Sofia Saldanha joined In The Dark in 2011, shortly after completing the Goldsmiths Radio MA, for which her final piece, The Sleeping Fool, won a Best New Artist Award at the Third Coast Festival. From that point on she was part of the lifeblood of In The Dark, bringing her poetic and mischievous energy to everything we did. In 2012 Sofia led the curation of one of the most memorable In The Dark events, One Night Stand, an exploration of sex in sound. Her commitment to playing unembarrassed and visceral works has stayed in the minds – and bodies – of all those who attended.

For years Sofia was part of the core team running In The Dark’s London Events. She was also instrumental in the realisation and execution of the In The Dark Award – the first ever audio award at Sheffield Doc/Fest, as well as the first Whickers Audio Award. When Sofia moved back to Portugal she launched In The Dark Lisboa, while resuming her beautiful and unique creative audio work in both English and her native tongue, Portuguese.

Sofia died on 25th December 2022. It is impossible to measure the loss to us, as friends and collaborators. In The Dark wouldn’t have been what it is today without her, and her spirit lives on in the many ways that she shaped us as an organisation and as people.

You can read more about Sofia and her wonderful work in sound here: https://antena2.rtp.pt/em-antena/diversos-especiais/sofia-saldanha-1975-2022/

Below is a selection of the many events she organised and/or curated in Lisbon + London

Much love to you Sofia, our beautiful friend. x