Rest Under The Stars, a collaborative project between Carlisle Cathedral and Prism Arts, is going on tour to West Cumbria.
The installation transformed Carlisle Cathedral last summer into a peaceful spot for stargazing – with deckchairs, scatter cushions and a new bespoke soundscape to listen to as visitors gazed up at the Cathedral’s iconic starry ceiling. Now the project is going on tour, visiting various communities within Cumbria, to enable more people to experience this interactive event.
Firstly, the installation will be set up at St Andrew’s Church, Thursby. Members of the community will be able to visit and experience Rest Under The Stars from the end of April until the 15 May. Following this, the project will move to St Mary’s Church, Kirkby Lonsdale (15 May – 5 June), St Bees Priory (5 – 26 June), St John’s Church and St Michael’s Church, Workington (26 June – 17 July). For opening times please check with each church.
While on tour, Prism Arts will be in residence for one-off opportunities for members of the community to explore the sights and sounds of our Cumbrian journeys. The creative results from these sessions will be brought together and returned to the county’s Cathedral for the month of August. These will take place St Mary’s Church, Wigton (7 May), Kirkby Lonsdale (21 May), Egremont (12 June), and Westfield (2 July).
The Revd Canon Dr Benjamin Carter, Canon Warden at Carlisle Cathedral, said “We are delighted to be taking Rest Under The Stars on tour once more and it is really exciting to engage with the parishes in the western part of our county. We hope the local community come and enjoy the experience, and if you do, please remember to fill in one of our feedback postcards – this helps us greatly with our planning for the future. Thank you to all who have made this possible”.
Rest Under The Stars went on tour in autumn 2023 and visited churches in Appleby, Crosby Ravensworth and Kirkby Stephen. The installation was very well received, and feedback included comments such as:
- “A wonderful inclusive exhibition. So much love, care, patience and understanding.”
- “A lovely idea. Helps me to see and hear the world in a new way.”
- “Just brilliant – the work is moving and thoughtful. Love it, thank you.”
- “A good idea to do this in Appleby. We don’t get a lot of this sort of thing here.”
This project has received £9,402.54 from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is a central pillar of the UK government’s Levelling Up agenda and provides £2.6 billion of funding for local investment by March 2025. The Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK investing in communities and place, supporting local business, and people and skills. More information can be found at www.ukspf.com.
Support for Rest Under The Stars has also been gratefully received from Hayward Tod.
Photo: Rest Under The Stars in Crosby Ravensworth in autumn 2023
