Author: Clare Deane

There are lots of creative workshops in Liverpool and the city region this spring, so we’ve brought a selection together to inspire you to try something new or pick up an old hobby. There’s printmaking, photography, poetry, performance, bookbinding and more. These sessions are led by artists, organisations and independent creative spaces rooted in the local scene, offering something for everyone regardless of experience level.

Take a look at what’s on offer and find a creative workshop in Liverpool and the city region that inspires you.

Writing, Poetry & Storytelling

Writing on the Wall: The Writer’s Bloc (Various Dates)

Writing on the Wall’s Writer’s Bloc brings together a community of writers and creative thinkers from across the Liverpool City Region, creating welcoming spaces where writers of all backgrounds can write, connect and grow together. There’s upcoming sessions at Toxteth Library (24 April),  Birkenhead Library (27 April, 11 May) and Bootle Library (29 April, 13 May).

Poetry Workshop for Refugees and Migrants, Open Eye Gallery (5 May)

If you are 18 and over, and identify as a refugee or migrant, you are invited to take part in a poetry workshop as part of the Immigrant Scar collaborative project exploring shared experiences of migration. You would be invited to view some artwork, play a card game, and participate in co-producing a free verse poem at Open Eye Gallery. If you are interested and would like more information, please register at Eventbrite or contact Principal Investigator Sandra Mutukwa, LJMU postgraduate student: S.Mutukwa@2022.ljmu.ac.uk.

Creating the Comic: Storytelling, Collaboration and What Comes Next, The Library at LJMU (22 April)

This combined talk and workshop invites people to explore the process behind creating the Drawing on Forced Marriage: Teaching Tough Topics Through Comics project and comic. We will hear from Hannah Baumeister, Senior Lecturer at LJMU who will share the story behind the comic—how it was developed, the collaborative process, the research insights that shaped it, and the decisions behind the visual and narrative style.

Art & Printmaking Workshops

Creative Bookbinding Techniques, Bluecoat (25 April)

Get hands-on with the craft of bookbinding in this practical one day workshop exploring traditional bookbinding techniques – Japanese Stab Stitch, Blizzard Binding and Concertina Binding. You’ll end the session with a set of handmade, hand-bound books to take home.

Introduction to UV Screen Printing, Bluecoat (9 May)

During this one day UV screen printing course you will learn the basics of screen printing, including learning about the materials used and processes involved in creating a UV exposed screen. After preparing and exposing your own screen, you’ll get time to draw your own image to print, or you can bring a suitable image with you.

Print for Beginners, Bluecoat (9-10 May)

This weekend course is a perfect taster session into three areas of printmaking; Planographic, Relief and Intaglio printmaking. The course is designed for beginners who would like an introduction to printmaking and those who would like a taster of different printmaking techniques before committing to a day course.

Introduction to Woodcut Printing, Bluecoat (6 June)

The woodcut printing technique involves carving a design into a wooden block leaving a raised design. This is then inked and printed to reveal a distinct wood grain texture and tactile quality in the print. In this one day session you’ll learn the basics of woodcut printing and leave the workshop with a small edition of prints, your original wood blocks and the knowledge and confidence to continue the process yourself.

Still Life Drawing & Screen Printing, Bluecoat (13 June)

Combine observational drawing with printmaking in this hybrid workshop that moves from sketchbook to final print. You’ll start off the morning session by drawing from a still life arrangement, which is followed by a screenprinting session of your drawing in the afternoon. You’ll leave the workshop with a unique, handmade piece of art.

Photography, Film & Media

Creative Film Criticism with Catherine Grant, FACT Liverpool (7 May)

Internationally recognised figure in videographic criticism, Catherine Grant, introduces a creative way of exploring film through image and sound, in a supportive and exploratory workshop hosted by Let’s Make Films (LMF). The morning session offers participants a masterclass with Catherine, with the afternoon session shifting into a hands-on introduction to DaVinci Resolve and a guided exercise where participants create a short video essay using a PechaKucha format. Participants will move between watching, discussing and making, with time to develop a short piece and share it with the group.

Introduction to Photography: Ed Ruscha, Tate Liverpool (9 May)

This hands-on photography workshop is inspired by ARTIST ROOMS: Ed Ruscha, exploring Liverpool’s urban landscape and architectural photography. Led by photographer James O. Davies, the session includes practical tips, a guided city walk to capture your own images, and an exclusive curator-led tour of the exhibition. Suitable for all levels, with support provided—just bring a camera or smartphone.

Performance, Theatre & Creative Practice

A Life Drawing Less Ordinary, Shakespeare North Playhouse (9 May)

A Life (Drawing) Less Ordinary is a relaxed, creative social where participants can sketch, paint or sculpt while being inspired by live contemporary dance and music performances. Taking place in the Gallery at Shakespeare North Playhouse, the session invites you to respond to movement in your own way as performers move around the space. Usually priced at £12, this unique workshop is free as part of Leap Dance Festival 2026—just bring your own materials and book a spot in advance.

Political Songs Workshop -Sing, March, Protest with Patrick Dineen, Unity Theatre (23 May)

Join composer and lyricist Patrick Dineen for a hands-on workshop exploring political songs from the Spanish Civil War through to the 1960s, from stirring marches to witty cabaret numbers. Taking place at Unity Theatre, it’s a chance to sing through music full of protest, humour and stories of injustice.

Do It Yourself: Making Political Theatre, Unity Theatre (29 May)

Rhiannon White, co-founder of award-winning political theatre company Common/Wealth, shares the story of their DIY origins and how they’ve built a practice around radical, community-rooted theatre. Do It Yourself: Making Political Theatre will be full of practical tips, inspiration, and a rallying call to make political theatre yourself.

Professional Development & Training

Trauma-Informed Practice for Participatory Artists, Collective Encounters (25 June)

This online workshop helps artists and facilitators develop a trauma-informed approach to working in creative and community settings. Led by experienced practitioners, it offers practical tools for creating safe, supportive spaces, alongside insight into trauma and its impact. Aimed at artists, theatre-makers and activists, it supports those using creativity as a tool for positive social change.

Retreats

The Big Bucket Retreat 2026: Eat, Sleep, Clown, Repeat, Bidston Observatory (17-19 July)

This three-day clowning retreat by Ugly Bucket Theatre at Bidston Observatory brings together workshops, shared experiences and plenty of creative play in a really unique setting. Open to all levels, it’s all about building confidence, connection and self-expression through clowning. With a mix of masterclasses and communal activities, it’s a relaxed, supportive space to get creative, meet new people and try something a bit different.

You can discover more creative workshops and events by visiting our What’s On listings.

Looking for the best live music events in Liverpool and the city region this April and May? We’ve pulled together intimate gigs, special one-off shows, reggae legends and world-famous artists for this feature. Whether you’re into indie, folk, soul, experimental sounds or timeless classics, these ten live music events in Liverpool and the city region are well worth adding to your diary.

1. Bob Marley Reimagined by The London African Gospel Choir, Liverpool Philharmonic Hall (18 April)

The London African Gospel Choir put a powerful new spin on Bob Marley’s most iconic songs with Bob Marley Reimagined, blending reggae rhythms with gospel harmonies and soaring vocals. Following their acclaimed Graceland show, this uplifting performance brings fresh energy, soul and a celebratory spirit to Marley’s timeless music.

2. Julian Taylor with Special Guest Michele Stodart, Liverpool Music Room (22 April)

Canadian singer-songwriter Julian Taylor brings his soulful mix of Americana, folk rock and alt-country to Liverpool, joined by special guest Michele Stodart of The Magic Numbers. This intimate show pairs heartfelt songwriting with rich harmonies, as two standout artists share the stage for a memorable night of live music.

3. The Orchestra (For Now), Future Yard (23 April)

London prog rock outfit The Orchestra (For Now) bring their bold sound to Future Yard. They manage to combine avant-garde rock theatrics, intricate classical interplay, pastoral baroque indie, post-hardcore dynamics, jazz-tinted freakouts, and everything in between. With plenty of buzz around them and a reputation for brilliant live shows, this is a great chance to catch one of the UK’s most exciting rising bands.

4. VG&M Late: A Music Celebration, Victoria Gallery & Museum (30 April)

Celebrate the sounds and stories of Liverpool 8 at this special late opening at VG&M, where you can explore the Toxteth: The Harlem of Europe exhibition after-hours. There will be DJ sets from Kerri Ankrah-Lucas (Decks in the City) and a record fair, while Liverpool 8 legend Ramon “Sugar” Deen shares stories from the city’s music scene. Explore archive vinyl with the Institute of Popular Music, catch a talk from Dr Mike Brocken on jazz pioneer Gordon Stretton for International Jazz Day, and enjoy performances from University music students across eras and genres. It’s free to attend and you can reserve your spot now.

5. The Adam Buxton Band, The Tung Auditorium (1 May)

Adam Buxton hits the stage with his live band for an intimate evening celebrating his debut album Buckle Up. Produced by Joe Mount of Metronomy, Buxton said: “I hoped it would be a Metronomy record with my voice”. Instead came fifteen songs that inhabit the space between heartfelt and silly, where Buxton has comfortably set up shop.

6. Travellers Tunes: An Evening With Steve Cradock, The Atkinson (6 May)

Steve Cradock, guitarist for Ocean Colour Scene and longtime collaborator with Paul Weller, takes the stage for a night of classic Britpop and beyond. Hear iconic Ocean Colour Scene tracks like The Riverboat Song and Hundred Mile High, alongside Cradock’s solo material, in an intimate evening celebrating his 30 years in British rock.

7. Paul Simon, M&S Bank Arena (7 May)

Legendary singer-songwriter Paul Simon brings his A Quiet Celebration Tour to Liverpool for one night only. The evening features a full performance of his Grammy-nominated suite Seven Psalms, followed by reimagined versions of his classic hits, all delivered with a world-class band for a rare, intimate experience.

8. Löwenzahnhonig, Future Yard (10 May)

Swiss band Löwenzahnhonig blend psychedelic pop, mellow funk, indie rock and ambient sounds into relaxed, groove-led music. Fresh from their second album Kirschblütenboogie, they bring spacious, melodic tunes and extended live jams that let each song stretch and evolve.

9. The Congos, Future Yard (24 May)

Influential Jamaican group The Congos bring their signature roots reggae sound to Future Yard this May. Best known for their classic album Heart of the Congos, their live shows blend rich harmonies, deep rhythms and an uplifting spiritual energy that has defined their music since the 1970s.

10. Bowie Experience, Liverpool Empire (30 May)

From London’s West End, Bowie Experience celebrates the music and legacy of David Bowie with a spectacular live show. Featuring all the hits from across Bowie’s iconic career, it’s a must for fans looking to relive the sound and style of a true music legend.

To discover more live music events in Liverpool and the city region, plus a whole range of arts and culture events from across the Liverpool city region, check out our What’s On Listings.

FACT’s latest exhibitions explore big questions about existence, identity and creativity — but in ways that feel playful, visually striking and genuinely fun to experience. From an interactive journey through the afterlife to an AI-generated film that blurs the line between artist and machine, both shows pull you into immersive worlds that stay with you long after you leave the gallery.

AFTERLIFE by ONLY SLIME

You can’t miss this one as you walk into FACT. The glowing neon purple AFTERLIFE sign hanging above the Foyer Gallery immediately draws you in, setting the tone for what feels like stepping inside a surreal video game world. The mix of deep blacks, vivid pinks and the bold checkered floor makes the whole space feel playful but slightly eerie — like you’ve entered somewhere between reality and simulation.

Created by ONLY SLIME (artists Toby Pfeil and Claudia Cox), AFTERLIFE transforms their 2023 computer-game opera into an interactive installation where visitors actively shape the experience. Using motion tracking and mini-games, you follow characters Axi and Zi as they travel through spiritual and mortal realms searching for meaning and purpose.

What I really enjoyed is how the work quietly questions control. Are we directing the story, or just responding to choices already built into the system? The piece plays with the shifting dynamic between creator, player and avatar, highlighting how digital worlds influence the narratives we build about ourselves.

It’s immersive without feeling overwhelming, thoughtful without being heavy, and visually it’s just a lot of fun to spend time in.

Watch our AFTERLIFE Instagram Reel

 

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They’ve Got Your Eyes by Rachel Maclean

There’s a real sense of anticipation before you even step into Rachel Maclean’s exhibition. Outside the gallery, a countdown clock lets you know when the film will begin, displaying the message “We will be re-entering the film in…”. It creates a small shared moment with the rest of the audience as everyone waits for the timer to hit zero.

During the two-minute countdown, I found myself reading about the exhibition’s parallels between today’s boom in AI technology and the Victorian era’s obsession with invention and progress. That comparison instantly sparked my curiosity and made me want to see how the ideas would play out visually.

Inside, the exhibition unfolds across multiple screens, gradually drawing you further into the space as the narrative develops. The film itself is created using AI models trained on Maclean’s own image and archive, creating a strange and fascinating loop where the artist is both author and subject.

Glowing sculptures dripping with slime sit somewhere between scientific experimentation and Celtic folklore, adding to the exhibition’s dreamlike quality. It feels playful on the surface, but there’s an unsettling undertone as it questions who is really shaping creativity in an age increasingly influenced by machines.

As the film progresses, the layout of the gallery naturally encourages you to move further inside the space, almost as if you’re being guided deeper into the story. The pacing works really well, building curiosity before delivering an ending that feels entertaining, slightly surreal and very fitting for the themes explored throughout.

Both exhibitions feel very “FACT” in the best possible way — visually engaging, conceptually interesting and accessible even if you’re not deeply immersed in digital art.

AFTERLIFE invites you to play inside a constructed world, while They’ve Got Your Eyes asks who is actually in control when technology becomes part of the creative process. Together, they create a really compelling conversation about the future of storytelling and identity.

If you’re interested in digital culture, immersive experiences, or just want to see something a bit different in the city right now, these are definitely worth adding to your list.

For more information visit fact.co.uk.

Now on display at Tate Liverpool + RIBA North, ARTIST ROOMS: Ed Ruscha offers a compelling journey through the architecture, typography and mythology of mid-century America. Running until 14 June 2026, the exhibition brings together books, photographs, paintings, drawings and lithographs by influential American artist Ed Ruscha.

Ruscha was born in Oklahoma and relocated to Los Angeles in 1956 — and that 200-mile move west shaped everything. You can feel the sense of motion and distance throughout the display: the open road, the creeping sprawl, the sense that America is always just a little further down the highway.

The exhibition takes Ruscha’s fascination with petrol stations as its starting point, inviting visitors to see the urban environment as he does. Car parks, swimming pools, delis, diners and nightclubs come into focus — fragments of the built landscape that collectively reflect the so-called ‘American way of life’. Rather than romanticising these places, Ruscha isolates and monumentalises them. The effect is quietly disorienting. You start to notice the visual power in things you’d normally drive straight past.

A standout moment is his seminal 1963 artist’s book Twentysix Gasoline Stations, documenting 26 petrol stations along Route 66. Presented digitally within the exhibition, it feels both matter-of-fact and quietly radical — a reminder that sometimes the most interesting artistic gesture is simply deciding to look. Nearby, preparatory sketches for Standard Station reveal how Ruscha transformed a simple roadside photograph into an iconic painting, stripping away unnecessary detail, sharpening perspective and amplifying its graphic punch.

Seriality runs throughout his work. In Every Building on the Sunset Strip, Ruscha methodically photographed every façade along the 1.5-mile stretch, creating a continuous visual record of storefronts, diners and dwellings. Seeing it in person, the piece feels both documentary and conceptual — preserving a specific version of Los Angeles while subtly questioning its repetition and uniformity. There’s something almost meditative about it; the longer you look, the stranger it gets.

Cars and city planning continue to shape the narrative in the Parking Lot Portfolio, where aerial views flatten asphalt and vehicles into abstract compositions. It shouldn’t be beautiful, but it is. Later works such as the Los Francisco San Angeles Portfolio merge the street grids of Los Angeles and San Francisco into fictional hybrid maps — part geography, part imagination, wholly Ruscha.

His text-based works add another layer. Made in America (1974) reflects on consumer culture and national identity, while Dance? (1973) — created using coffee and mustard — subtly references the edible iconography of American diners (and raises the very reasonable question: why not both?). In OK (State I) (1990), the word “OK” hovers between affirmation and a nod to Oklahoma, folding biography into bold graphic simplicity.

Having visited Los Angeles numerous times, I’ve long been fascinated by its sprawl, its car-dominated infrastructure and its strange mix of cinematic glamour and everyday banality. Seeing Ruscha’s work in Liverpool heightened that fascination. His depictions of petrol stations and boulevards aren’t just conceptual exercises — they capture something deeply recognisable about the city: the endless grids, the glowing signage at dusk, the quiet poetry hidden in plain sight.

ARTIST ROOMS: Ed Ruscha feels particularly resonant right now — an invitation to slow down, look closely and reconsider the ordinary spaces that shape our lives. For Liverpool audiences, it’s a striking glimpse into the visual language of Los Angeles and the enduring myth of the American Dream.

ARTIST ROOMS: Ed Ruscha
Tate Liverpool
Until 14 June
Free Entry
More info

Since 2013, The HandleBards have charmed audiences across the UK and beyond with their unique brand of fast-paced, eco-conscious Shakespeare — cycling from venue to venue with props and costumes in tow. Now, the acclaimed troupe have joining forces with Shakespeare North Playhouse for the very first time to bring their signature energy indoors with The Tempest.

We caught up with the team to find out how this exciting collaboration came about, how sustainability is woven into every branch (quite literally) of the production, and what audiences can expect from this “joyfully silly” take on Shakespeare’s stormy classic.

This is the first collaboration between the HandleBards and Shakespeare North Playhouse – how did it come about, and what excites you most about it?

The relationship with Shakespeare North started with us bringing Romeo and Juliet to the Sir Ken Performance Garden back in 2021, since then we’ve returned each year as a visiting company performing inside and out, including Much Ado About Nothing (2023) and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2024) in the Cockpit Theatre. In 2024 Shakespeare North approached us about working together on a new co-production, and we settled on The Tempest!

Every time we’ve visited Shakespeare North they’ve always been hugely welcoming and supportive, and it’s a gorgeous theatre to boot. So – the most exciting aspect of the collaboration is the opportunity to make our first mid-scale production with the support of everyone at Shakespeare North, working with HandleBards stalwarts and some brilliant new collaborators, and working with a team who are all as excited as we are about making a joyful and glorious sustainable indoor production.

You’re renowned for your eco-friendly ethos, cycling to your productions across the UK. How does sustainability play a role in this staging of The Tempest?

We’ve been using the Theatre Green Book from the ground-up to design the show to be as sustainable as possible, and to track the environmental impact of the production. We’ve focused on hiring and re-using costume and set, and our brilliant creative and production team have created a forest canopy using real branches from a local tree-surgeon. We’ll be storing and re-using everything we can from the production, and plan to tour The Tempest in the future using electric vehicles.

You’ve been praised for being “chaotic, clever and charming.” What can audiences expect when they walk into the Cockpit Theatre for this show?

Without spoiling too much, they can expect the usual chaos and fun of a HandleBards show, but with a few extras that you can’t find outdoors…

Since your beginnings in 2013, the HandleBards have toured internationally. How has the company evolved over the years, and what’s stayed the same?

The core of The HandleBards has always been touring sustainable, joyful and accessible Shakespeare. Each year we’ve grown a little bigger, and have gone on to tour around the world, have become a registered charity and are now creating our first mid-scale show. Who knows where we’ll be in the next 10 years, but we’ll almost certainly still be taking things not too seriously.

If you had to describe this production of The Tempest in just three words, what would they be?

Joyfully silly magic.

The HandleBard’s The Tempest runs at Shakespeare North Playhouse until Saturday 25 October. Tickets are available via shakespearenorthplayhouse.co.uk/event/the-tempest.

This October, the University of Liverpool’s Liverpool Literary Festival marks a huge milestone – its 10th anniversary. Over one unforgettable weekend (Friday 17 to Sunday 19 October), the city will once again play host to bestselling authors, cultural commentators, and passionate readers, all gathered to share in the joy of storytelling.

A Headline Conversation with Mark Kermode & Jenny Nelson

Film critic, writer, musician, and broadcaster Mark Kermode takes centre stage on Saturday evening with long-time collaborator Jenny Nelson. Together they’ll discuss their forthcoming book Surround Sound: The Stories of Movie Music — a deep dive into the emotional resonance of film scores. Expect anecdotes from Hollywood soundstages, explorations of iconic soundtracks, and a look at why music is often the secret ingredient in cinema’s most powerful moments.

Opening Night: Emma Jane Unsworth

The Festival kicks off in style with Emma Jane Unsworth, the award-winning screenwriter and novelist, as she introduces her acclaimed new book Slags. Named a Vogue ‘Book of the Summer’, the novel is already generating serious buzz — and with a TV adaptation in the works, audiences will get a sneak peek into a story set to dominate both page and screen. Unsworth, a University of Liverpool alumna, will be in conversation with Dr Danny O’Connor.

Fiction Meets the Climate Crisis: John Ironmonger

On Saturday morning, novelist and zoologist John Ironmonger returns to his alma mater with The Wager and the Bear, a novel that blends gripping storytelling with urgent environmental themes. Building on the success of his international bestseller Not Forgetting the Whale, Ironmonger explores what happens when human ambition collides with the realities of climate collapse.

A New Look at Doctor Who: John Higgs

Whovians, take note. Cultural historian John Higgs promises to upend everything you thought you knew about the Time Lord in Exterminate/Regenerate: The Story of Doctor Who. As the first true biography of the Doctor, this event (Saturday afternoon) will chart the hidden history of one of Britain’s most beloved TV shows, from its eccentric origins to its enduring cultural legacy.

Bold, Topical, and Thought-Provoking Voices

This year’s line-up isn’t afraid to take on weighty subjects. On Saturday, Dr Nussaibah Younis brings her Women’s Prize-shortlisted novel Fundamentally to the festival, tackling themes of radicalism, love, and identity with satirical bite. Later that day, Malik Al Nasir presents Slave Roots, a powerful exploration of family history that connects Liverpool to the legacies of Caribbean slavery.

The evening closes with a treat for fantasy fans: Juno Dawson, bestselling author and TV screenwriter, discusses Human Rites, the much-anticipated finale to her beloved Her Majesty’s Royal Coven series.

Fresh Talent and New Perspectives

Sunday’s programme begins with a celebration of new voices, as the winners of the Festival’s annual Short Story Competition are announced, with readings from both students and staff. Later, Adele Zeynep Walton offers a personal and moving account of the dangers of our digital age in Logging Off, while debut novelist Hattie Williams reflects on the silences and power struggles of relationships in Bitter Sweet.

Closing with Big Names and Local Stories

The weekend finishes with a series of show-stopping events:

• Dorothy Koomson, one of Britain’s most-read Black novelists, shares her latest thriller Give Him To Me while unpacking the impact of abuse and trauma on families.
• Filmmaker and artist Chris Shepherd takes audiences back to 1980s Liverpool in Anfield Road, his acclaimed debut graphic novel and Observer Graphic Novel of the Month.
• Finally, football fans can enjoy Simon Hughes discussing Chasing Salah, the definitive biography of Liverpool FC’s Egyptian king, Mohamed Salah.

Festival Weekend Pass & Tickets

Guests can register to attend or each event via Eventbrite, or you can purchase a Weekend Festival Pass offering guests the chance to purchase full-day or weekend passes which will include reserved seating in the lecture theatre plus a host of other exclusive VIP benefits.

VIP Passes cost: Saturday £45, Sunday £30, Weekend £60.

Individual events costs range from £8 – £12, while also including some free events too.

For the full programme, including timings and booking details, please visit:
liverpool.ac.uk/literary-festival

La Feria International Festival of Latin American Arts & Culture returns to Liverpool this year, once again filling the city with music, dance, theatre, food, and visual arts.

Created by Francisco Carrasco, CEO and Creative Director of Luma Creations, the festival has grown into a highlight of the cultural calendar, offering audiences the chance to experience the richness and variety of Latin American cultures.

With the 2025 theme “Experience, Belong, Celebrate,” La Feria invites everyone to immerse themselves in the programme, connect with community, and enjoy the joy of cultural exchange. We spoke with Francisco about the festival’s spirit, what’s in store this year, and its impact on both artists and audiences.

For those who may not have experienced La Feria before, how would you describe the spirit of the festival in your own words?

La Feria International Festival of Latin American Arts & Culture is LUMA Creations’ flagship event and a celebration of the richness of Latin America, its cultures and its people. La Feria aims to share the depth of quality and diversity of the continent and create platforms for Latin American artists to present their work.

This year’s theme is Experience, Belong, Celebrate. What inspired this theme, and how does it run through the 2025 programme?

The Latin American community is spread throughout the Liverpool city region – we don’t have a geographical hub so the Festival is a way to bring our community together to raise our voices and celebrate our culture. Create a sense of belonging and share our wonderfully rich culture with the local communities. 

The programme is incredibly diverse—music, theatre, visual arts, food, dance. Which events do you think will surprise audiences the most?

We hope all the events surprise audiences, I do think Wednesday 1st of October at Unity Theatre will be a powerful moment that presents inspirational women artists and delves into issues that are universal from a Latin American perspective. Both, the Thursday at the Music Room, RLPH and the Friday evening at The British Music Experience will present a diverse range of first class music artists that show that Latin American music is so much more than you expect.

The breadth of work this year is remarkable and of such high quality. Our “Entrada” (procession) and take over of the World Museum is going to be spectacular. And the Music groups we have this year are breathtaking. 

Can you tell us more about the month-long Visual Arts Exhibition at Stable Gallery and why it’s such an important starting point for this year’s festival?

THis year we did a call out to Latin American artists and were amazed by the range of work we received – All the artists are based in the UK and are from Cuba, Chile, Peru, Colombia, Mexico, and Venezuela. The Exhibition is in two parts. One part is composed of the work of the chosen Latin American artists and the second part is made up of photographs from past La Feria festivals.

The exhibition promises to be a wonderful presentation of Latin American arts, artists and cultures as well as showing a little of the history of the festival.

We are always looking for ways in which to show our culture on different platforms as well as giving Latin American artists those platforms to present their work. We have found that the exhibition is a perfect way to launch the festival.

The finale, A Taste of Latin America at The Black-E, promises to be a vibrant, family-friendly day. What’s new for 2025’s edition?

This year we have partnered with the Black-e and will be providing a packed day of culture, with some incredible artists. We have a number of new performers from Ecuador, Peru and Colombia on the finale. We will also have more young people participating and as our engagement continues to grow, we hope to increase the range of work and number of artist and community groups we feature. 

What impact have you seen the festival have on audiences, artists, and communities over the years?

The response from audiences and communities throughout the years has been phenomenal. We have many returning audiences and a lot of our new audiences come from word of mouth. We consistently receive positive feedback and artists continue to want to come back to our events in general and specifically La Feria. We pride ourselves in the quality of work we present and in the way we look after our artists and communities. The value we place on them is immeasurable.

Which moment are you personally most looking forward to in the 2025 programme?

This is such a hard question to answer. This year is tainted with sadness as my wife passed away in April and she was my most ardent supporter. I hope that as we engage the communities, artists, partners and audiences her incredible spirit soars as it has done throughout all the festivals we have delivered. I think there will be many moments I will treasure and it would be wrong of me to highlight one.

La Feria runs from 1 – 5 October. Find out more about the programme of events and follow @lumacreationsorg on Instagram for updates.

This September, Unity Theatre stages Mona & Mimi, the debut full-length play by Catherine Leen. Set in December 1961—“between the end of the Chatterley ban and the Beatles’ first LP”—it imagines a meeting between two real Liverpool women: Mona Best, mother of drummer Pete Best, and Mimi Smith, aunt and guardian of John Lennon. One embraces the future, the other clings to the past, but as the evening unfolds, surprising parallels emerge.

Directed by acclaimed theatre-maker Nick Bagnall and starring Fiona Boylan as Mona, Meriel Scholfield as Mimi, and Noah Fox as Neil, the play shines a light on two often-overlooked women at the heart of the Beatles’ story. We spoke to Nick about the play’s period setting, balancing fact and fiction, and the creative process behind bringing these characters to life.

Mona & Mimi is set on one evening in December 1961 — between the end of the Chatterley ban and the Beatles’ first LP. How did this moment in time inspire the storytelling and tone of the piece?

The tone is set by these two brilliant women – one who recognises the present and the future and is progressive and a visionary, the other who at first seems to be stuck in a rather cold damp past. The world is on the cusp of a huge cultural shift – one embraces and one fears for it. The storytelling is inspired by the two extreme spaces they exist in. To look at this period of time through the lens of these two remarkable women is unique, I think. We seem to always want to view the story through the male lens so it is refreshing vital, necessary and an unusual place to visit. Mona can sense what is around the corner, not just for the band, but culturally and she wants to be right in the centre of it. Mimi navigates herself through these times and the need to protect her John is at the heart of all she does.

The play stages a fictionalised meeting between Mona Best and Mimi Smith—women who embody contrasting values and eras. How did you approach balancing historical context with creative fiction?

It is the writer’s job to stretch the historical truth in order to find the centre and muscle of the story, and allow the drama to explode theatrically. The most important thing for me in theatre is impact on an audience. We have to manipulate some truths in order to get the most from the moment. I am not interested in watching/directing or engaging in a history lesson – I am so much more interested in those two creatures and how they respond to each other in the moment.

Catherine Leen, the writer, has thoroughly researched and has a total love, admiration and respect for Mona and Mimi. She recognises their place in the story which is about to unfold in front of them. The history is there for all to see and manipulate accordingly, but I think with this Catherine has allowed us to be right in the moment with these characters.

Catherine takes us through this play with great respect and understanding of the time we are in and the recognition of the future but does it with great aplomb and joy and wit. She looks at both these women and gives equal weight to their huge part in the next episode of the story of the Beatles.

You’ve directed a diverse mix of productions—from Hansel and Gretel, Edward II at Shakespeare’s Globe to Our Lady of Blundellsands, Sweeney Todd, A Clockwork Orange in Liverpool. How has your experience in both classic and contemporary theatre shaped your approach to a new, character-driven work like Mona & Mimi?

I come at everything with the same amount of rigour and playfulness. My work is shaped by the team around me. I wanted to do this play due to my deep, slightly, obsessive fondness of the Beatles and this particular time. More importantly I was intrigued by these largely forgotten major players in the Beatles’ story. I also know that Catherine has unearthed a fabulous story and am happy to give it its first outing. There will no doubt be a future for this play.

I was intrigued, fascinated and slightly pissed off that these women, especially Mona, tend to be a side note. This is wrong. Their deep love of those boys as mothers/guardians is utterly absorbing. I suppose I am always after the human turbulence in characters and in all I do I tend to reach for the truthful and the turbulence. I am thrilled and excited by looking at the world through these women’s eyes. It has been a long time since I have done something where an audience gets to see the whites of the actors eyes. I adore my job and I am very lucky that I get to play in such varied Playhouses and tell such vital, rich stories. The inner turmoil in both these creatures will be wonderful to unravel in front of an audience.

“Without Mona and Mimi I am not sure what the Beatles story would look like – very different I am sure. I want an audience to leave with a fondness and deep respect for the incredible part they played.”

Can you describe your collaborative process with Fiona Boylan (Mona), Meriel Scholfield (Mimi), and Noah Fox (Neil)? How did you work together to shape their dynamics, particularly between Mona and Mimi?

I work from a place of ‘firm fun’, an open hearted and playful room. They are all incredibly agile actors so they dictate how I play things not the other way round. The actors are the front line and I would be stupid to not listen and respond to what they instinctively bring. When you are put in a room with highly intelligent theatre makers it is nothing but learning and listening. The play will develop through all of rehearsals as all new plays do. Then an audience will arrive and we learn again. I hope my rehearsal process provokes an open heartedness and rigour in our story telling. And if it doesn’t then I will tell them where to stand and how to say the lines!!

Fi and Meriel are two wonderful human beings that bring a total understanding of these women to the room. They are transformative and always challenging and questioning. They work in tandem and the trust between them will be palpable and shared on stage. They are a hoot to work with and I admire their bravery each day.

The Liverpool setting and local music history are woven through the story. How has working locally—especially at the Unity Theatre—shaped your engagement with the city’s identity in this piece?

I have never worked at The Unity and always wanted to, so am delighted. I remember seeing the BIG WOW there many years ago and was struck by the intimacy and warmth the space provided, I take my little girl to their Christmas shows so to be putting something into that space is a treat. I am very aware of the Liverpool audience and that is always the first character on my cast list – ‘audience’. The Liverpool audience from what I have learnt tell you loud and clear when the work is good and by god they tell you just as loudly when it ain’t.

Music pretty much runs through all of the work I do and it is no different with this piece. The streets are lined with music and memory in Liverpool and I hope and hope we can allow that to seep through the doors into our hearts. Music hits you in the stomach far quicker than dialogue so I will be allowing myself to indulge in that as a story telling device.

What would you personally hope audiences take away from Mona & Mimi?

I want them to recognise these two brilliant women and the part they played in what is probably the greatest musical phenomenon that has ever been and very likely we will never see the like of again. Set at a time when the Beatles are about to explode, for me to sit and recognise what impact these women have had is everything. Without Mona and Mimi I am not sure what the Beatles story would look like – very different I am sure. I want an audience to leave with a fondness and deep respect for the incredible part they played – but not only that but also the sheer love that seeps from these women towards the boys is nothing short of life affirming.

Mona & Mimi is on at Unity Theatre from Wednesday 3rd to Thursday 4th September. Tickets are available via Unity Theatre’s website.