Sound Tossing is an alternative type of street art that uses sound as a medium of creative expression in a public space. As the streets belong to the people, the intention is to appeal to anyone who wants to shape their acoustic space.

While street art has a rich history in terms the formation of the urban landscape, mainly through the appropriation of wall space, Sound Tossing offers a way to play with urban aesthetics through filling space with unique acoustic input. It provides new ways to add meaning to public spaces.

The project was inspired by so-called Shoe Tossing or Shoefiti, the practice of hanging shoes, tied together by their laces, over overhead cables such as power or telephone lines. Sound Tossing operates in a similar way to the visual codes used in Shoe Tossing; speakers are connected via cables to audio components which function in this form of urban communication as “throwing tools”.

A key related field is the development and distribution of open source technologies for sound interventions in the context of street art. The Sound Tossing units offered include sound generators which operate with solar energy and motion sensors or timers as well as units that convert electromagnetic frequencies into acoustic signals. Some units are equipped with recording functionality and/or transmitters so that they become in essence small pirate radio stations. Detailed assembly instructions and video demonstrations for each project are provided so they can easily be set up by anyone.

Sound Tossing impacts and alters the normal course of urban life while encouraging discussion of topics such as acoustic overstimulation and public well-being. Moreover, Sound Tossing increases public awareness of the acoustic environment.