Carlisle Cathedral’s iconic starry ceiling project, Rest Under the Stars, is on tour and hoping to inspire other communities and parishes as it journeys through the western part of the county.
Rest Under The Stars – On Tour
It is the second time Rest Under The Stars, a collaborative project between Carlisle Cathedral and Prism Arts, has gone on tour.
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.
The project is visiting various communities within Cumbria to enable more people to experience this interactive event including St Andrew’s Church, Thursby, St Mary’s Church, Kirkby Lonsdale, St Bees Priory, St John’s Church and St Michael’s Church, Workington before returning to the cathedral for the month of August.
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 this Cumbrian journey and invite visitors to get creative.
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 look forward to their feedback to helps us plan for the future of this unique project.”
Rest Under The Stars went on tour in autumn 2023 and visited churches in Appleby, Crosby Ravensworth and Kirkby Stephen 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.”
You can catch up with the project 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. Support for Rest Under The Stars has also been gratefully received from Hayward Tod.
