Revolution Remix: A South Asian American Sound Tour of Historic Philadelphia

South Asian American Digital Archive (SAADA) will commission five composers and musicians to create Revolution Remix, a sound tour that explores historic Philadelphia through the lens of South Asian American history. The walking tour will take participants to significant sites in Philadelphia’s historic district that illustrate the overlooked stories of South Asian immigrants who were entrepreneurs, doctors, activists, religious leaders, and more. The selected artists will each respond to a story included in the tour and create a new composition that will be paired with a recorded narrative for each site. The composers include award-winning saxophonist Rudresh Mahanthappa; songwriter, singer, and guitarist, Rupa Marya; and storyteller and musician Zain Alam. Two additional artists will be selected through an open call process. The sound tour will be available on a project website, where visitors can download the self-guided tour and view relevant archival materials, such as photographs, letters, and other ephemera. A concert featuring the five artists will mark the sound tour’s official launch.

Additional unrestricted funds are added to each grant for general operating support.