War of the Worlds – Directors’ Note
18th March 2026
As well as taking War of the Worlds on the road, February also saw us transform the exterior and interior of the stunning Selby Abbey with video-mapping and installations for Selby Light 2026.
Taking place over three nights, and commissioned by Now Then! and co-produced with Mediale, Homeward comprised of an original projection-mapping piece, which played out across the entrance of the 955-year-old building, and an immersive installation trail inside.
A giant, vibrant celebration of Selby, its people and the unified feeling of finding home, Homeward was inspired by the stories of local residents and their connection to the town, prompted by one very simple question: How did you get here?
These stories came together in a series of workshops we carried out before Christmas, where residents worked with out practitioners to imagine up characters to represent their personal journeys and narratives. These individual characters were then brought to life in different and imaginative ways inside the Abbey, merging the remarkable heritage of the building with the rich history of the residents it shares its town with.
What we wanted to produce with Homeward, both inside and out, literally and emotionally, was a huge human tale of imagination, belief and personal history – a piece of art about a place that everyone could feel connected to. It was very special to see so many people from all walks of life come along to see the artwork on display and read the stories and participate together. It was especially rewarding to see the participants who had worked with us share the installations with their family and friends too.
Selby Light also continued the theme of Homeward in the rest of their pieces too, displaying unique coding artwork by exciting local artist Jazmin Morris inside the Abbey, inspired by the stories we gathered, and showcasing work by local art students in nearby businesses.
There are more photos to see of our Homeward pieces below, courtesy of Ed Waring. Details of Homeward, including the stories from participants, can be found here.
A huge thank you to all who came by and to Now Then!, Mediale and funders Arts Council, UKSPF and North Yorkshire Council. We had a brilliant time.
latest news
Support our work
If you have enjoyed watching a show or taking part in one of our activities, and would like to support our future work, you can make a one-off financial gift. Please click below.