resmond.

2008: SOUNDWAVE ((3)) MOVE SOUND

Artistic Director 
Alan So

Artists
Diana Burgoyne
Christian Nicolay/
Sam McKinley
Beno + Minnie
David Graves & [ruidobello] 
Zoe Keating
Goh Nakamura
Odessa Chen w/ Roger Riedbauer
Jay Kreimer
Walter Funk
Moe!Kestra!
Myrmyr
N_DREW
Kinesthetech Sense
Jonny Farrow and Edmund Mooney
Andrea Polli
New York Society for Acoustic Ecology

2006: SOUNDWAVE ((2)) SURROUND SOUND

Artistic Director 
Alan So

Guest Curators
Matt Davignon (Live Play)
Sarah Lockhart (Live Play)

Artists
Myrmyr 
Luz Alibi/Mr.Maurader 
Moe! Staiano
Kanoko Nishi
Lance Grabmiller 
David Michalak 
Matt Davignon
Justino 
Garland Villanova/
David Graves
Night Night/
Tim Gallaher/
GroundChuck/
Night Night
Don Seaver 
Natalie Greene 
Mae Williams
Albert Ortega/
Stefan Smulovitz & Viviane Houle
Alon Nechustan featuring Damon Smith

2004: SOUNDWAVE ((1)) FREE SOUND

Artistic Director 
Alan So

Artists
Neal Morgan
Tim Gallaher
GroundChuck
thom poe
Maria Blondeel
James Bohn
Castle Castle
Night Night
Matt Davignon
Tom Thayer
The Drift!

CD RELEASE: PROJECT SOUNDWAVE: AN EXPLORATION INTO THE NATURE OF SOUND

Curated by 
Alan So

Artists
Neal Morgan
TripDixon
Tom Thayer
Castle Castle
thom poe
James Bohn
Groundchuck
Alon Nechustan
Maria Blondeel
Tim Gallaher
Gregory Chatonsky
Kappa
Agpgp
HarS
rjTuna

 

Administration

Brent Miller

Administrator

Executive Director, Center for New Music

Riley Nicholson

Communications

Project Manager, Center for New Music

Board of Directors

Alan So

Founder & Acting President

Creative Director 

John Moore

Treasurer

Business Manager, Hudson Grace; Actor & Director of Central Works 

Barry Threw

Board Member

Acting Director of Gray Area

Jennifer Parker

Board Member

Artist, Founding Director of OpenLab Collaborative Research Center at UC Santa Cruz

Samantha Sartor

Board Member

Producer and Marketing Manager at Deloitte Digital

Kelly Johnson

Board Member

Creative Producer

Our Mission

Working at the center of art and innovation, Soundwave’s mission is to:

  • produce exhibitions and live events that challenge perspectives and inspire new and unique experiences within ourselves and the world around us;
  • present diverse artists, mediums and places to exchange ideas and collaborate; connect new and diverse audiences to experimental arts and visions; and
  • provide an innovative forum and an essential voice for the Bay Area’s progressive ideas to be seen, heard and explored critically, imaginatively and without limitation.

55 Taylor Street
San Francisco, CA 94102

415-484-6278
[email protected]

EIN 45-0862788
Guidestar Profile