VAN Gogh: The Immersive Experience will make its British debut at York St Mary's, Castlegate, York, from July 5.

As seen in Brussels and Naples already, this cutting-edge multimedia experience enables visitors to step inside the paintings, world and mind of the 19th century Impressionist painter.

On show until January 5 2020 in the medieval church building, the experience tells the story of Vincent Van Gogh's life and his creations through projections, recreations and interactive elements of his artworks around the historic exhibition space.

More than 200 of the Dutchman's works are featured, but rather than remaining static, the huge projections of paintings come alive with digital animation and an emotive soundtrack, creating a world where the visitor sees through the eyes of Van Gogh for a 35-minute, fully immersive 360 degree experience.

The man behind the immersive project is Mario Iacampo, creative director and founder of Exhibition Hub, who worked with animation artists at Dirty Monitor to create this art experience.

York Press:

MULTIMEDIA EXPERIENCE: The immersive Van Gogh show heading for York

"For so many people, art is inaccessible: paintings hung in galleries, where you understand little context about the work," says Iacampo. "This immersive experience changes that completely, with some of the most famous pieces of art in the world not only shown on a larger-than-life scale, but actually bringing the images to life with movement that isn’t confined to the edges of a picture frame.

"Whether you are five years old or 85, this gives you a remarkable, colourful and engaging insight into Van Gogh’s life and artistic perspective, using cutting-edge technology and world-class digital animation."

York was chosen as the first British location on account of being "a destination that embraces both its heritage and digital prowess, recognised as a UNESCO City of Media Arts".

"All year round, York welcomes a wide audience of experience-seeking visitors, and we believe that Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience sits perfectly alongside the traditional museums and attractions to appeal to a very wide range of people – not only tourists, but also local residents, school groups, university students and art clubs," says Iacampo.

"Whether you are a lover of classical art or an aficionado of contemporary presentation, this experience will leave no visitor unmoved by the story – sometimes joyous, sometimes tragic – of this remarkable Dutch artist."

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LARGER THAN LIFE: Van Gogh's paintings as they have never been seen before

Paul Whiting, head of Visit York, is delighted the attraction will receive its British premiere in the city. "York has led the way in immersive experiences; from the re-creation of Kirkgate in the York Castle Museum to the re-imagined Viking settlement at the Jorvik Viking Centre, the city has always had the appetite for pushing the boundaries of technology," he says.

"This has continued in the 21st century with the city an influential part of the UNESCO Creative Cities network. Visitors and residents alike will love this remarkable and visually stunning blend of art and technology. It is a great addition to the city for the second half of 2019."

During the exhibition run from July 5 to January 5 2020, York St Mary's will be open daily throughout the summer from 10am, closing at 6pm, Sunday to Wednesday, 7pm on Friday and Saturday and 8pm on Thursdays. Last entry will be one hour before closing, and visits will take approximately one hour. Opening hours for autumn and winter will be confirmed later.

Pre-booked tickets go on sale today at £13 for adults, £11 for concessions and students and £9 for children; family tickets, for two adults and two children, £38, at vangoghexpo.co.uk.