OVER the next few weeks, 23,000 paper doves will be winging their way to primary schools across Merseyside as part of the Peace Dove art exhibition at Liverpool Cathedral.

This mass participation art project, curated by internationally-renowned artist Peter Walker, will culminate in the creation of a large-scale art installation that will be suspended above the Cathedral’s Well from Friday, May 8 to Sunday, May 31 2020.

Each school, including 50 in St Helens, will receive a pack of 40 paper doves which the children can decorate any way they like with messages of peace, hope and love.

St Helens Star:

Once decorated, schools can use the doves to create their mini Peace Doves artwork.

One ‘Messenger Dove’ can also ‘fly’ back to be part of the major installation at the Cathedral.

Yvonne Pearson, education officer for the Cathedral, said: “We’re so pleased to be able to support primary schools across Merseyside in creating their very own Peace Doves artwork.

“Sending out doves beyond the Cathedral also means that children can explore peace, war and religion interactively while creating their own beautiful dove-themed artwork.

St Helens Star:

“We’re asking the schools to photograph their Peace Dove artwork display and share it with us using #LiverpoolDoves. We can’t wait to see the creativity of the children and their teachers.”

Up until Sunday, April 19, people are invited to visit the Cathedral and write their messages of peace, hope and love on paper doves.

Peter, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and member of the Royal Society of British Sculptors will join the thousands of doves together to create the large-scale installation above the Well ready for its official opening on the 75th anniversary of VE day on May 8 2020.