Sounds of California

Initiated in 2015, Sounds of California is a research and community engagement project that explores music and soundscapes as vital expressions of collective experience.

neighborhoods
2021

Boyle Heights

2018

Bayview

2017

Mayfair

2015

Oakland

2016

Smithsonian Folklife Festival

"When you listen to everyone else’s music and culture, you actually find the similarities that exist with all of us.”

Naomi Diouf

Diamano Coura West African Dance Company
SOC — Oakland 2015

Stories from
the community

a project from
The Sounds of California initiative is an ongoing partnership between the Alliance for California Traditional Arts (ACTA),
Radio Bilingüe and the Smithsonian Center for Folklife & Cultural Heritage.
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH