Preserving family, personal, and community history through audio recording and archiving

Building A Sonic Archive

Preserving family, personal, and community history through audio recording and archiving

As part of Athar / أثر, this workshop is led by Olivia Melkonian, Audio Producer & Co-Curator of Athar — Notes in the Margins of the City, who shaped the sonic backbone of the project. It invites you to collectively challenge the traditional concept of archiving — from motive to medium.

Through open dialogue, practical demos, and accessible audio tools, you’ll explore archiving as a living practice while building the skills to start your own sonic archive. All experience levels welcome.

No need to bring anything — but if you have audio you’d like to share, feel free. Otherwise, just come ready to listen.

This workshop forms part of ATHAR — Traces: Notes on the Margins of the City, documenting Arab and SWANA cultural memory in London.

Olivia Melkonian is an audio producer, sound artist/archivist and founder of Analog Armenia, an archival cassette project dedicated to the preservation and celebration of Armenian cassette culture. Melkonian uses audio and sonic archiving to reimagine and reconstruct what has been lost, forgotten, or misremembered, addressing archival absences while questioning memory and knowledge formation. As an open-access digital archive, Analog Armenia safeguards intangible sonic heritage including endangered dialects, folk songs, revolutionary radio broadcasts and religious masses. Sourced from Lebanon, Armenia, and community contributions, Melkonian also traces the social, cultural, and historical narratives embedded within these recordings, exploring how sound-based memory informs collective knowledge and sustains cultural continuity.

This programme is made possible by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Paul Hamlyn Foundation. Generously supported by Arts Council England.

  • Paul Hamlyn Foundation logo
  • Supported using public funding by Arts Council England

    • Details

    Sunday, 12 April 2026

    2:00pm - 4:00pm

    Tickets

    Tickets are on a sliding scale solidarity rate, please pay honestly.

    Event info

    Education Room at Willisden Green Library, Brent Museum

    second floor
    95 High Road
    Willesden
    London
    NW10 2SF