Music in motion

MSU app turns campus stroll into immersive artistic journey

March 16, 2025

A trail runs along the winding Red Cedar River, intersecting with bridges that connect two sides of campus. For many, it’s a daily thoroughfare from class to class, but what if it could be more?

“Art Moves MSU” has transformed that ordinary walk into an immersive musical experience. The app-based installation was brought to campus in collaboration with SOZO, an international contemporary arts agency.

As users move along the trail, as well as several other scattered locations around campus, the app is activated by a series of beacons to create an auditory adventure influenced by both speed and direction. A diverse lineup of artists, musicians and aural storytellers create two distinct listening experiences on either side of the river. For those daring enough to travel by kayak, an experience that merges compositions from both sides awaits.

To participate, visitors can download the "Art Moves MSU" app from their device's app store or access it by scanning QR codes located along the Red Cedar River trail.

 

“You’re the conductor. The orchestra lives in fixed space, but the pace at which it all unfolds is up to you.” 

— Hays Holladay, Art Moves MSU App Producer 

 

 

 

READ MORE about Art Moves MSU

Contributing Writer(s): Alek Tekip & Morgan Butts