THE apocalypse has come, the world as we know it is over, and a dystopian landscape stands barren.

Amidst this hellish world is a single neon light welcoming you to The Last Resort, a desolate but beautiful world of science fiction.

The interactive installation will run throughout the duration of the festival and this world premiere festival commission is created by Rachel Champion and Tristan Shorr, better known by their joint moniker the Art of Disappearing.

As to what exactly happens during your stay at The Last Resort, the duo of artists are remaining tight lipped.

"It is a tricky piece because we cannot say too much about it, it is a bit of a surprise and secret," says Tristan. "The Last Resort is what it says, the final resort or Earth.

"People no longer live on earth so when they come stay at The Last Resort it is a bit like coming to a museum."

Wearing headphones participants will partner up and embark on a journey to discover a new, often disturbing, reality.

"People come in pairs, either with a friend or a stranger, and take the tour and they are immersed in an audio score which leads them along a journey through this barren landscape," says Rachel.

It seems to be endemic of people to have an obsession with the end of the world, with myths and legends associated with the end times stretching back to the earliest men and built into every religious ethos.

These concepts will be explored in this audio visual adventure as Portslade beach is transformed into The Last Resort.

"Most people have a fascination with our demise, it is human nature to think of the end," says Rachel. "At some point you realise you might not be here and you ask what that means for the people around me and do they even care.

"The Last Resort is itself full of thrilling rides and is this great extravaganza, and we are asking what means to have fun in the face of this ultimate end.

"There is always an ending, regardless of if it is the massive end of humanity or your own personal end.

"There is a final moment for everyone and what that is, what it means, and the possibilities associated with it fascinates everyone."

"If we can't be here, where can we go?" adds Tristan.

The festival's central theme of home and place runs through the piece with ultimate destruction of the place all of us call home.

"It takes a wry look at all the stories we have grown up with about these apocalyptic nightmares and the end of the Earth," says Rachel. "It also looks at what the idea of home is and what happens when you are stripped of your home and identity."

"It looks at in a typical futuristic science fiction idea of home and reality being altered in an extreme way," says Tristan. "It asks how would you then view it, and would you view what you know of your life now and your freedoms."

But the sense of barren desolation created in site-specific installation is magnified by its location of the oft forgotten beach at Portslade.

While the seafront of Brighton and Hove is often packed with sunbathing holiday makers and people grazing on fish and chips, the little beach further west down the coast seems quiet in comparison.

"It is a stretch which is not really used, it is the docks, it is full of lorries, warehouses, and it is barren in a very beautiful sense," says Rachel. "It seemed logical place rather than doing it in the centre of Brighton.

"We wanted to take people outside and place them somewhere, relocate them, and ask them to imagine a different reality which is in some ways quite bland.

"We want to change people's perceptions of somewhere they might never go to and place a new, unique, memory on it."

She adds "It is always hard to work in this form with site specific installations as you are almost undefined as artists.

"You can really play and working with one site is just really enjoyable and do exactly what you want, take people on really interesting journeys through their imaginations."

Visitors to The Last Resort are advised to where sensible shoes, dress for the weather, and leave all bags and valuables at home as there is nowhere to leave them.

The Last Resort

Portslade Beach, Saturday, May 7, to Sunday, May 29

Wed to Fri, 2pm to 8pm, Sat and Sun, 11am to 9pm, (no Mon and Tue performances), £10, call 01273 709709.