L A U R A S E L B Y
Croydon, London, based interdisciplinary artist, sonic experience designer and researcher.
PhD candidate scholar exploring listening-led climate justice.
Fascinated in revealing hidden perspectives and narratives through sonification, from mycelium, moss, concrete to microbe. Her methodologies include extended field recordings, participatory workshops, performance and sculpture to create deeper, empathetic connections and revel in the polyphonic chorus of hidden ecologies. Selby works at the intersection of sound, science, and community, incorporating scientific techniques and emerging sonic machine-learning tools to elevate non-human perspectives and spark critical dialogue.
Royal College of Art graduate Laura’s current research focuses on sonic contamination and the interconnection between the biological networks within and beyond us, that make up our way of being. Using listening led methods, Laura is interested in developing experiences that move audiences towards deeper relational understanding and care.
Laura’s crafted workshops engage communities and expand both personal and collective ways of listening—sharing in research-led encounters that inspire discussion and connection. These have led to outcomes such as her Extended Listening workshops developed in Epping Forest and Omved Gardens alongside Mushroom Community Garden design with The South London Urban Growers (The Remakery). Most recently, creating The Listening Garden, a workshop and installation for the V&A (Feb 2025).
Selby’s work has been exhibited in shows and festivals across the UK and Europe, including Ars Electronica 2024 (Linz), the V&A, Digital Design Weekend 2023 (London), Nieuwe Instituut (Rotterdam), Truman Brewery (London), IRCAM Forum - Centre Pompidou (Paris), E20 Lab Regenerative Fashion Hub (London), The Design Museum (London) Old Street Gallery in partnership with LG (London). Performances include Sonic Contamination at Omved Gardens 2024 and the Tate Modern Lates event June 2023 (London), Shirley Dawn at IKLECTIK Art Lab (London) and art film: More Than Concrete at Lewisham Home Film Festival (London). Talks include: Artist Panel, Tate Modern 2024, Guest Lecturing for the Royal College of Art, Barbican & Guildhall College and City University.
As a part of the Brain Audio team Laura has worked with clients including: BBC Worldwide, DreamWorks, Google, Sony, Universal and award winning animation studios Nexus, Cloth Cat and Art&Graft. Laura has produced sound design for projects including Headspace, Dreamworks Asia and The Scar multi-screen feature film. Her music editing work includes popular kids TV show Luo Bao Beo series 1 and 2, and bespoke compositions with Evolution Media Music. Theatre credits include Spymonkey's A Christmas Carol and Tim Keys: Mega Date.
Selected WorksSonic Contamination (2023–ongoing)
Selected Performance
Calling in the Last Light (2025) - The Wilderness, Croydon, UK
Threadsafe Meta Morphosis (2024) - Performance Night, London, UK
Quiet, Distorted (2024) - Australasian Computer Music Conference
Sonic Contamination – A Meditation (2023) - Tate Modern, London, UK
The Murmur Collective Intelligence Ensemble (2023) - IKLECTIK, London, December Micromorphis (2022) Ambisonic Soundscape - IKLECTIK, London, 8th November
Shirley Dawn (2022) Ambisonic Soundscape for Everything Is Spatial Forum University of Gloucestershire, June.
Workshops & Public Program
At The Meadows Edge (2025) - workshop and performance series for Turf Projects, Croydon, UK
Sonic Entanglements Workshop (2025) - Designer and Facilitation Lead, Royal College of Art, UK.
Listening Garden (2025) - workshop + installation, V&A, London, UK
Extended Listening (2022–2025) - workshop series (designer & facilitation lead), UK (Epping Forest; OmVed Gardens; Braziers Park)
Design Methods for Accessing the Pluriverse (2024) - DIS (ACM), Copenhagen, DK
Talks and Teaching
Design Stories Warsaw, Conference Speaker (2025) - SWPS University, Warsaw, Poland.
Tate Lates Artist Talk, Guest Speaker (2024) - Tate Modern, London, UK, April.
Music Production for Girls, Guest Speaker (2024) - Guildhall School of Music & Drama, London, UK, April.
Guest Lecturer (2023 - Present)- Royal College of Art & City University
Publications
Selby, L. (2025, co-author). Beyond dust: Amplifying microbial temporalities as an archive of spatialized time and temporalized space. In Materia Arquitectura, 28, 140–157.
Selby, L. (2025, co-author). Learning by transforming: Widening access to complex circular economy science using experimental design. PLATE 2025.
Fascinated in revealing hidden perspectives and narratives through sonification, from mycelium, moss, concrete to microbe. Her methodologies include extended field recordings, participatory workshops, performance and sculpture to create deeper, empathetic connections and revel in the polyphonic chorus of hidden ecologies. Selby works at the intersection of sound, science, and community, incorporating scientific techniques and emerging sonic machine-learning tools to elevate non-human perspectives and spark critical dialogue.
Royal College of Art graduate Laura’s current research focuses on sonic contamination and the interconnection between the biological networks within and beyond us, that make up our way of being. Using listening led methods, Laura is interested in developing experiences that move audiences towards deeper relational understanding and care.
Laura’s crafted workshops engage communities and expand both personal and collective ways of listening—sharing in research-led encounters that inspire discussion and connection. These have led to outcomes such as her Extended Listening workshops developed in Epping Forest and Omved Gardens alongside Mushroom Community Garden design with The South London Urban Growers (The Remakery). Most recently, creating The Listening Garden, a workshop and installation for the V&A (Feb 2025).
Selby’s work has been exhibited in shows and festivals across the UK and Europe, including Ars Electronica 2024 (Linz), the V&A, Digital Design Weekend 2023 (London), Nieuwe Instituut (Rotterdam), Truman Brewery (London), IRCAM Forum - Centre Pompidou (Paris), E20 Lab Regenerative Fashion Hub (London), The Design Museum (London) Old Street Gallery in partnership with LG (London). Performances include Sonic Contamination at Omved Gardens 2024 and the Tate Modern Lates event June 2023 (London), Shirley Dawn at IKLECTIK Art Lab (London) and art film: More Than Concrete at Lewisham Home Film Festival (London). Talks include: Artist Panel, Tate Modern 2024, Guest Lecturing for the Royal College of Art, Barbican & Guildhall College and City University.
As a part of the Brain Audio team Laura has worked with clients including: BBC Worldwide, DreamWorks, Google, Sony, Universal and award winning animation studios Nexus, Cloth Cat and Art&Graft. Laura has produced sound design for projects including Headspace, Dreamworks Asia and The Scar multi-screen feature film. Her music editing work includes popular kids TV show Luo Bao Beo series 1 and 2, and bespoke compositions with Evolution Media Music. Theatre credits include Spymonkey's A Christmas Carol and Tim Keys: Mega Date.
Selected Works
Sonic Contamination (2023–ongoing)
V&A Digital Design Weekend, London, UK
Nieuwe Instituut (Partners for a New Economy), Rotterdam, NL
Tate Modern (Lates Event), London, UK
DUST (2024) - Ars Electronica, Linz, AT
in short, we are cyborgs. (2024) - OmVed Gardens, London, UK
MYcorrhizal (2023) - multimedia installation (co-creator), V&A Digital Design Weekend, London, UK. IRCAM Forum / Centre Pompidou, Paris, FR
MYcelium (2022) - multimedia installation (co-creator), IRCAM Forum / Centre Pompidou, Paris, FR
A Room With A View (2022) - multimedia installation (co-creator), LG x Royal College of Art - Luminous, Old Street Gallery, London, UK
Catalyst (2022) - multimedia installation (co-creator), Regenerative Fashion Hub / The Lab E20, London, UK
Cosmic Birth (2020) - original soundtrack installation, Design Museum, London, UK
Selected PerformanceCalling in the Last Light (2025) - The Wilderness, Croydon, UK
Threadsafe Meta Morphosis (2024) - Performance Night, London, UK
Quiet, Distorted (2024) - Australasian Computer Music Conference
Sonic Contamination – A Meditation (2023) - Tate Modern, London, UK
The Murmur Collective Intelligence Ensemble (2023) - IKLECTIK, London, December Micromorphis (2022) Ambisonic Soundscape - IKLECTIK, London, 8th November
Shirley Dawn (2022) Ambisonic Soundscape for Everything Is Spatial Forum University of Gloucestershire, June.
Workshops & Public Program
At The Meadows Edge (2025) - workshop and performance series for Turf Projects, Croydon, UK
Sonic Entanglements Workshop (2025) - Designer and Facilitation Lead, Royal College of Art, UK.
Listening Garden (2025) - workshop + installation, V&A, London, UK
Extended Listening (2022–2025) - workshop series (designer & facilitation lead), UK (Epping Forest; OmVed Gardens; Braziers Park)
Design Methods for Accessing the Pluriverse (2024) - DIS (ACM), Copenhagen, DK
Talks and Teaching
Design Stories Warsaw, Conference Speaker (2025) - SWPS University, Warsaw, Poland.
Tate Lates Artist Talk, Guest Speaker (2024) - Tate Modern, London, UK, April.
Music Production for Girls, Guest Speaker (2024) - Guildhall School of Music & Drama, London, UK, April.
Guest Lecturer (2023 - Present)- Royal College of Art & City University
Publications
Selby, L. (2025, co-author). Beyond dust: Amplifying microbial temporalities as an archive of spatialized time and temporalized space. In Materia Arquitectura, 28, 140–157.
Selby, L. (2025, co-author). Learning by transforming: Widening access to complex circular economy science using experimental design. PLATE 2025.
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CONTACT
CONTACT
Artist Laura Selby
Based in Croydon, London. UK
Based in Croydon, London. UK