New Adventures in Sound Art (NAISA) is a non-profit media arts organization that operates the fully accessible NAISA North Media Arts Centre and Café at 313 Highway 124 in South River, Ontario, Canada. Arts presentation with a focus on sound and listening are the basis of its year-round exhibitions, online broadcasts and performances.
New Adventures in Sound Art is located in the traditional territory of the Anishinabewaki peoples covered by the Williams Treaty (1923) and Robinson-Huron Treaty (1850). New Adventures in Sound Art recognizes the significant ongoing contributions of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples to aural culture in Canada.
Read MoreThe objectives of NAISA are to foster awareness and understanding locally, as well as nationally and internationally, in the cultural vitality of experimental sound art in its myriad forms of expression. This objective is achieved through the exploration of new sound technologies in conjunction with the creation of cultural events and artifacts.
NAISA’s annual events include the Deep Wireless festival of Radio & Transmission Art, the Sound Travels Festival of Sound Art, the SOUNDplay festival and Springscapes. These events each have their individual artistic focal points while collectively they provide a comprehensive 12 month overview of experimental sound-based media art in Canada and beyond.
NAISA is supported by the Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Arts Council and Canadian Heritage as well as contributions from its supporters. Click Here to make your contribution.
Current & Upcoming Events
January 8 to March 30, 2026. Open 10 am to 4 pm Thursday to Monday
NAISA North Media Arts Centre, 313 Highway 124, South River, Ontario.
Admission by Donation
Material Transmissions by Vancouver sound artist Anju Singh is an interactive sound sculpture connects the sounds of hymn-based drones from temples with a sewing machine, and other industrial materials found in garment factories.
March 12, 2026, 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm
FREE
Come celebrate NAISA’s 25th anniversary with us. Enjoy some coffee and cake and add your soundbyte to NAISA’s memory wall. There will be informal sound jams throughout the afternoon as well, so bring your own instrument or a small portable electrical device from home.
March 14, 2026, 6:00 pm
Tickets $30, Reserve by March 6
Celebrate NAISA’s 25th anniversary with an evening of dining, reflection, and community. Join us as we honour our achievements, and help us shape our future here in South River. This meal includes a fixed menu with two Gluten Free meals to choose from: Lasagne (non-vegan) OR Vegetable Quinoa Currie (Vegan). Both meals will include soup and salad as well as a gluten free/vegan dessert and a coffee/t
April 2 to May 31, 2026. Open 10 am to 4 pm everyday except Tuesdays and Wednesdays
NAISA North Media Arts Centre, 313 Highway 124, South River, Ontario
Admission by Donation
Almaguin Community Soundscapes is an exhibition that surrounds one with the sounds of spring using a multi-channel speaker system and recordings made by residents of the Almaguin Highlands. The spring season is a special time of the year in the region as the snow melts, the ice breaks up on the lakes and the arrival of insects and birds is loudly announced by the sounds made by peepers.
To contribute sounds from a location you know in the Almaguin Highlands consult these guidelines or visit us at NAISA.
Listen to a selection of the recordings from this community project by visiting Aporee.org
Call NAISA or Email to make a 2 hour (maximum) appointment. All types of weather. Dress Appropriately.
FREE
Go on a listening expedition to record underwater sounds in South River and vicinity. Equipped with a recorder, hydrophones and other sensitive microphones you will explore the sounds of water in intimate listening proximity. The sounds you record will be added to the Voice of the Water installation.
NAISA has a quiet co-working space with reliable internet that can be rented by the hour or the day. Useful for Zoom Meetings, Podcasting, Laptop work and Small private meetings. Click Here to Learn More.
