The Listening Academy in Skopje

vericakovacevska
Mar 12
2 min read

Updated: Nov 14

On Crip Listening

Cultural Centar Jadro and Museum of Contemporary Art, Skopje

March 13 - 16, 2025

This edition of The Listening Academy in Skopje brings attention to questions of disability, inviting reflection and shared discussion on issues of accessibility and rethinking dominant sensorial and bodily paradigms.

Informed by crip theory and embodied knowledge practices, we seek to listen across abilities, opening up possibilities for supporting diversity and new ways of reorienting the normative ear.

The Academy will consist of a lecture event held at the Museum of Contemporary Art, considering questions of aural diversity and acoustic performativity, and a seminar-lab at Cultural Centar Jadro on embodied forms of listening in and across the city. We're interested in holding a space for social encounter so as to enliven a broader listening culture and public understanding, which includes concern for (self-)care, interdependence, intimacy, and social justice. As part of this, it is our aim to support the participation of persons with diverse abilities.

The Listening Academy Skopje is supported by The Listening Biennale and Radio That Matters and facilitated by Sofia Grigoriadou, Verica Kovacevska, Brandon LaBelle, and Maja Zeco.

Text and image: Brandon LaBelle

Notes on Crip Listening

by Verica Kovacevska

How do we listen when our ears can’t hear?

How do we listen when they pick up even the tiniest noises?

How do we listen when we hear a constant rhythm of wheels?

How do we listen to artificial heartbeats?

How do we listen to soothe our fears?

How do we listen to the sound of our voices?

How do we listen in our dreams?

How do we listen when we plunge underwater?

How do we listen when the wind blows near?