Sound Scene 2026: A Distant Mirror

DC's premier interactive sound and multisensory arts festival returns with immersive installations and live performances

Apr. 16, 2026 at 6:54pm

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An extreme close-up photograph of highly reflective, glittering textures in dramatic, high-contrast studio lighting, conceptually representing the glamour and sensory experience of the Sound Scene festival.The shimmering, textural visuals of Sound Scene 2026 will mirror the festival's immersive sonic experiences.Baltimore Today

Sound Scene, the Washington, DC region's premier interactive sound and multisensory arts festival, is set to return in 2026 with a free two-day celebration of sonic and sensory arts. The event will feature a diverse lineup of installations, workshops, and live performances from artists around the world, exploring themes of connection, climate, and the human experience.

Why it matters

Sound Scene has become a highly anticipated annual event, drawing record crowds to the Hirshhorn Museum in recent years. The festival provides a unique platform for experimental and interdisciplinary artists to share their work with the local community, fostering engagement with sound-based art and sparking conversations around important social and environmental issues.

The details

This year's Sound Scene will include a range of interactive installations and live performances. Highlights include 'Face Value: Not Our Parents' Mirror' by Kameshia M. Hunter, an immersive sound piece exploring beauty standards; 'Resource/Interplay' by Matthew Maker, an experiential work inspired by the beauty of cold climate processes; and 'Sonic Inheritance' by Cheyenne Hendrickson, a wearable organ sculpture translating genetic portraits into sound. The festival will also host workshops on topics like tactile sound sculpture and immersive soundwalks.

  • Sound Scene 2026 will take place on Saturday, May 2, and Sunday, May 3.
  • The festival will run from 10 AM to 6 PM each day.

The players

Kameshia M. Hunter

An artist whose immersive sound installation 'Face Value: Not Our Parents' Mirror' explores the beauty rules many Black and Brown women were taught to carry.

Matthew Maker

An artist whose experiential work 'Resource/Interplay' expresses the beauty of simple yet chaotic processes found in cold climates.

Cheyenne Hendrickson

An artist whose wearable organ sculpture 'Sonic Inheritance' translates genetic portraits into sound.

DC Listening Lounge

The audio arts collective that organizes the annual Sound Scene festival in collaboration with the Smithsonian's Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden.

Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden

The Smithsonian museum that hosts the Sound Scene festival each year, helping to draw large crowds to the event.

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What’s next

Attendees are encouraged to register in advance for the free workshops, as space is limited. General registration for the festival is also recommended through the Etix ticketing platform.

The takeaway

Sound Scene 2026 promises to be an immersive and thought-provoking celebration of sound and sensory arts, showcasing the creativity and innovation of artists from around the world and providing the DC community with a unique opportunity to engage with experimental and interdisciplinary works.