Imagine Peace takes flight in Lichfield Cathedral
Around 20,000 schoolchildren across Staffordshire have been busy making paper doves in a unique art project to imagine peace in our time.
The paper doves will form part of a major installation artwork created by Lichfield Cathedral's Artist in Residence, Peter Walker for this Advent as part of The Cathedral Illuminated : Peace on Earth event.
The installation artwork is called Peace Doves, and is part of the year-long Imagine Peace project at Lichfield Cathedral which has seen a series of special events, art exhibitions, services, music and worship to mark this Armistice centenary year including The Great Exhibition: Imagine Peace in August when visitors were first invited to make doves and add their messages of peace to each one.
Since then schoolchildren across the region – at schools in Stafford, Stoke, Newcastle, Wolverhampton, Burton on Trent, Cannock, Leek, Rugeley, Telford, Tamworth and Walsall - have taken part in educational workshops to create paper folded doves and have decorated them with their own messages for peace.
Work is currently underway to hang the doves from the nave of the cathedral to form the giant artwork and they will go on to become part of The Cathedral Illuminated featuring light and sound artwork by the award winning Luxmuralis artistic collaboration.
Lichfield Cathedral’s Schools and Learning manager, Alex Nicholson Ward, said: “This has been a wonderful project for exploring the themes of peace and forgiveness, and to look at these issues through the eyes of the children, to see what peace means to them in today’s world.
“Some of the messages the children have written on their doves have been so thoughtful and understanding,” he added.
Previous years’ artworks created by Peter Walker working with local school children have seen Lichfield Cathedral adorned with 5,000 stars for the Star of Wonder show last year, and 10,000 Angels in 2016.
The Cathedral Illuminated opens to the public on December 17th/18/20th/21st/22nd.
Tickets are now on sale. Tickets are £6 per adult, £4 per child (under 16) £15 per family tickets (2 adults / 2 children) in advance and £7.50 for all tickets on the night (subject to availability) Under 3’s are free.
https://thelittleboxoffice.com/lichfieldcathedral/event/view/90413