Digital park delivers talking trees and a fishy monster in the pond

NetPark in Southend-on-Sea is using Wi-Fi and apps to add an artistic layer and help bring nature to life

A leafy expanse in Southend-on-Sea might seem like the epitome of analogue attraction, but the modest appearance of Chalkwell Park belies a radical twist. For this summer its verdant fields will be turned into a garden of digital delights.

The brainchild of "artistic laboratory" Metal, and dubbed "NetPark", the project is bringing together an international team of artists, writers and musicians to unleash a host of virtual artwork within the park, from interactive stories to poetry and music. "The way that I think about it is [as] a 21st-century sculpture park where all of the pieces of work are in the digital layer rather than in the landscape," explains Metal's artistic director, Colette Bailey.