Everyday Stories, Lasting Heritage 

We are John Campbell and Moira Kenny-Campbell, AKA, The Sound Agents — socially engaged artists and oral historians. Our practice is rooted in listening, storytelling, memory, and cultural heritage. For more than two decades, as The Sound Agents, we have collaborated with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures, creating artistic and heritage-at-risk projects that celebrate lived experience and preserve stories that might otherwise be lost, in turn, helping to uncover hidden histories, amplify seldom-heard voices, and create meaningful cultural legacies. 

Our work brings together oral history, visual art, theatre, sound, film, and creative engagement as a 'Museum in the Street' designing and producing blue plaques to explore identity, belonging, place, and social change.

We believe that everyone has a story worth telling and that these stories help us understand who we are, where we come from, and how we connect with one another.

 At the heart of everything we do is a commitment to integrity, professionalism, and respect. We take time to build trust, listen carefully, and work with sensitivity and care. Rather than speaking for people, we create opportunities for them to share their own experiences, memories, and perspectives in ways that are authentic and empowering. As artists and oral historians, we see ourselves as memory catchers, gathering stories that might otherwise be forgotten and transforming them into creative experiences that inform, inspire, and connect people across generations.

Thanks for stopping by. We hope you enjoy exploring our work and the remarkable stories that have been shared with us along the way. We look forward to working with you in the future.

The Sound Agents combine oral history, visual art, theatre, sound, film, exhibitions, and public installations.

Some notable projects include:

Liverpool Chinatown Oral History 2013 - present

They recorded dozens of interviews with members of Liverpool's Chinese community and dual-heritage Chinese families, creating an important archive of Liverpool Chinatown's history and culture. They describe themselves as "memory catchers" who preserve community stories.

The Curious Disappearance of Mr Foo 2014

A verbatim theatre production based on oral-history research into the forced repatriation of Chinese seamen from Liverpool after World War II and the impact on the families they left behind.

Opera for Chinatown 2014

A large public-art installation in Liverpool that used photographs and oral histories to tell the stories of Chinese sailors, families, and local residents connected to Chinatown.

Liverpool Irish Oral History 2006

More recently, they secured heritage funding to record and preserve the stories of Liverpool's Irish community, including people whose experiences have often remained undocumented. The project includes film, podcasts, exhibitions, and a digital archive.

Stories of Older Residents 2000 - present

Projects such as The Art of Living collect life stories from elderly Liverpool residents and transform them into radio programmes and theatre performances, helping combat isolation while preserving local heritage. 

Films

Exhibitions