Feel like an astronaut as Inside Out Dorset kicks off today
It's your chance to get a sense of what it's like to look at Earth from outer space
Inside Out Dorset, the biennial international arts festival, returns today to transform five extraordinary locations with art and performances outdoors that celebrate the county’s sense of place.
This year we're getting a sense of what it's like to be an astronaut looking down on the Earth from hundreds of miles away.
One of the main attractions is a huge 7m wide replica of the Earth named 'Gaia' which is suspended among the trees at Moors Valley.
It's been created by artist Luke Jerram. He told Greatest Hits Radio Dorset:
"The idea for this artwork came from being inspired by something called the overview effect. This is something that astronauts experience when they first go into space and they look down at the Earth for the first time.
"They often become overwhelmed by the beauty and the wonder of what they can see; the curvature of the Earth, they can look down and see all the clouds and the mountains and the sea.
"Often a lot of astronauts come back to Earth and turn into environmental campaigners because the impact of this overview effect is so profound."
What's on
Running over two weekends from 17 to 26 September, Inside Out Dorset is hosted by Dorchester-based outdoor arts producer Activate. Central to the programme are themes of sustainability, land use and lifecycles, human and environmental, as well as an on-going commitment to break down barriers and open the free-to-attend festival events to the widest possible audience.
Gaia will also appear in Symondsbury (24-26th September) with plenty other things to do and explore across the county.
Special care has been put in to make sure attractions are accessible for anyone with a disability too.
To find out more information, go to their website.