Sound Design - Tate Modern

Project Summary: Complete sound design for a long-running interactive installation at Tate Modern as part of the Framestore (later Art & Activism) display. The installation explored artists' responses to climate change, migration and civil rights through interactive documentary films and an immersive surround sound experience.

My Role: Designed and delivered sound for eight interactive three-minute documentaries and one 15-minute

7.1 surround sound installation. Working with dialogue, music, sound art and archive material, I created

cohesive soundscapes that supported each story while maintaining a consistent visitor experience. As the films were triggered by visitor movement using motion sensors, the sound design formed part of the interactive experience. Directional speakers created individual listening zones, allowing multiple installations to operate simultaneously. Working closely with AV and installation teams to ensure the creative vision translated successfully into the exhibition environment.

Media Outputs: 8 × 3-minute interactive documentaries; 1 × 15-minute 7.1 surround sound experience; sound design, music and documentary audio.

Key Challenges & Resolutions: A key challenge was controlling sound spill between neighbouring listening zones. Although directional loudspeakers were used, their real-world performance differed from specification,causing audio bleed. Working with the technical team, I adapted the sound design by reducing lower-frequency energy and carefully shaping the frequency balance, significantly improving separation while maintaining clarity and impact. Another challenge was integrating dialogue, music, sound art and archive recordings of varying quality. I treated the archive material sympathetically, using careful EQ, dynamics and spatial placement to improve clarity and emotional impact without compromising the authenticity of the original recordings. The project reinforced the importance of designing sound in response to both content and physical space, balancing creative, acoustic and technical considerations to deliver an immersive and practical museum installation.

This project demonstrates experience delivering sound for a long-term, high-profile museum installation serving large and diverse audiences. It required balancing storytelling with technical performance, ensuring the audio enhanced interpretation without overwhelming the gallery space.

The project combined archive material with newly created sound design, improving clarity while preserving the character of historic recordings. Close collaboration with exhibition designers, AV specialists and installation teams ensured an accessible, reliable visitor experience. Designing for an interactive museum environment also required careful consideration of visitor movement, overlapping listening zones and how sound could encourage engagement without becoming intrusive—key requirements for immersive audiovisual experiences in heritage and cultural settings.