About

Photo by Robert Greshoff

Emily Peasgood (born 1981 in Grimsby Lincolnshire) is an Ivor Novello Composer’s Award winning composer and sound artist and visual artist. She creates research-led and site specific interactive artworks for galleries and outdoor public spaces, ranging from large-scale community events to intimate sound installations. Her work connect people with places that are forgotten, overlooked, or surrounded by histories that can be remembered and celebrated through sound and music.

“I think life is bonkers and so short. This is a big part of my creative drive. I create work that encourages making the most of this moment or making people laugh. I am brimming with ideas and love creating things others would dismiss as bonkers”.

From graveyards to public lifts and rubber chickens, the location and themes of Peasgood’s work are diverse, exploring humour and the human condition in equal measure. Her work often occurs in outdoor or publicly accessible places, underpinned by her desire to create inclusive music and art experiences.

“My practice is underpinned by celebrating the underdog. I grew up in Grimsby, a post-industrial depression town. My family were ex-fishermen and dock workers. We are working class, and music and art weren’t a luxury we could afford; it wasn’t for people like us. I was fortunate to receive support to study music, but my early experiences drive how I work today.”

With a a PhD in Creating Accessible and Inclusive Musical Artworks in Communities, Emily has created 19 artworks in seven years that use “experimental approaches to engage communities of people who feel the way I used to about art”. Working at the intersection of music, sound, art and tech, Emily’s creative output includes installation, sculpture, field recording, archive creation, graphic scores, and performance, often developing bespoke technical solutions.

Emily has created work for organisations including The Royal Parks, The British Library, Folkestone Triennial, Illuminate Productions, Tate Modern and Turner Contemporary. Her work has been experienced in trains, public lifts, graveyards and even an ancient fort. Her work has been described as magical  (The Times), evocative (The Telegraph), and memorable (A-N)

She has been nominated for an Ivor Novello Award 8 times in community engagement and sonic art categories, winning in 2018 with Halfway To Heaven. She is a Guildhall School of Music and Drama professor, teaching field recording, sonic art, and electronic music composition, and she leads a community choir and community samba band.

Awards