For the 3rd edition of the MediSoup Festival, composers and sound artists submitted works in response to this year’s theme, ‘Standing. Soundscapes of Resistance.’ Artists were encouraged to contemplate the prevailing challenges of our time: persisting conflicts, ongoing wars, rampant violence, systematic oppression, human rights violations, the rise of nationalism and extremism, climate crisis, ecological destruction, and a disorientation of morality and ethics. Guided by the notion of ‘standing and resisting,’ artists were prompted to explore how their art could serve as a means to protest, address, reflect upon, discuss, express, communicate, suggest, and envision in response to the destructive and disorienting directions the world has taken.

After careful evaluation, a selection of works was made based on their musical, aesthetic, and conceptual resonance with the festival’s theme. Subsequently, a curated program comprising five concerts was crafted, each focusing on works that explore different facets of the theme. Concert 1 delves into the theme of ‘Nature,’ contemplating its transformation into a memory, an impression, and an endangered entity. Concert 2 imagines a ‘Metaresistance’ stance where noise and attentive listening become tools of resistance, reminding us that without listening, we cannot avoid the arrival of ‘Nemesis.’ Concert 3, ‘Delights from Cyprus,’ celebrates the artistic perspectives of Cypriot composers of different generations, offering insights from the divided island of Cyprus. Concert 4, ‘Fight or Not,’ presents reflections on the destructive force of wars alongside visions of peaceful coexistence. Finally, Concert 5, ‘Against all Odds,’ features works that become protests against police brutality, social repression, gentrification, far-right political violence, and violence against indigenous people.