UK’s first global Portal unveiled in Ipswich

Interactive sculpture on Cornhill offers residents live window to other countries.

Author: Ellie RobsonPublished 22nd Oct 2025

Ipswich has become the first UK location to host a Portal—a live digital art sculpture that connects towns and cities around the world.

Created by the Portals Organization and supported by Ipswich Borough Council, the Ipswich Portal joins a network of identical installations in Vilnius (Lithuania), Lublin (Poland), Dublin (Ireland), and Philadelphia (United States).

The Portal is designed as a window between different countries and cultures, letting people in Ipswich meet and interact with others in real time, without leaving the town centre.

The new sculpture is part of the Digital Ipswich initiative within the Ipswich Towns Deal, funded by the UK government. It aims to use technology and digital innovation to modernise Ipswich’s town centre and create new interactive experiences for residents and visitors.

The Portal is set to expand in the coming months, with new launches in South America (Piauí, Brazil) and Asia, as the network continues to grow and connect more communities around the world.

The Ipswich Portal is free to use and aims to offer an inclusive window for people to see, meet and connect with others globally.

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