Aurora dawns at Toxteth Reservoir for Liverpool 2018

Prepare for an epic immersive experience inside Toxteth’s historic reservoir this month.

Aurora – previously known by the title Rewind – will take visitors to the sandstone landmark on a unique 40-minute walk through water in a special site-specific performance as part of Liverpool 2018.

An ice cave, rainforest and monsoons will be brought thrillingly to life in South Liverpool in a collaboration between FACT and Leeds-based interactive arts specialists Invisible Flock.

The grade II listed Victorian reservoir has previously been used as part of the Liverpool Biennial.

Aurora reimagines the 173-year-old building for the 21st century, using soundscapes, lasers, ice sculptures and interactive technology to celebrate the power of water.

International artists from India, Indonesia and Japan as well as the UK have been invited to collaborate on its creation.

And four local schools - St Silas Primary, Holy Family Primary, Matthew Arnold Primary and King’s Leadership Academy – have collaborated with Invisible Flock, UK sound engineer and musician Simon Fletcher, the FACT learning team and musician James Hamilton to compose and play music for the installation, using and inspired by water.

Aurora at Toxteth Reservoir. Photos by Brian Roberts

Invisible Flock creative director Victoria Pratt said: "Aurora is a new, spectacular work of art that attempts to create a discussion about climate change in a way that engages, challenges but also positively engages audiences in questioning and re-evaluating their relationship to the natural world and their effect on it.

“It uses cutting-edge technology to present water as a substance, a body, a spiritual entity and not simply a utility.

“In the driest summer on record it could not be a more appropriate time to have this conversation about water, to explore absence but also excess.”

Aurora will be open to the public on selected dates from September 21 to October 7, with performances on the hour from noon to 7pm.

Tickets are £10-£12 with concessions. Book HERE