The Soundscape Research Studio was founded at the Faculty of Cultural Studies of the University of Wrocław in 2009 by Dr. Robert Losiak. It is the only research institution of its kind in Poland. The Studio’s academic direction was inspired by Raymond Murray Schafer’s soundscape research initiated in the 1960s as the World Soundscape Project. The work of Schafer and his colleagues influenced the details of the first research project conducted by the Studio – an interdisciplinary study on the soundscape of today’s Wrocław. However, the Studio never limited its activity to academic research, instead complementing it with educational, artistic, and editorial projects, as well as practical workshops.

Today, the Studio is made up of 10 members, mostly employees of and doctoral students at the faculties of Cultural Studies and Musicology. We also maintain strong ties with independent researchers, artists, curators, and enthusiasts of sound studies. Undergraduate students of cultural studies and musicology are welcome to participate in our projects as well. During the 9 years of the Studio’s history we have succeeded in publishing 5 books and founding a peer-reviewed online academic journal on sound and soundscape studies. Since 2009 we have hosted a series of 29 open lectures about sound, including ones for non-academic audiences, as well as a series of academic seminars on researching the soundscapes of the past and 4 conferences attended by Polish and European scholars.

The Studio’s website hosts, in addition to the aforementioned journal, the sound map of Wrocław created by the Studio staff. In addition, the Studio staff has been teaching classes in soundscape studies for students of the Cultural Studies and Musicology faculties for 9 years. We have also co-created contemporary art and music festivals.