Sussex


<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/08/Luxmuralis4-1000x667.jpg" alt="Chichester Catherdral's new exhibition" class="wp-image-74370" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/08/Luxmuralis4-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/08/Luxmuralis4-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/08/Luxmuralis4-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/08/Luxmuralis4.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Picture credit: Luxmuralis</figcaption></figure>



<p>How do you celebrate a 950<sup>th</sup>&nbsp;anniversary? If you’re <a href="https://www.chichestercathedral.org.uk/events/chichester950-light-experience">Chichester Cathedral</a>, the answer is with a year-long programme of exhibitions, concerts and community events to entertain and enlighten, while saving the very best for last.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Now comes the finale, an immersive light and sound experience that’s set to pull off a spellbinding transformation of this venerable building. Titled ‘<a href="https://www.chichestercathedral.org.uk/events/chichester950-light-experience">The Chichester950 Light Experience</a>’, it will run from 24-31 October but here are 7 solid reasons to book right now.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-you-ll-see-the-cathedral-with-fresh-eyes"><strong>You&#8217;ll see the Cathedral with fresh eyes</strong></h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/08/Chichester_street-1000x667.jpg" alt="Chichester Catherdral's new exhibition" class="wp-image-74371" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/08/Chichester_street-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/08/Chichester_street-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/08/Chichester_street-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/08/Chichester_street.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>The building’s pivotal role as a religious, cultural, and civic centre stretches all the way back to 1075, when the decision was made to move the seat of the Bishop from Selsey to the more populous town of Chichester, formerly the Roman settlement known as Noviomagus.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The move was big news, triggering the Cathedral’s construction. It took a back-breaking 33 years to complete (no JCBs back then) and has been dominating the skyline ever since. Its spire is even visible from sea. But how well do you really know it?&nbsp;</p>



<p>“This installation is a tribute to the remarkable nine centuries of Chichester Cathedral’s history”, explains sculptor Peter Walker, one of the artistic leads behind project creators Luxmuralis. “We’re exploring the archives to unearth powerful stories and imagery, and bringing them to life through our blend of light, sound and emotion.”&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-it-s-a-unique-fusion-of-ancient-history-and-contemporary-wizardry"><strong>It’s a unique fusion of ancient history and contemporary wizardry</strong></h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/08/Luxmuralis3-1000x667.jpg" alt="Chichester Catherdral's new exhibition" class="wp-image-74369" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/08/Luxmuralis3-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/08/Luxmuralis3-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/08/Luxmuralis3-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/08/Luxmuralis3.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Picture credit: Luxmuralis</figcaption></figure>



<p>The project brings together thousands of archival images, gathered from the Cathedral’s own collection and from the&nbsp;West Sussex Record Office. With the help of a team of technical and production pros, all will be projected onto the building’s time-worn stone walls, piecing together a powerful visual and audio voyage through almost a millennium of local life.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-these-artists-have-serious-form"><strong>These artists have serious form&nbsp;</strong></h3>



<p>The installation is an example of an art form that’s long been popular in France, where&nbsp;<em>son et lumière</em> spectacles use lighting and sound to illuminate storied monuments and their pasts. It’s a less well-known practice here in the UK but Luxmuralis, jointly helmed by Walker and the composer David Harper, have been changing that, winning international acclaim while they’re at it.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Moreover, through previous triumphs including works at Westminster Abbey, St Paul’s Cathedral and Canterbury Cathedral, they’ve pioneered a niche use of sacred spaces, ensuring that these buildings are not just canvases on which to ‘paint’ with light but also active players in the telling of their own narratives, rich in history and heritage.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-when-we-say-immersive-we-mean-it"><strong>When we say immersive, we mean it&nbsp;</strong></h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/08/Luxmuralis1-1000x667.jpg" alt="Chichester Catherdral's new exhibition" class="wp-image-74367" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/08/Luxmuralis1-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/08/Luxmuralis1-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/08/Luxmuralis1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/08/Luxmuralis1.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Picture credit: Luxmuralis</figcaption></figure>



<p>From the medieval Nave to the South Transept, no corner of the Cathedral will be overlooked. If Luxmuralis&#8217; previous endeavours are anything to go by, the overall effect will be to transform the building’s very fabric into a living, multicoloured collage of sound and story – like a vast stained glass window awash with light, inspiring awe but also engagement. </p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-chichester-cathedral-is-making-a-name-for-itself-as-a-destination-for-art-lovers"><strong>Chichester Cathedral is making a name for itself as a destination for art lovers&nbsp;</strong></h3>



<p>It’s already home to notable medieval carved reliefs, Tudor paintings, and a stained glass window by Chagall, but in recent years, the cathedral has begun emerging as a space for must-see contemporary art. In 2023, Walker’s&nbsp;<em>Peace Doves</em>&nbsp;won a Silver Beautiful South Tourism Award and drew thousands of visitors, and last year, Luke Jerram’s&nbsp;<em><a href="https://sussex.muddystilettos.co.uk/travel/uk/arts-culture-things-to-do/art-installation-mars-chichester-cathedral/">Mars</a></em>, a rotating sculptural rendering of the red planet measuring seven metres in diameter, was suspended in the nave accompanied by an immersive soundtrack from composer Dan Jones. This new work is on another scale entirely, however, promising a powerful multisensory celebration of light, music and memory.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-half-term-friendly-timing"><strong>Half-term-friendly timing&nbsp;</strong></h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/08/Luxmuralis2-1000x667.jpg" alt="Chichester Catherdral's new exhibition" class="wp-image-74368" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/08/Luxmuralis2-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/08/Luxmuralis2-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/08/Luxmuralis2-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/08/Luxmuralis2.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Picture credit: Luxmuralis</figcaption></figure>



<p>It may run for just a week but it’s precisely the right week as far as parents are concerned: half-term! Its combination of sound and light is sure to fire young imaginations, bringing history bounding to life and sparking conversations about everything from faith to feelings.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-you-ll-be-helping-to-secure-this-magnificent-monument-s-future"><strong>You’ll be helping to secure this magnificent monument’s future</strong> </h3>



<p>It’s not cheap keeping a building like this looking its best but proceeds from the exhibit will support Chichester Cathedral’s ongoing efforts to preserve its sacred spaces and vibrant community for future generations. It’s about celebrating the past while simultaneously embracing creative new ways to engage and inspire.&nbsp;</p>



<p><em>Ready to book? A limited number of early bird tickets are available to <a href="https://www.chichestercathedral.org.uk/events/chichester950-light-experience">buy online</a>, offering a 10% saving for Adult and Child admission. Family and student concessions are also available.&nbsp;</em></p>



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Let there be light! 7 reasons to book now for Chichester Cathedral’s spellbinding expo

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