A recreation of the solar system is coming to Liverpool!
Our Place in Space is an 8.1km trail which will launch on Friday 14 October and run until Sunday 6 November.
Beginning on Church Street in the heart of the city centre and running along the riverside all
the way to Otterspool, Our Place in Space is free to visit and features scale models of the
Sun and planets, recreated as contemporary art sculptures. Colourful arches house each
planet with an arrow and the name of the planet lit up in Las Vegas style lights.
At a scale of 591 million to one, the Sun is 2.35 metres across, Earth is 2.2 centimetres and
Pluto just 4 millimetres. The Our Place in Space trail includes events and creative education programmes taking place across the city.
Our Place in Space, part of UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK, invites participants to consider
how we might better share and protect our planet in future and what is the difference
between ‘us’ and ‘them’? The project aims to bring our solar system down to Earth and send
us soaring into the stars to find new perspectives and reconsider what it means to live life
on our planet.
The trail is accompanied by the free Our Place in Space augmented reality app, available on
Apple and Android, which allows users across the world to take a journey through the solar
system, experiencing the planets in augmented reality and considering 10,000 years of
human history on Earth.
On the trail, users are invited to collect space souvenirs, including characters from the world of Oliver Jeffers, as well as launch a personalised star into space.
Oliver Jeffers, internationally renowned artist and author said: “For centuries, we’ve defined
ourselves by who we are and who we’re not. Which side we choose, on what ground we
stand, who and what we fight for. A human story, that lives merely in human minds. But
with distance comes perspective – and what happens to our perspective on everything when
we look back at Earth from space? Our Place in Space is a playful experiment that asks:
What is the difference between ‘us’ and ‘them’? Which side are we on, and if we look back at
ourselves from vastness of outer space – alone on our tiny planet, the only one that can
harbour life – should there be any ‘sides’ at all?”
Our Place in Space has been designed by Oliver Jeffers with leading astrophysicist Professor Stephen Smartt and a creative team led by Nerve Centre, Northern Ireland’s leading creative media arts centre.
Local partners helping to bring Our Place in Space to Liverpool include Culture Liverpool, Liverpool City Council, Liverpool BID Company and Canal & Riverside Trust.
David Lewis, Executive Producer at the Nerve Centre, said: “We are thrilled by the reaction
that Our Place in Space has received during its tour of the UK in 2022 and delighted to
announce Liverpool as an additional destination for the trail. Bringing the installation to the
north west of England will give more people the chance to get involved, to learn about space
and to experience the unique world and creativity of Oliver Jeffers.”
Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture and Visitor Economy, Councillor Harry
Doyle, said: “We are delighted that UNBOXED have chosen Liverpool as a stop for Our Place In Space this year. As the solar system takes over our city centre we are celebrating the return of our major festival River of Light, welcoming the World Gymnastic Championships 2022 and are the centre of the art world as Tate Liverpool plays host to The Turner Prize.
“Liverpool is the only place to be this Autumn for brilliant, free entertainment.”
Our Place in Space is one of 10 major creative projects commissioned as part of UNBOXED:
Creativity in the UK, a celebration of creativity taking place across the UK this year.
UNBOXED features free large-scale events, installations and globally accessible digital
experiences in the UK’s most ambitious showcase of creative collaboration.
Martin Green CBE, Chief Creative Officer of UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK, said: “Our Place
in Space has been hugely popular in the three locations that it’s already been to, so we’re
very excited that Liverpool is to be an additional destination. Oliver Jeffers’ sculpture trail is a
wonderful way to explore our solar system here on Earth. It will appeal to families, joggers,
walking groups and cyclists, and will be another great reason to visit Liverpool this autumn.”
There are opportunities for local people to become trail guardians while the trail is in
Liverpool, helping enhance and support visitors’ experience.
For more information visit www.ourplaceinspace.earth.
EVENTS LISTINGS
Trail Lift-Off
15 October, 10am-4pm
Church Street
Join us on Church Street to welcome the trail with Mark the Science Guy, musicians, aliens and special guests who will provide a cosmic experience for all the family.
Space Art Graffiti workshops
15 October & 5 November, 9.30am-11.30am
Zap Arts
Make some space with graffiti artists and bring home your own poster of the solar system.
Oliver Jeffers book signing
15 October, 12pm-2pm
Waterstones, Liverpool ONE
Meet the artist behind Our Place in Space and have your favourite Oliver Jeffers book signed at this special event.
Oliver Jeffers in conversation about Our Place in Space
15 October, 6pm-7pm
Tate Liverpool
Join Oliver Jeffers for an exploration of his work, including the inspiration behind Our Place in Space.
Swing at Saturn
16 & 22 October, 2-3pm
Coburg Wharf (near Saturn)
Pack your dancing shoes and learn to swing with local jazz outfit Swingology on the Coburg Wharf.
Silent Disco
21 October, 4pm (families) and 8pm (adults)
St Luke’s Bombed out Church
Choose from a spooky halloween soundtrack, Celestial Incantations by The Sounds of Space Project or a space themed soundtrack in the iconic city centre venue.
Family tours of the planets
23-27 October, 12pm and 3pm
Sun to Mars
Go on a tour of the planets with our very own Professor Lukey Luke.
Here We Are film screening
24 October, 1.30pm
The Everyman Cinema
A special screening of the film inspired by the acclaimed Oliver Jeffers book of the same name.
Creative workshops
26-29 October, 10am-4pm
Quaker Meeting House
Join our creative learning team for workshops in coding, Minecraft and digital fabrication.
Stories, music and crafts with Storybox
29 October, 1pm-3pm
Liverpool Central Library
Books come to life through storytelling, games, music and crafts for children.
Moon gazing
30 October, 7.30pm-9.30pm
Miller and Carter, Otterspool
Join Liverpool Astronomical Association for a fascinating look at Earth’s closest neighbour.
Solar gazing
5 November, 3pm
Liverpool Central Library Terrace
Explore the Sun and the Liverpool skyline with Liverpool Astronomical Association.
Closing weekend
5 & 6 November, 10am-4pm
Church Street
Bid farewell to the trail with some alien friends providing fun and games for all the family.
All events are Free. For more information and to book tickets visit: ourplaceinspace.earth
