The Evelyn Glennie Foundation

01/06/2026

22/05/2026

Faces of Listen Up!
Faces that listen.

Moments from our residency at City Lit, from the exhibition private view to the in-the-round listening experience with a special performance from the City Lit Percussion Orchestra, featuring a piece inspired by our global call-out with Cities and Memory: What does listening mean to you?

Across the residency, we saw listening take many forms. From deep, embodied attention to shared moments of curiosity, stillness and joy.

Whilst the residency came to a close on 18 May, the conversations, and the connections, continue.

We believe that listening is a radical act. And in a world that so often amplifies noise over understanding, it feels more necessary than ever.

This is just the beginning. Watch this space.

Image credits: Ed Gregory and Roswitha Chesher

Image descriptions:

Dame Evelyn Glennie, who has long, straight silver hair and glasses, is seated on stepped seating, leaning slightly forward with arms resting on knees, facing towards an unseen central area.

A person seated at a drum set is holding drumsticks and striking a snare drum. The drum and sticks are in sharp focus, with other people and instruments partially visible in the background.

Two people are standing closely on either side of the Gong Drum, listening. One person is holding a mallet and the instrument hangs vertically on a frame.

A group of people, eyes closed, are seated in a curved row, facing inward toward a surface with percussion instruments placed on it.

A woman with short dark hair wearing glasses is standing close to the TamTam. She is gently touching its surface with one hand. In the other, a mallet is visible.

A person is holding a mallet and striking the Alluphone, a set of small, bowl-shaped metal percussion instruments arranged on a white stand.

A person is leaning forward over a large percussion surface, holding a drumstick and making contact with the instrument.

A row of people seated side by side are facing the same direction, eyes closed.

A seated person in the foreground is facing forward, with other seated individuals visible behind.

A group of seated people in a row are facing forwards, listening intently.

06/05/2026

Today, we've been busy setting up the Listen Up! exhibition. Carefully placing instruments, shaping the space, and getting everything ready for our private view tomorrow.

From artefacts in the Evelyn Glennie Collection to submissions from our global Ways of Listening project with , the exhibition is nearly ready to be shared.

We can’t wait to open the doors and welcome people in.

📍 City Lit, Covent Garden
🎟 Free to visit

Image description:
1. A gallery space during exhibition setup, showing large percussion instruments, including the Aluphone, Tam Tam and Gong drum, with people arranging displays and equipment. Projected musical scores and exhibition graphics can be seen on the walls behind
2. The same gallery space with another view of the Aluphone and projected video of Dame Evelyn Glennie speaking to camera alongside the exhibition graphics on the wall
3. The same exhibition space, with the gong drum in the foreground, and more projected visuals

21/04/2026

07/04/2026

In this sneak peek from our upcoming Listen Up! Exhibition at City Lit, London, Dame Evelyn Glennie reminds us that silence, space and time are often avoided — yet they’re where communication begins.

Opening in one month, this free exhibition invites you to step out of the commotion, listen differently, and experience sound without expectation or performance.

Visit the exhibition. Take a moment. Listen.

We’re also hosting a small number of private events for partners, supporters and collaborators. Visit the Link in bio to learn more.

Video description:
In this teaser from the video that will introduce the Listen Up! exhibition at City Lit, Dame Evelyn Glennie is seated and speaking directly to the camera. She is wearing her long silver hair down over her shoulders and is wearing a black and white patterned dress. Behind her you can see various instruments from The Collection. Partway through, the video cuts to footage of Evelyn playing the ‘waterphone’ - a cone-shaped water-filled percussion instrument with metal rods that emits an eerie sound that resembles whale calls.

27/03/2026

Listen Up! is coming to City Lit this May.
A two‑week residency inviting you to slow down, tune in and explore listening in new, embodied ways.

Here’s what’s happening:
✨ Free Exhibition featuring artefacts from The Evelyn Glennie Collection and creative contributions from the global Ways of Listening project with Cities and Memory.
✨ Invitation only events led by Dame Evelyn Glennie, with a special performance from City Lit’s Percussion Orchestra
Tap the link in bio to learn more or to enquire about invitation‑only events.

Image descriptions:

1. A photo of Dame Evelyn smiling and holding a superball mallet cropped to an abstract shape against a yellow background. Text reads “Listen Up!” and “A residency · 7–18 May | City Lit.”

2. Text reads: "This residency brings together three core elements, offering different ways to experience listening — as exhibition, as practice, and as shared exploration..." set against a yellow background with pink abstract shapes. Below are The Foundation and City Lit logos.

2. "01 · The Exhibition. 7–18 May | City Lit.” Text below describes a free exhibition featuring artefacts from The Evelyn Glennie Collection and global contributions from Ways of Listening. Decorative shapes sit behind the card.

3: “02 · Private View,” with a date label “7 May | City Lit.” The description highlights an intimate preview for funders and collaborators, offering early insight into the residency.

4: “03 · Listening Experience,” labelled “13 May | The John Lyon’s Theatre.” The text explains the invitation‑only in‑the‑round event led by Dame Evelyn Glennie, with a dedicated performance from City Lit’s Percussion Orchestra.

5: A quote on a pink and yellow abstract background. The text reads: “Listen Up! marks an exciting new chapter — bringing together my artistic journey, my advocacy, and a collective commitment to exploring how listening can shape the way we live and relate.” Credited to Dame Evelyn Glennie. A label reads: “Visit link in bio to learn more.”

16/02/2026

Now open for submissions!

Listening can take many forms - it isn’t only about hearing. Share what listening means to you through sound, performance, video, words or visual art. Selected works will be showcased online for World Listening Day 2026 and at events throughout the year. Join a global project exploring the many ways we listen. Visit citiesandmemory.com/listening to learn more.