Plug It Up was a free three-day DIY sound art festival produced by Bradford Sound Wom*n Network, in partnership with Yorkshire Sound Women Network.

The festival featured a range of hands-on workshops and performances, including:

• Workshops: Spatial Composition with the Bells & Whistles Scratch Orchestra; a Pom-Pom Synth workshop (e-textiles); an Open Wave-Receiver Radio workshop; and a Junk Instrument Orchestra workshop for children.
• Performances: A Sound Poetry Open Mic (Spitting Yarns); a performance by Swedish artist Ann Rosén using her custom ‘Pencil Barrier/Graphite Barrier’ instrument; and a performance by New York-based Maria Chávez using abstract turntablism with broken vinyl.
• The final day included the Gallery II Closing View, featuring new work by emerging Bradford sound artists.

Bradford Sound Wom*n Network arrange meet-ups, sessions and workshops for women, womxn and people of gender minorities to learn and share skills in DIY sound based creative activity.

Yorkshire Sound Women Network strive to support a flourishing industry which welcomes, encourages and progresses the inclusion of women and people of minority genders at all levels from studio floor to board room, and reflects the diversity of its participating communities.

This project is supported by the Bradford 2025 Artist-led Project Awards programme.

Find out more about this programme and the projects we’ve supported below.