Alight, an exciting new phone app offers art lovers an audio tour of religious-themed art works from around the globe, including a guided tour to the many pieces contained within Chichester Cathedral.
Alight has been commissioned by academics at King's College, London in partnership with Chichester Diocese and the Jerusalem Trust. It is being officially launched for Lent 2018 and complements the Diocese of Chichester's Year of Prayer Lent Course, which focuses on works of art that relate to prayer.
Alight introduces its users to works of art in a way that explores the art's religious dimensions and devotional power, offering unique perspectives on temporary exhibitions as well as an insight into permanent ones. The Chichester Art Pilgrimage Trail takes the listener on a guided tour around the city that leads to the Cathedral and an art trail inside it.
Audio tracks recorded by Professor Ben Quash, of King's College, London, guide the pilgrim (or 'virtual pilgrim' for the armchair traveller) via an interactive map towards the Cathedral, reflecting on the history of the city, and meeting other speakers along the way.
Once inside, a variety of theologians, art historians and members of the Cathedral community share their personal reflections on twelve art works, including a reading of Philip Larkin's poem ' An Arundel Tomb', which was inspired by the tomb of the Fitzalans in the North aisle.
The idea for The Chichester Art Pilgrimage Trail took its inspiration from the work of Dr Naomi Billingsley when she was Bishop Otter Scholar, a role created out of a partnership between King's College, London and the Diocese of Chichester.
You can download the trail for either Apple or Android phones below:
Click here for Apple
Click here for Android