Ever look out to sea & wonder what its like under the waves? The Living Coast Undersea Experience offers people a glimpse into the underwater world of Beachy Head West Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ).
The Undersea Experience is an interactive, virtual reality, that lets you move around & follow your curiosity, to explore one of the world’s only chalk reefs; right off the UK’s south coast.
The MCZ, between Brighton Marina to Beachy Head, is home to this unique marine environment with a multitude of life: from rare Short Snouted Seahorses & marathon swimming European Eels, to Moon Jellyfish, Undulate Rays, Native Oysters, Blue Mussels & much more.
The Living Coast Undersea Experience was created in 2018 by internationally acclaimed digital artist, Simon Wilkinson & Karen Poley, Artistic & Creative Director of KP Projects, in a partnership including The Living Coast UNESCO Biosphere Region, Sussex Inshore Fisheries & Conservation Authority (IFCA) & Sussex Wildlife Trust. More about how the idea evolved HERE
TLC Undersea Experience aims to:
- Open up one of the UK’s most unique marine environments to everyone
- Raise awareness of BHW MCZ, home to one of the world’s only chalk reefs, with unique species of plant & animal life, which only a fraction of people know about
- Be a powerful kinaesthetic & educational experience to help people understand the environment & the things we can all do to help conserve it
We achieved all these & more, touring across the region & beyond into community venues & creating a 360 film version to visit outdoor events & festivals to reach much larger numbers, as well as developing an education programme for schools.
Touring
Between 2018 & 2025, TLC Undersea Experience has toured into local communities, visiting community venues, events & festivals; arts & conservation centres; museums & schools, visiting 65 venues over 89 days, offering nearly 7,000 people a powerful & accessible, educational & transformative engagement with the local marine conservation zone. Venues & dates here
Reach, Engagement & Impact
Approximately 60% of the interactive VR users completed evaluation forms, giving evidence of reach, engagement & impact, including:
- Demonstrating the widest reach to all ages and backgrounds
- 96% learned, for the first time, the extent of the diversity of local marine life off the local coast & 59% learned about the Marine Conservation Zone designation
- 68% made suggestions of what changes they might make at the beach, after experiencing the VR, or actions they might take to protect the environment
You can explore the impact of the 2024-2025 tour of the Ouse Valley at THIS LINK
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Watch this short film to find out what people say:
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Want to know more ?
Check out these two talks by experts on our local marine environment & the archaeology of the chalk cliffs: Sarah Ward, Living Seas Officer, Sussex Wildlife Trust & Lara Band, Discovery Programme Officer from CITiZAN
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How you can help…
Click the image to find out more…
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Beta testing at Brighton Digital Festival 2018 at The Old Market
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Have a closer look this is short of the prototype experience, created in 2018:
The Living Coast Undersea Experience is created by Simon Wilkinson of C!RCA69 & Karen Poley of KP Projects CIC; in partnership with The Living Coast Brighton & Lewes Downs, UNESCO designated Biosphere Region; Sussex Inshore Fisheries & Conservation Authority (IFCA); & Sussex Wildlife Trust.
