Sharjah: Sharjah Art Foundation (SAF) has invited individuals, families, and communities in the UAE to contribute cassette tape recordings as part of a project that explores and preserves the history of voice correspondence.
According to Emirates News Agency, for this open call, participants should submit cassette tapes that document personal messages, exchanges, and stories shared between family members, friends, and loved ones. These tapes, which capture interactions across borders, generations, or casual gatherings, serve as cultural artefacts and historical records of migration, identity, and the changing dynamics of communication.
Personal cassette tapes should date from 1970 to 2000 and relate to the UAE, though the project welcomes contributions from surrounding regions with similar cassette tape communication practices. Tapes can be in several languages, including Arabic, Hindi, Urdu, Malayalam, Tamil, Sinhala, Bengali, Nepali, Swahili, Tagalog, Farsi, and English.
The recordings should include voice messages, songs, or other content from family and friends, such as correspondence between family members separated by distance, particularly those related to migration or work in the Gulf, as well as mixtapes or voice letters. Additionally, tapes capturing informal conversations about everyday life, celebrations, and rituals are encouraged.
The submitted tapes will be digitized and archived, with a transcript of the content of each tape. Participants may request the return of their tapes at no cost. The deadline for entries is 8th May 2025.