The tenth edition of SPACE21 Festival will open with pride at the Culture House, presenting Archive Khanah’s latest sound archive collection. For the past two years, Archive Khanah has been an integral part of SPACE21’s mission to explore and amplify the role of sound archivists in Kurdistan, whose work is vital for preserving Kurdish sonic heritage for future generations.

Building on the momentum of last year’s “Archive of Listening,” the festival continues its commitment to documenting and reimagining the ways we engage with sound. The 2024 edition illuminated the intricate relationship between listening and music creation, highlighting how evolving listening practices shape artistic expression. Through the “Listening Archive,” participants encountered a living chronicle of auditory experiences—from the ambient sounds of Kurdistan’s landscapes to the innovations of contemporary electronic music—demonstrating the profound ways in which listening defines our musical world.

SPACE21’s dedication to sound as a connective force was evident in last year’s programming, which brought experimental music into three historic public venues along Slemani’s Sabonkaran Street: the Piramerd House, Mufti Hammam, and Deir Miriam Al-Adra Monastery. By activating these spaces with sound, the festival sought to create new memories and build bridges between the city’s rich architectural heritage and its contemporary sonic culture.

This year, Archive Khanah returns with a new interactive sound archive project that highlights recordings from Kurdistan dating from 1960 to 2000. The project offers a dynamic exploration of the region’s auditory past, featuring work with local collectors such as Shwan Oscar and Kamal Haji Said. Through such initiatives, SPACE21 reaffirms the vital role of sound archives in shaping collective memory and inspiring the next generation of listeners and creators.

The festival’s ongoing partnership with Archive Khanah not only preserves invaluable recordings but also activates them—inviting audiences to listen, reflect, and contribute to the evolving soundscape of Kurdistan. As SPACE21 enters its tenth year, it stands as both a celebration and a living archive: a space where the past and present of listening come together, ensuring Kurdish sound remains alive for generations to come.