CHALKWELL Park is turning into a giant virtual art gallery where you can walk around and interact with projects via your mobile phone or tablet.

The project, believed to be the first of its kind, is called NetPark and has been launched by Metal, the arts organisation based in Chalkwell Hall, Westcliff.

Visitors can download apps to their phones and as they walk through the park, enjoy music, stories or artwork that corresponds to certain points there.

Colette Bailey, artistic director of Metal, said: “This is an incredibly exciting project for Metal.

“NetPark will bring together a wide range of artistic responses into an ongoing collection of site specific, digital artworks – a 21st century sculpture park.

“It is brilliant Southend has embraced the idea to become the pioneers of this new concept.

“The creative team we have worked with has been amazing.”

The new project launches next Tuesday. More than 90 artists applied to take part from seven different countries.

The winning five include the critically-acclaimed international electronic music duo, Matmos; Joel Cahen who created Oneironaut, poets Mark Grist and MC Mixy who created spoken word poetry tours, Rosie Poebright who created Running To Flight, and Jamie Gledhill who created Talking Trees – trees which come to life and tell the social history of the park from their own perspective.

Five primary schools in the Southend area have been involved, working with writers and illustrators to create fascinating stories based on different points within the park.

The NetPark launch to the public, takes place on Tuesday, October 6, at 4pm until 9pm.

Speeches take place at 5.30pm.

Presentations from the artists take place from 7pm until 9pm.

To attend the launch, visit metalculture.com/projects/ netpark