About

The Spell or The Dream is currently on tour at Jupiter Artland, Edinburgh until 27 Sep 2026.

Under the spell, we are dreaming—but of what does the dreamer dream?

Sleeping through warnings of present and future catastrophes, the violence of colonialism, environmental collapse, social breakdown, and geo-political turmoil, the dreamer has been dreaming of resistance against the fairytale of empire, of renewal and new imaginaries.

In dialogue with The Spell, Tai Shani’s spectacular new sculpture, first presented in the Somerset House courtyard, The Dream is a 24/7 radio broadcast which envisions ways of being and building together, dreaming of futures beyond the prevailing destruction. Co-curated by Shani and broadcast globally, the radio features new commissions and contributions, alongside archival work, by an extensive list of artists, writers, musicians, academics, economists, activists and thinkers, exploring dreaming as a radical act of imagination.

From this assemblage of dreamers, The Dream transmits sounds and stories of different temporalities and visionary practices, from medieval mysticism to alternative economics, ancient sacred knowledges to the psychedelic potential of AI. It weaves between the surreal, the cosmic, the utopic, the poetic, the revolutionary, and experiences of expanded perception in and for everyday life. The space of dreaming cracks open the path to other realities, where states of crisis and violence are countered with communal possibilities for life and liberation.

The Dream invites listeners on journeys through three different dream states throughout the day, with a constantly changing programme. Every evening between 7pm and 10pm, Waking Dream will premiere brand new commissions and original contributions from artists, writers and thinkers with a scheduled programme of releases. Day Dream trawls deep through the archives of artists, musicians and radio stations playing a selection of old radio documentaries, sound works, plays, music playlists and conversations throughout the day. Deep Dream echoes the introspective and uncanny world of dreamscapes with audiobooks and music playing overnight.

A series of radio collaborations takes The Dream global, sharing the airwaves of Resonance FM (London), Montez Press Radio (New York), Oroko Radio (Accra), Hong Kong Community Radio (Hong Kong), Radio Tsonami (Valparaíso, Chile), Stegi Radio (Athens) and Seydisfjordsur Community Radio (Seyðisfjörður, Iceland). It also features curated programmes from the contemporary archives of experimental platforms and community radio stations XMTR, Radio Atlas, Ear Hustle, Shortwave Collective and Radiophrenia.

The Dream is a continuous broadcast; the programme will not be available on demand. Between 7pm and 10pm BST daily, new time-based audio works will premiere, allowing you to plan your listening in advance.

CREDITS AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The Spell or The Dream by Tai Shani is commissioned by and developed in residence at Somerset House Studios.

Curated by Marie McPartlin, Director, Somerset House Studios, and independent researcher, curator, and writer Rahila Haque.
Executive Producer/ Head of Somerset House Studios: Emma Hannon
Head of Digital Programming and Production: Eleanor Ritter-Scott
Exhibitions and Special Projects Manager: Jodie Edwards
Executive Audio Producer: Alannah Chance
Curator: Marina Doritis 
Programme Producer: Laurent John

The Dream Radio

Senior Audio Producer: Clem Hitchcock
Audio Producer: Tess Davidson
Broadcast Producer: Harry Murdoch
Original Composition: Axel Kacoutié 
Additional Sound Design: Steve Urquhart
Digital Content Producer: Wes Gilpin 
Web Design: Rifke Sadleir

Artwork: Adam Sinclair

Commission supported by Cockayne Grants for the Arts, a Donor Advised Fund held at The Prism Charitable Trust.
With additional support from Jingmei Liu and Gathering.