Author/s: Ian Nesbitt

Date of production: 2020

Language/s: English

Co-ordinates: Sheffield – Latitude: 53.380663’’N | Longitude: -1.470228’’E

Transmission details: Mutual Effects is art as social research, a tapestry of sound drawing on interests in deep mapping and the Mass Observation movement to connect spaces of care, co-operation and conviviality in a northern British city during COVID-19.

Through historical and contemporary prisms of grassroots food activism, a loose narrative moves between field recordings of a pedestrian pilgrimage to Edward Carpenter’s former Derbyshire farm commune, to the sound of 45kg of rescued peas being shelled in a communal kitchen, and through a range of conversations that lay out stark realities of austerity and hostility in the shadow of the monolithic post-European state. Woven through the recordings is music from the sonic commons of DIY music collectives from Sheffield (and beyond in some cases), all made and released during the COVID lockdowns of Spring 2020.

The project focuses on the work and communities of Foodhall, Open Kitchen Social Club and National Food Service.

Credits: Ian Nesbitt (concept/director), Al McGregor (sound/mastering), Ivor Davies (producer/communications).

Special thanks to Yuen Fong Ling, Carissa Honeywell, Udit Thakre and Selina Treheurz.

Music by Nick Jonah Davis, Traint, Cellar Dweller, Gianni Gebbia, Kunikazu Tanaka, Ricardo Mattau, Bulbils, Broken FM, Elizabeth Short, Phoneutrian, Mzylklpop and Weft.

Episodes: 3