IlluminArts is Miami's Art Song and Vocal Chamber Music series, collaborating with Museums and Galleries around the city to present curated programs of music based on the Visual Art in the space.

In September and October of 2015, EXILE Books will present LISTEN TO THIS BUILDING, a collaborative project between MCAD and EXILE Books, a Miami-based, pop-up artist’s bookstore. LISTEN TO THIS BUILDING is a groundbreaking program that seeks to bridge the understanding between downtown Miami architecture, independent publishing, and accessibility, specifically addressing visual impairments. Opening September 3, 2015, the exhibition coincides with the 25th anniversary of Americans with Disabilities Act. The exhibition is believed to be the first architectural exhibit designed to address accessibility for persons with visual impairments.

On October 1st, IlluminArts will collaborate with Exile Books, the Miami Lighthouse for the Blind and the Miami Center for Architecture and Design on a performance to highlight the "LISTEN TO THIS BUILDING" exhibit at MCAD. The performance will be titled "Songs of the City, Songs in the Dark," The performance will be an evening of art song and poetry exploring life in the city, how places define us, and the characters who bring the buildings and the city to life. The program will conclude with a sightless performance of art songs by famous composers who created masterworks despite their visual and hearing impairments, allowing the audience to experience music with senses other than sight. IlluminArts will involve American Sign Language Interpreters for the first half of the performance, and also provide blindfolds for the audience in the second half of the performance to simulate a sightless experience.

We are thrilled to be able to be involved in this important project, and to spread awareness about accessibility through music.