Author: Uncover

October’s cultural calendar stretches from Black History Month events, River of Light and the Liverpool Irish Festival to live music, theatre and a few well-timed scares. Whether you’re planning a family afternoon, looking for an unusual night out or heading beyond the city centre, here are 12 events to explore across Liverpool and the city region this month.

1. Black History Month with Writing on the Wall (Throughout October)

Writing on the Wall’s Black History Month programme invites audiences to engage with Black history, creativity and community action. Events announced so far include Professor Stephen Small on Black Liverpool, an evening with writer Dean Atta and walking tours exploring Liverpool’s connections to slavery, the events of 1919 and activism in L8. Check the programme for further announcements.

2. The Picture of Dorian Gray, Shakespeare North Playhouse (7–10 October)

Oscar Wilde’s story of beauty, temptation and a terrible bargain comes to Shakespeare North Playhouse. This new adaptation brings Wilde’s wit and dark imagination to the stage as Dorian discovers the cost of staying young forever.

3. Silent Film Soundtracks, Future Yard (8 October)

For a night that mixes cinema and live music, head to Future Yard in Birkenhead. Moolakii Club pairs films with original electronic scores performed live by Stealing Sheep, Traindeer and LoopFader. Each artist responds to the images in real time, making this a one-off way to experience the films.

4. She’s Electric: My Strange But True Story, Capstone Theatre (9 October)

Vanessa spent a decade working as a woman electrician in the UK film industry. In She’s Electric at the Capstone Theatre, she takes audiences behind the scenes of movie sets with a funny, personal account of the work and the people she encountered along the way. The event listing includes content warnings for sexual threat, drug use and mild swearing.

5. Ghosted!, The Studio Beyond (15 October)

Four strangers join a ghost tour, each looking for answers of their own. Set at The Studio Beyond on Wood Street, Ghosted! uses its supernatural premise to explore the past, the future and whether the things haunting us are always ghosts.

6. Liverpool Irish Festival (15–25 October)

The Liverpool Irish Festival returns with music, theatre, literature, heritage walks and family events. This year’s theme, I Am Here, explores arrival, belonging and being seen. Highlights include performances from Kíla and Téada, a free author day at Central Library, and Family Day at the Museum of Liverpool. Satellite events run beyond the main festival dates.

7. Mean Girls, Liverpool Empire Theatre (19–31 October)

The Plastics arrive at Liverpool Empire Theatre in the stage musical of Mean Girls. When Cady Heron starts at North Shore High, she finds that fitting in comes with its own rules. Expect familiar characters, sharp humour and plenty of songs.

8. River of Light (23 October–1 November)

Liverpool city centre will light up after dark as River of Light returns with a free trail of 13 artworks. This year’s theme is Together, with installations exploring how light can bring people closer. Follow the trail at your own pace for an autumn evening out; the festival continues into the first weekend of November.

9. The Haunting of Blaine Manor, The Atkinson (24 October)

Head to The Atkinson in Southport for a classic ghost story. Set in 1953, the play follows a parapsychologist invited to investigate a supposedly haunted manor. A séance and an approaching storm soon turn his visit into something far more unsettling. There are afternoon and evening performances; the production is listed for ages 10 and over.

10. Bluecoat Family Weekend — 24–25 October

Looking for a free half-term outing? Bluecoat Family Weekend offers drop-in activities for all ages, inspired by the stories, people and moments in the arts centre’s archive. Activities run from 1–4pm on both days.

For more ideas throughout October, explore Uncover Liverpool’s What’s On listings.

Produced by Luma Creations, La Feria brings internationally acclaimed musicians, theatre-makers, dancers, visual artists, cultural practitioners and food vendors from Latin America and the UK to Liverpool.

Across five days, live music, theatre, dance, performance, exhibitions, workshops, talks and participatory events create a place to discover, share and reconnect through Latin American arts and cultures.

More than a programme of performances, La Feria is a space for cultural exchange, shared understanding and meaningful connection between communities. Reflecting their commitment to community, the theme for this year’s festival is Belonging.

Here’s our full listing of events for La Feria 2026:

Camila & Silvio + Peregrinos, Liverpool Philharmonic Music Room (8 October)

Camila y Silvio return to La Feria with their award-winning sound, rooted in Andean and Latin American folk traditions. Blending musical heritage with a fresh, youthful perspective, the duo creates performances that move through landscapes, shared histories and the emotions that connect us.

Peregrinos open the evening, and are included in the same ticket. Peregrinos is a Chilean duo formed by Raimundo Santander and Rodrigo Recabarren, whose music brings together the traditions of Chilean folk with the freedom and spontaneity of jazz.

Belonging, Unity Theatre (7 October – 6 November)

Belonging brings together contemporary work by UK-based artists of Latin American heritage. The exhibition follows identity, memory, migration, home and cultural connection, and the many ways belonging is lived and expressed.

The works draw on personal and shared histories. They show how culture is kept, reimagined and passed between generations, changing as it moves across places and borders. Through a wide range of visual languages, Belonging asks what connections shape who we are, and the communities we make. Belonging is the theme of La Feria 2026. It runs the length of the festival and beyond

Manuelita by Popelei, Unity Theatre (7 October)

Manuelita is a critically acclaimed one-person play that brings to life the remarkable story of Manuela Sáenz, the Ecuadorian revolutionary and trusted partner of Simón Bolívar. Through a compelling blend of theatre, movement, humour, and live music, the production brings to life the passion, courage, and resilience of a woman who played a pivotal role in Latin America’s fight for independence.

Performed by Tamsin Hurtado Clarke with live music by acclaimed Colombian guitarist Camilo Menjura, Manuelita has captivated audiences internationally and received widespread critical acclaim.

Orchestra Mambo International, Liverpool Philharmonic Music Room (9 October)

Orchestra Mambo International (OMI) is a 13-piece Latin big band formed in 2022 by salsa DJ and promoter DJ Lubi Jovanovic and trombonist and composer Jonny Enright. Bringing together musicians from Venezuela, Colombia, Cuba, Spain, Brazil and the UK, OMI plays the golden age of mambo, salsa dura and Afro-Cuban jazz with a contemporary edge.

Inspired by Tito Puente, Machito, Eddie Palmieri and Tito Rodríguez, the band has established itself as one of the UK’s most exciting Latin ensembles.

World Museum Take-Over, World Museum (10 October)

Presented in partnership with the World Museum and the Global Cultures Collections Team, as part of the Cuerpos del Tiempo project to re-imagine the Americas Gallery. Experience the World Museum Takeover as La Feria turns its galleries over to Latin American arts and culture for the day. Through the afternoon the museum fills with live music, dance, storytelling, workshops and activities you can join.

A family day: whether you are dancing to live music, trying something with your hands, or sharing stories with the people you came with, there is a way in for everyone.

Killabeatmaker & Mari Merenda, District (10 October)

Killabeatmaker is a music producer and performer from Medellín, Colombia, whose sound fuses traditional Colombian music with electronic production, urban grooves, deep bass and global rhythms. Known for energetic, interactive live shows, he combines beatboxing, rap, vocals and live beats.

Over the past two years, Killabeatmaker and his band have completed three European tours, performing in more than 70 cities and appearing at festivals and cultural events worldwide. They continue touring in 2026 with appearances across North America, Canada, India and Europe.

A Taste of Latin America, The Black-E (11 October)

A Taste of Latin America completes La Feria 2026 at The Black-E. Latin American communities from across Liverpool and beyond come together to share traditions, mark identity and build new connections. A day of live music, DJs, dance, hands-on workshops, Latin American food and creative activities for all ages, from traditional folk to contemporary sound.

Artists represent Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, and beyond, alongside the contribution Latin American communities make to the cultural life of Liverpool.

To discover more events taking place across Liverpool and the city region, explore Uncover Liverpool’s What’s On listings.

Autumn is shaping up to be an exciting season for art lovers across the Liverpool city region. From immersive installations exploring our increasingly digital lives to exhibitions centred on community, identity, ancestry and overlooked histories, galleries across the city are welcoming a brilliant mix of established names and emerging talent.

Here are some of the standout autumn exhibitions to add to your cultural calendar.

Julia Carter Preston at the Bluecoat, Bluecoat (11 September – 8 November 2026)

Celebrating the centenary of much-loved Liverpool artist Julia Carter Preston, this fascinating archive display explores her long relationship with Bluecoat, where she maintained a studio overlooking the garden for many years.

Featuring photographs, documents and specially commissioned plaques, the exhibition offers an insight into the life and work of an artist known for her distinctive ceramics and revival of the centuries-old sgraffito technique. It forms part of a wider celebration taking place across five Liverpool venues, including Bluecoat Display Centre, Liverpool Hope University, Walker Art Gallery and Victoria Gallery & Museum.

BRB, FACT Liverpool (18 September – 6 December 2026)

Taking its name from the early internet abbreviation for “be right back”, BRB asks whether it is still possible to properly step away from our screens. Through film, animation, sculpture and interactive installations, North West-based artists Livi Wilmore, Mrs Luva-Luva and Ellie Hoskins explore how constant connectivity is reshaping our identities, relationships and sense of self. From an unsettling adult soft-play environment to a towering rollercoaster and a surreal supermarket powered by personal data, the exhibition takes a playful but thought-provoking look at life in an age of endless notifications, artificial intelligence and algorithmic feeds.

Seema Mattu: LOCAL SUPERSTAR II, FACT Liverpool (18 September 2026 – 14 February 2027)

Step aboard a tour bus and enter the ever-expanding world of Saheli, a fictional band created by artist Seema Mattu.

A series of films follows the group through auditions, rehearsals, interviews and jam sessions, while interactive instruments invite visitors to make music alongside the band and contribute to an evolving sonic landscape. Exploring caste, queer desire, technology and collective creativity, LOCAL SUPERSTAR II presents music as a space where people can gather, experiment and create something together.

For Mattu, superstardom is not simply about global fame, but the excitement of ideas taking shape at a local level, supported by the people and places around them.

Rae-Yen Song 宋瑞渊: •~TUA~• 大眼 •~MAK~•, FACT Liverpool (18 September 2026 – 14 February 2027)

Rae-Yen Song transforms the gallery into a living, otherworldly environment inspired by family mythology, ecology and Daoist ways of understanding the world.

At its centre is a glowing pond containing organic matter, microscopic life and invertebrates, whose movements influence the shifting light and sound around the space. Handmade objects created using textiles, glass, ceramic, willow, hair and even cat fur appear throughout the installation.

Inspired by the story of an ancestor who drowned at sea in 1950s Singapore, the exhibition brings together the visible and invisible, encouraging visitors to think of heritage and ancestry as something living, changing and deeply interconnected.

Next Up-2026, Open Eye Gallery (18 September – 1 November 2026)

Open Eye Gallery’s annual graduate exhibition returns with new work from early-career photographers connected to its MA in Socially Engaged Photography, delivered in partnership with the University of Salford.

Featuring Yaqeen Amir, Ella Horniman, Jack Smith and Helen Constantinou, this year’s exhibition explores subjects including displacement, LGBTQI+ history, working-class creativity and environmental damage.

From photographs documenting the 1988 protests against Section 28 to collaborative zines created with underrepresented communities in North Manchester, Next Up-2026 highlights stories and experiences that can often be overlooked, while offering an exciting glimpse at the future of socially engaged photography.

New Faces, New Focus: Stories We Share, Open Eye Gallery (18 September – 20 December 2026)

Bringing together artists, community participants and museum collections from across the UK, New Faces, New Focus: Stories We Share explores journeys, identity and the meaning of home.

Created through residencies in the Liverpool city region, Armagh and Aberdeenshire, the exhibition places the experiences of communities affected by migration and displacement at its heart. Photography, sculpture, sewing and writing sit alongside objects from museum collections, revealing how everyday items can hold powerful memories of family, heritage and belonging.

Related displays will also take place at The Atkinson, Kirkby Gallery and The World of Glass, before the exhibition continues its journey to Northern Ireland and Scotland.

Becky Beasley: A Gentle Man (Part II) (1975–2029), Bluecoat (26 September 2026 – 3 January 2027)

Becky Beasley’s touring exhibition completely transforms Bluecoat’s gallery, with a large green linoleum artwork stretching across the floor, hand-cut lake silhouettes and adjustable “conversation” or “kissing” benches where visitors can pause and rest.

Pastel-pink curtains shaped into the letters H, S and P — an acronym for Highly Sensitive Person — hang alongside ceramics, photographs and sculptural furniture. At the centre of the exhibition is a four-part video portrait of an imaginary figure combining elements of American writer Bernard Malamud and the artist’s father.

Narrated by actor Russell Tovey, the work moves through four major parts of life: work, family, chosen family and dying. Entry is free.

To discover more exhibitions and events taking place across Liverpool and the city region, explore Uncover Liverpool’s What’s On listings.

BlackFest returns to Liverpool this autumn with another packed programme of music, theatre, comedy, film, visual art, spoken word, poetry and creative workshops.

Founded in 2018, the grassroots Black Arts festival champions Black artists and brings their work to both community spaces and established cultural venues. This year’s festival marks 100 years since the beginnings of Black History Month, with events taking place across Liverpool throughout September and October.

The 2026 line-up features everyone from ’90s pop favourites Cleopatra and Jamaican-born Liverpool musician KingFast to artists Alena Kudera, Nina Edge and acclaimed sculptor Faith Bebbington.

Here’s our guide to what’s happening at BlackFest 2026.

Short Experimental Performances & One Woman Plays – Shakespeare North Playhouse (24 September)

BlackFest Creatives Collective takes over Shakespeare North Playhouse for an evening of new writing, music and performance exploring identity, relationships, race, grief and what it means to be British.

Short Experimental Performances and One-Woman Plays features work from MD Productions and Miguel Doforo, alongside Mariam Jama’s My Friend Fiona, a three-hander set in the near future.

Loisha performs her one-woman play Brit-tish, asking whether Britain can truly feel like home when you’re both Black and British. Mariam Abood, also known as Emmy, will also showcase her debut work, Frenemies, exploring the complicated space where friendships and rivalries collide.

Expect an evening of fresh ideas, exciting stories and experimental performances covering everything from AI and dystopian futures to identity and belonging.

Short Experimental Performances From Black Writers & Comedians – Shakespeare North Playhouse (25 September)

The following evening brings together stand-up comedy, spoken word and new experimental work from the BlackFest Creatives Collective. Hosted by Skelmersdale comedian, writer and actor Daniel Hippolyte Carmichael, Comedy and Short Experimental Performances includes spoken word sequences from Sandstone Silver and stand-up from young performer Jaqson Johnston-Lynch.

Also appearing is Sarah Levine, one of Liverpool’s fastest-rising comedy talents. A mixed-race single mum with zero filter, Sarah is sharp, fearless and more than happy to say what everyone else is thinking.

Cleopatra – The Tung Auditorium (25 September)

Sisters Cleopatra, Zainam and Yonah Higgins burst onto the British pop scene in the late ’90s with their infectious energy, soulful harmonies and unforgettable performances. The Manchester siblings became the first Black British girl group to achieve mainstream success, securing their place in pop history with hits including Cleopatra’s Theme.

Now, Cleopatra are heading to The Tung Auditorium as part of BlackFest 2026, offering the perfect chance to relive some ’90s pop nostalgia.

Short Experimental Performances & One Woman Plays – Shakespeare North Playhouse (26 September)

BlackFest Creatives Collective returns to Shakespeare North Playhouse for another evening of new and developing work. This edition of Short Experimental Performances and One-Woman Plays includes an experimental R&D performance from Chelsey Emery, Chase Johnston-Lynch and friends, celebrating Black excellence and historical figures.

Sarah Abusin presents Jailbird, a musical exploring the lives of incarcerated women in Dubai, while Nigerian spoken word artist Janoma Omena performs work exploring queerness, young adulthood, reproductive health and migration.

KingFast – The Tung Auditorium (30 September)

Born in Kingston, Jamaica, raised in Belfast and now part of Liverpool’s music scene, KingFast brings together the sounds and influences of his different homes. He has performed at Liverpool Sound City, LIMF, Deva Fest, Nantwich Jazz Festival and Elderflower Fields Festival, as well as reaching the final of Southport’s Eurovision Calling.

His music has been heard on Radio City and BBC Radio Merseyside, as well as through a national in-store jukebox playing in major chains across the country. Catch him live at The Tung Auditorium as part of this year’s festival.

Death of a Salesman – Liverpool Everyman (19 September – 10 October)

Death of a Salesman is contemporary as well as timeless – an unforgettable drama that speaks to our everyday dreams and the pressures of our changing working world.

Seamlessly weaving past and present into one of theatre’s most enduring stories, Death of a Salesman reveals a family at breaking point and a man in conflict with his own sense of worth. Can Willy and those around him survive? Or will their gleaming tomorrow become a tarnished and tragic today?

Rubbish Shakespeare Company: Romeo & Juliet – The Atkinson (26 September)

The Rubbish Shakespeare Company presents Romeo & Juliet, a tragedy like no other. Three hapless idiots attempt the Bard’s most famous love story using nothing but a box of tatty wigs, a worn floral dress, and a burst airbed found by the bins.

This acclaimed take on Romeo & Juliet is a riotous hour of frenetic slapstick, clowning and fourth-wall-breaking chaos. Taking huge liberties with the original text, the company splices Shakespeare’s classic lines with modern gags, physical comedy and gloriously silly storytelling that keeps everyone – from age 5 to 105 – completely hooked.

The Picture of Dorian Gray – Shakespeare North Playhouse (7 – 10 October)

This bold new adaptation of the classic novel celebrates Wilde’s dazzling wit and dark imagination. Stylish and unsettlingly thrilling, The Picture of Dorian Gray plunges you into a world where charm is currency and the truth always exacts its price.

In a society obsessed with youth and beauty, Dorian Gray is offered the ultimate prize: eternal perfection. But perfection comes at a price, one that must be paid in blood.

Pride & Prejudice* (*sort of) – Liverpool Playhouse (13 – 17 October)

After its triumph in the West End where it won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Comedy and the Evening Standard Award, Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of) is a unique and audacious retelling of Jane Austen’s most iconic love story.

Men, money and microphones will be fought over in this irreverent but affectionate adaptation where the stakes couldn’t be higher when it comes to romance. This multi-award-winning production features a string of pop classics including Young Hearts Run Free, Will You Love Me Tomorrow and You’re So Vain.

High Tea – Liverpool Irish Centre (19 October)

Victoria Fradgley’s one act play High Tea serves a sharp, funny and devastating reckoning between two estranged sisters. The production is part of Liverpool Irish Festival 2026.

Woodhill – Unity Theatre (21 – 22 October)

Gut punching choreography and unflinching beats shine a light on the hidden story of HMP Woodhill. Lyrically told in their own words, three families investigate what happened to their deceased boys. What they discover is so haunting, it turns their world upside down. Pushing the form of documentary theatre and dance, Woodhill is an explosive true story by multi-award-winning LUNG and originally developed with The North Wall.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time – Liverpool Empire Theatre (3 – 7 November)

What begins as the search for a culprit soon reveals secrets closer to home, forcing him to confront truths that will test his courage, his family, and his understanding of trust, independence, and the wider world.

Inventive, gripping, and moving, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time combines the intrigue of a whodunnit with a powerful coming-of-age story in an unforgettable theatrical event.

For even more things to do this autumn in Liverpool and the city region check out our What’s On Listings.

In this latest edition of Buried Treasure, John Maguire of ArtsGroupie CIC explores the creative spark within us all and reflects on how Physical Fest continues to inspire artists and audiences alike.

In this column, I often look at heritage and treasures in the Liverpool City Region from an external perspective. Today, however, I am going to focus on the buried treasure within the individual: the imagination and creativity we all possess.

Theatre and the arts can act like tinder, igniting a whole array of feelings within the spectator and serving as a powerful catalyst for inspiration.

As we head into autumn and the unpredictable weather that comes with it, September sees the return of Physical Fest at the Unity Theatre. Always, when I attend this festival, I come away with so many ideas. It is, for me, a creative M.O.T.

Physical theatre blends movement, dance, mime, and ensemble storytelling. It’s a festival that challenges what theatre usually looks like. Experiencing international masters and diverse movement styles firsthand is a unique opportunity that enhances any artists work.

As a young practitioner, my own early exposure to the world of physical theatre at the Unity pushed me to go on to study at Aberystwyth University. There, I explored all kinds of physical expression through workshops with so many practitioners like, theatre makers from The Berliner Ensemble and Etienne Decroux’s school. Plus, consistent movement work with Mike Pearson, pioneer of Brith Gof, one of the most radical, site-specific theatre companies making raw, industrial work.

This festival brings examples of top-class physical theatre into one venue. Eli Randle, the Founder, shared the origins and evolution of the festival: “Physical Fest started many moons ago, back in 2005, as a small workshop festival. At the time, my co-director Yorgos and I were travelling constantly around Europe, training with different practitioners and discovering new approaches to physical theatre. We thought, ‘Why not bring them to Liverpool?’”

Heavily inspired by Hope Street’s Physical Theatre course, the festival became a way of connecting Liverpool with the wider physical theatre world. Over the years, it has helped build a real physical theatre community and has been a constant source of inspiration for Eli and Tmesis Theatre.

“At a time when new borders and barriers can make international exchange more difficult, it feels increasingly important that we continue to connect with practitioners from around the world, to collaborate, be challenged, share ideas, and discover different ways of making art. Physical theatre has always been my preferred theatrical language. I love its ability to transcend culture and borders, and to communicate through something universal: the body.”

I asked some of the artists to tell me how the festival has affected them.  

“Physical Fest is the best! It creates and warmly invites a diverse community of passionate people to celebrate and learn together. It has inspired me so much in my art, thank you.” — Jamie Wood, Artist

“Physical Fest is an amazing opportunity for emerging artists to access training with some of the best performers and practitioners in the world. Being part of Physical Fest and Tmesis Training Company opened up my professional network and allowed me to develop skills that supported me in future auditions and work… It’s an incredible chance to experience innovative work at accessible prices right here at a local theatre, saving you a trip to bigger cities like London.” — Mariana Pires, Performer & Emerging Artist

Physical Fest remains intimate and accessible. Who knows what spark it might trigger within you, or what creativity may emerge from sharing that collective space?

Physical Fest is Liverpool’s international festival of contemporary physical theatre, celebrating some of the world’s most exciting visual and movement-based performance. Produced by Tmesis Theatre, the festival brings bold new work from across the globe to the North for the first time, alongside a vibrant seven-day programme of performances, workshops and events.

Running from Monday 7th — Saturday 12th September, this year, the performance programme at Unity Theatre, features an exciting mix of clowning, physical theatre and circus from Belgium and Italy, captivating Japanese physical performance, and outstanding new work by local and national artists.

Full programme at:tmesistheatre.com/physical-fest.

Being one of the thousands of Liverpool students means having an incredible cultural scene right on your doorstep.  Alongside museums, galleries and music heritage, you’ll find independent theatres, grassroots venues, creative spaces, festivals, workshops. There’s so much to discover—and plenty of opportunities to get involved.

Lots of places are completely free to visit, while others offer affordable tickets and student discounts. Whether you want to discover local artists, catch some live music, get creative yourself or simply find a cheap day out with friends, this guide will help you make the most of what’s on offer.

Free Museums and Art Galleries

The Liverpool City Region is home to an impressive collection of museums and galleries, many of which are free to visit. They’re ideal for an affordable day out, a little creative inspiration or an afternoon away from your studies.

National Museums Liverpool

National Museums Liverpool has several major museums and galleries across Liverpool and the wider city region.

Popular places to explore include:

• Museum of Liverpool, where you can learn about the people, industries, music and social history that shaped the city.
• World Museum, home to collections spanning natural history, archaeology, science and world cultures, as well as a planetarium and aquarium.
• Walker Art Gallery, which displays paintings, sculpture and decorative art from the medieval period to the present day.
• Lady Lever Art Gallery, situated in the historic village of Port Sunlight and particularly well known for its Pre-Raphaelite paintings.
• Sudley House, a Victorian home containing paintings, period furniture and decorative art.

General admission is free, although charges may apply to selected exhibitions and activities. Check the National Museums Liverpool website for current opening information before travelling.

Tate Liverpool

Tate Liverpool brings major modern and contemporary art to the city through exhibitions, installations and events.

While its Royal Albert Dock building undergoes redevelopment, Tate Liverpool continues to present a programme in the city via Riba North at Mann Island. Check the website for exhibitions and opening times before visiting.

Bluecoat

Set inside Liverpool city centre’s oldest surviving building, Bluecoat is a contemporary arts centre presenting visual art, literature, music, dance and live performance.

Its galleries are free to enter and showcase work by both emerging and established artists. Bluecoat also runs talks, workshops and participatory events, while its courtyard and garden offer a peaceful place to escape the bustle of the city centre.

FACT

FACT explores the relationship between art, film, technology and society through free exhibitions and immersive installations.

It’s a particularly interesting venue for students studying, or simply interested in film, gaming, digital culture, media and emerging technology. The building is also home to a Picturehouse cinema, which screens new releases, independent films, documentaries, classics and special events.

Open Eye Gallery

Located on the waterfront, Open Eye Gallery is one of the UK’s leading photography galleries.

Its free exhibitions bring together work by established photographers, emerging artists and local communities. Students interested in photography, journalism, visual culture or social history should also look out for its talks, workshops and opportunities.

Victoria Gallery & Museum

The University of Liverpool’s Victoria Gallery & Museum brings art, history and science together inside a striking Gothic Revival building.

Its collections include paintings, sculpture, ceramics and scientific objects, with exhibits ranging from Victorian medical instruments to contemporary art. Entry is free, and you don’t need to be a University of Liverpool student to visit.

dot-art Gallery

dot-art Gallery is a brilliant place to discover work by artists based in Liverpool and the surrounding area. Its changing exhibitions provide an accessible introduction to the local visual arts scene, while the wider organisation supports artists through exhibitions and creative opportunities. The gallery on Queen Avenue is free to visit.

Explore Culture Beyond Liverpool City Centre

There is much more to the city region’s cultural life than Liverpool city centre. Students can use local rail and bus services to discover museums, galleries, heritage attractions and creative organisations across Wirral, St Helens, Sefton, Knowsley and Halton.

Heart of Glass, St Helens

Heart of Glass works with artists and communities to produce exhibitions, performances, conversations and ambitious public art projects.

Rather than operating as a traditional gallery, its work often appears in public spaces and community settings across St Helens and the city region. 

The World of Glass, St Helens

The World of Glass explores the history of St Helens and the borough’s internationally significant glassmaking industry.

Alongside its museum collections, visitors can see live glassblowing demonstrations and explore exhibitions examining local history, creativity and industry. Check current admission prices and concessions when planning your visit.

The Atkinson, Southport

The Atkinson is Southport’s home for art, entertainment, heritage and literature. Inside you’ll find a museum, art galleries, theatre, studio, library and café. Its galleries and museum are free to explore, while its programme includes comedy, music, theatre, talks, film screenings and family activities.

Norton Priory Museum & Gardens, Runcorn

Norton Priory Museum & Gardens combines medieval ruins, local history, woodland and gardens in Runcorn.

The site has a history stretching back around 900 years and makes a great destination for students looking for a day outside the city. Admission charges apply, so check for current prices and student concessions before visiting.

Live Music Venues

The region has a thriving live scene encompassing classical music, jazz, folk, electronic music, hip-hop, experimental work and emerging local artists. Supporting smaller venues and new performers is also one of the best ways to discover the next generation of Liverpool music.

The Tung Auditorium

Situated inside the Yoko Ono Lennon Centre at the University of Liverpool, The Tung Auditorium is a modern concert venue with a programme spanning classical music, jazz, contemporary music, electronica and spoken word.

University of Liverpool students can access special ticket offers for many events through the venue’s student membership scheme. Students from other institutions should check individual event listings for available concessions.

Future Yard

Future Yard is a grassroots music venue and creative community based in Birkenhead. Its programme includes alternative, independent and emerging artists alongside club nights, festivals and special events. Future Yard also supports musicians through rehearsal rooms, artist development and training programmes, making it worth following if you’re trying to build a career in music.

The Capstone Theatre

Based at Liverpool Hope University’s Creative Campus, The Capstone Theatre presents music, theatre, dance, spoken word and film.

It is especially well known for jazz and hosts the annual Liverpool International Jazz Festival. Check individual listings for student and concessionary ticket options.

M&S Bank Arena

The M&S Bank Arena welcomes some of the biggest names in music, comedy and entertainment to the city. Alongside major international tours, its programme includes live shows, special events and performances spanning a wide range of genres.

Theatre and Performance

Liverpool has an excellent theatre scene, ranging from large touring productions to intimate new writing, experimental work and performances created with local communities.

Student offers vary between productions, so always check the venue’s website before booking and take valid student identification with you.

Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse

Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse presents locally produced theatre, new writing, touring productions and creative events across its two venues.

Young people should also look at the theatres’ current membership, participation and development opportunities. These can include discounted tickets, workshops, events and ways to become involved in theatre-making.

Liverpool’s Royal Court

Liverpool’s Royal Court is known for producing accessible, entertaining theatre with a distinct Liverpool voice. It’s a great place to immerse yourself in Liverpool life and get to know the city’s sense of humour.

Unity Theatre

Unity Theatre champions new work, emerging artists and performances that explore contemporary issues. Its programme includes theatre, comedy, dance, family work, festivals and artist development opportunities. Student discounts are available for many performances.

The Hope Street Theatre

The Hope Street Theatre hosts independent theatre companies, emerging performers, comedy, musicals, festivals and new writing.

Liverpool Empire Theatre

Liverpool Empire Theatre hosts major touring musicals, drama, dance, comedy and family productions. Student offers and reduced-price tickets are available on selected performances. 

20 Stories High

20 Stories High creates bold theatre and music with young people and communities that are often underrepresented on stage. Its work can combine hip-hop, spoken word, live music, puppetry and multimedia performance. Students interested in socially engaged theatre, performance and activism should look out for productions, workshops and participation opportunities.

The Black-E

The Black-E is a pioneering community arts organisation based in a distinctive historic building close to Liverpool’s Chinatown. It has a long history of bringing people together through performance, visual art, workshops, festivals and community events.

Film, Photography and Digital Culture

Film and media students will find plenty to explore across the city region, but you don’t need to be studying a creative subject to get involved.

Alongside FACT and Open Eye Gallery, look out for independent screenings, short-film nights, filmmaker Q&As, community cinema projects and opportunities to have your own work screened.

First Take

First Take works with people and communities to tell stories through film, animation and digital media. Its projects have supported emerging creatives and people whose experiences are not always represented on screen. Aspiring filmmakers should follow First Take for screenings, workshops, training and project opportunities.

Books, Writing and Spoken Word

Liverpool’s literary culture includes festivals, shared reading groups, spoken-word events, workshops, independent bookshops and opportunities for new writers.

Writing on the Wall

Writing on the Wall runs writing projects, workshops, performances, discussions and events throughout the year. They also run the annual WoWFEST, Liverpool’s longest-running writing and literary festival. Its programme brings together acclaimed authors, activists, poets, performers and emerging writers.

Students who want to develop their writing should follow Writing on the Wall for workshops, commissions, competitions and participation opportunities.

The Reader at Calderstones

The Reader uses literature and Shared Reading to bring people together. Its home in Calderstones Park includes the Mansion House, an independent bookshop, café, reading spaces and a programme of groups, workshops and cultural activities. 

Festivals and Cultural Events

Some of the city region’s best cultural experiences happen through annual festivals and one-off events rather than permanent venues.

Liverpool Irish Festival

Liverpool Irish Festival celebrates Liverpool’s Irish culture, heritage and contemporary creative connections. Their annual programme includes music, theatre, film, talks, exhibitions, walks and participatory events at venues across the city. The festival normally includes a mixture of free and ticketed activities.

Africa Oyé

Africa Oyé is the UK’s largest free celebration of African music and culture. Held each summer in Liverpool’s Sefton Park, the festival brings together international artists, DJs, food stalls and independent traders for a vibrant weekend of live music and entertainment.

Student Discounts and Affordable Tickets

Student and concessionary offers can change, but there are several ways to make cultural trips more affordable.

Student Art Pass

A Student Art Pass provides free or reduced-price entry to participating museums, galleries, historic houses and major exhibitions across the UK. It may also include shop and café discounts.

Check the current membership price and participating attractions before joining.

Ask Your University

Universities and students’ unions sometimes arrange free tickets, cultural trips, society visits and discounted transport. Joining a student society connected to music, theatre, filmmaking, photography, literature or visual art can also help you find events and meet people with similar interests.

Find Arts Jobs, Callouts and Opportunities

If you’re hoping to work in the creative industries, don’t wait until graduation to start making connections.

Liverpool City Region’s cultural organisations regularly advertise:

• Part-time and entry-level jobs
• Internships and placements
• Freelance commissions
• Artist development programmes
• Volunteer positions
• Funding opportunities
• Auditions and performance callouts
• Opportunities for writers, filmmakers and photographers

You can find regularly updated opportunities in the Uncover Liverpool community section, alongside news from the local cultural sector.

What’s On in Liverpool City Region?

This guide is only a starting point. Liverpool City Region’s cultural calendar changes every week, with new exhibitions, gigs, performances, workshops, festivals and creative opportunities appearing all the time.

Use Uncover Liverpool to find events across the city region. You can filter listings by date and discover free and low-cost things to do.

You can also join the free weekly Arts Bulletin for a curated selection of events, jobs, commissions, callouts, volunteering roles and other creative opportunities.

Liverpool’s cultural scene belongs to everyone. Explore beyond the familiar places, support independent organisations and local artists, and don’t be afraid to get involved rather than simply watching from the sidelines.

September is shaping up to be another packed month for arts and culture across Liverpool City Region, with live music, theatre, exhibitions, festivals and more to discover.

From a 90s nostalgia trip with DJ Yoda and the return of Physical Fest, to a major celebration of Liverpool ceramicist Julia Carter Preston and three new exhibitions at FACT, there’s plenty to get in the diary.

Here are 10 unmissable things to do in Liverpool and the city region this September.

1. DJ Yoda’s 90s Mixtape, Future Yard (4 September)

Get ready for a serious dose of 90s nostalgia as DJ Yoda brings his 90s Mixtape to Future Yard in Birkenhead.

The award-winning turntablist and audiovisual artist has spent more than three decades developing his distinctive mix of scratching, music and visual culture. This latest live show is an audiovisual love letter to the decade that shaped modern music and pop culture, mixing classic 90s anthems with bold visuals and Yoda’s trademark creativity.

2. Slow Down Social, Crosby Library (5 September)

If your idea of a good weekend involves switching off from the constant rush of everyday life, Slow Down Social at Crosby Library could be just what you need. The event offers an opportunity to take things at a gentler pace, connect with others and enjoy some time away from the usual pressures and distractions. The first session is with artist and illustrator Lo Tierney, who will be experimenting with printing techniques using leaves.

3. Physical Fest, Unity Theatre (7-12 September)

Liverpool’s international festival of physical theatre returns this September, bringing together artists from across the world for six days of performances, workshops and events.

Produced by Tmesis Theatre, Physical Fest celebrates visual and movement-based performance, with this year’s programme at Unity Theatre featuring everything from clowning, circus and Japanese physical performance to new work from local and national artists. Highlights include Peta Lilly’s Ungirlfriended, Izumi Ashizawa’s Kurogo Me, Together!, a Clown Double Bill and Demonology from Tmesis Theatre and Lizzie Nunnery.

There’s also a programme of workshops giving artists the chance to explore practices including Commedia, ensemble work and Visual Vernacular.

4. Letter To Brezhnev, Liverpool’s Royal Court (11 September-17 October)

One of Liverpool’s best-loved films makes the move from screen to stage this autumn as Letter To Brezhnev arrives at Liverpool’s Royal Court. Frank Clarke has adapted his own screenplay for the stage, bringing the story of Teresa and Elaine, two young women from Kirkby whose night out takes an unexpected turn when they meet Soviet sailors Sergei and Peter, to a new generation. Set against the backdrop of 1985 Merseyside, it’s a story of friendship, romance, escapism and working-class Liverpool that has become an important part of the city region’s cultural history.

5. Macbeth, Shakespeare North Playhouse (11 September-3 October)

Things are about to get suitably dark at Shakespeare North Playhouse as Macbeth takes over the Prescot venue. Ben Crystal returns to Shakespeare North with a fast-paced staging of Shakespeare’s tragedy featuring one musician, ten storytellers and fifty candles. Expect ambition, greed, grief, revenge, ghosts and plenty of blood as Macbeth’s pursuit of power sends his world spiralling into chaos. Performed in the intimate surroundings of Shakespeare North, this atmospheric take on one of Shakespeare’s most famous plays sounds like an ideal way to welcome in the darker autumn nights.

6. Celebrating Julia Carter Preston (From 11 September)

September marks the beginning of a major city-wide celebration of acclaimed Liverpool ceramicist Julia Carter Preston, marking the centenary of her birth. Five Liverpool venues – The Bluecoat, Bluecoat Display Centre, Liverpool Hope University, Walker Art Gallery and Victoria Gallery & Museum – are joining forces to explore Carter Preston’s life, work and influence.

Born in Liverpool in 1926, Carter Preston became particularly known for helping revive the ancient technique of sgraffito, which involves scratching through a layer of clay slip to reveal contrasting decoration underneath. Her distinctive ceramics often combined the technique with metallic lustre glazes.

At the Bluecoat, where Carter Preston had a studio overlooking the garden for many years, an archive exhibition will bring together photographs, documents and commissioned plaques. 

7. Three New Exhibitions at FACT (From 18 September)

FACT launches its autumn programme with three new exhibitions opening on 18 September.

Rae-Yen Song 宋瑞渊: •~TUA~• 大眼 •~MAK~• transforms the gallery into a darkened world suspended somewhere between the deep sea and the skies above. Drawing on experiences of immigration, family mythology, ecology and ancestral stories, the immersive exhibition centres around a glowing pond containing a living ecosystem whose movements influence the surrounding light and sound.

Elsewhere, Seema Mattu: Local Superstar II explores our relationship with music through sculpture, film and digital animation, while BRB presents three new artworks from North-West-based artists and FACT Studio/Lab members Livi Wilmore, Mrs Luva-Luva and Ellie Hoskins, examining the ways constant connectivity is reshaping how we understand ourselves and each other.

8. Baga Chipz: Bagz to Riches, The Atkinson (19 September)

Drag Race favourite Baga Chipz heads to The Atkinson in Southport with her new live show, Bagz to Riches. Marking almost 20 years in showbusiness, Baga looks back over her journey with a characteristically outrageous mixture of stand-up, stories, memories and music. Expect everything from disco and power ballads to big band numbers and musical theatre – plus the kind of gloriously unfiltered humour Baga has become known for. She’ll be joined by comedian and vocalist Tanya Hyde for an evening promising plenty of sequins, big hair, cabaret and chaos.

9. Beckett: Lieben 2026 – Six Paintings, The Tung Auditorium (20 September)

Visual art, literature and music come together at The Tung Auditorium for Beckett: Lieben 2026 – Six Paintings.

The concert explores a fascinating chapter in the life of Samuel Beckett. During the late 1920s, the young writer travelled to Kassel in Germany, where he fell in love with his cousin Peggy Sinclair and encountered German Expressionism through her art dealer father – an experience that would have a lasting influence on his work. Developed by Unreal Cities in consultation with Beckett scholar Professor Mark Nixon, Six Paintings brings together six leading musicians to respond to six artworks connected to the story, alongside Beckett’s own impressions and writings.

The line-up includes Iarla Ó Lionáird, Michelle O’Rourke, Cheng Yu, Niwel Tsumbu, Benjamin Dwyer and Mary Dullea, with narration by Anna Nygh.

10. Voices of Afghan Women & Girls, Online (29 September)

Rounding off our September picks is a powerful online event offering the chance to hear directly from Afghan women and girls about their lives, experiences and determination to continue their education.

Since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, women and girls in Afghanistan have faced severe restrictions on their rights and freedoms, including being prevented from accessing secondary and higher education. Yet many continue to learn through underground and online schools. Voices of Afghan Women & Girls, organised by Writing on the Wall, will share some of these experiences through first-hand accounts, stories and poetry.

Contributors include women’s rights activists, teachers and students currently living and learning under the restrictions, giving audiences a rare opportunity to hear their voices directly.

 

For even more inspiration, explore the latest events, exhibitions and cultural happenings via our What’s On listings.

In the latest instalment of Buried Treasure, John Maguire explores Edward Lear’s remarkable connection to Knowsley Hall, where frustration, imagination and a fondness for parrots helped inspire some of the world’s best-loved nonsense verse. From The Owl and the Pussycat to his fantastical “nonsense botany”, he uncovers the local roots of Lear’s wonderfully absurd legacy.

Did you know that some of the world’s most famous nonsense poems were written right here in Prescot at Knowsley Hall?

Who by? Edward Lear.

Edward Lear was born in The Old Smoke, London, on 12th May 1812, the twentieth of twenty-one children. His father, Jeremiah, fell into financial difficulties, losing a fortune on the stock exchange in 1816. He was sent to live with his eldest sister Ann, an accomplished artist, who encouraged his artistic talents. She was the tinder to his creativity. Educated mostly at home due to childhood health struggles, including asthma, bronchitis, and epilepsy. Does ill health make the sufferer super focused on the work when well? Doing so with the fear that sickness could return. This is then the catalyst to create in the now, while they physically and mentally can? Mr Lear had a vivacious appetite for knowledge and viewed life as an endless voyage of discovery, evidenced by the portfolio of mixed media and legacy he leaves behind.

Famous for his nonsense poetry and particularly the poem The Owl and the Pussycat, he was also famed back in the day for his pioneering zoological drawings and illustrations. In June 1830, Mr Lear applied to draw the parrots at the Zoological Society of London in a meeting chaired by Lord Stanley. He went on to publish Illustrations of the Family of Psittacidae, or Parrots (1830–1832), the very first book to focus on a single family of birds, created by working directly from living creatures rather than taxidermy specimens. The artist loved parrots with their fine feathers, finding their colours absolutely mesmerising, alongside landscape art and botanical plants.

Mr Lear spent a great deal of time in the early 1830s (specifically 1831–1837) staying at Knowsley Hall. The 13th Earl of Derby (who Lear had first met as Lord Stanley), who became his good friend, also loved plants and parrots; in fact, Derby’s private collection of animals was the start of what we now know as Knowsley Safari Park. Regular readers of this column will be aware that I often wax lyrical about the Liverpool City centre architecture and the treasures it holds; I had the privilege of seeing first-hand the origins of the Knowsley Safari Park, in the sketches of the artist drawn to illustrate the Earl of Derby’s growing collection of exotic animals.

He produced over 100 detailed life portraits of the estate’s rare mammals, reptiles, and birds. Mr Lear liked the Earl, but some of the people who hung around him, his guests, were like fleas on a pedigree dog’s back. Always moaning and groaning, talking about other people. Sartre has it right: hell is other people. Their inane conversations drove Mr Lear quite mad, with the bourgeoisie saying they were bored, yet only boring people get bored. This distaste in the company kept would eventually transform his negative inner bitchy commentary, the shade, into little pieces of rhyme satire.

At Knowsley Hall he’d visit for a planned few days and then stay for months, years, a guest from hell in my opinion. I love visitors, but I also love when they leave. However, to be fair, Lear was a working guest, tutoring the family and drawing commissions on site, plus it’s not like the Hall is a two-bedroomed council flat.

Finding himself in a country house, he’d pen his frustrations down in funny poems and little ditties to amuse the Earl’s children. He wrote under the pseudonym Derry Down Derry.

Such nonsense poems like:

There was a young lady whose bonnet came untied, when the birds sate upon it, but she said, “I don’t care, all the birds in the air are welcome to sit on my bonnet.”

There was an old man with a beard, who said, “It is just as I feared! Two owls and a hen, four larks and a wren, have all made a nest in my beard.”

First published in 1846, in A Book of Nonsense, which became a massive success. He also endured the universal trait for most artists: commission chasing and the impending doom of running out of money, with poverty always on the horizon.

He saw lots of real plants on his many adventures travelling, keeping detailed records and sketches in his journals as he visited Greece, Italy, and Corsica, to name a few.

He later combined these lifelong passions, NONSENSE POETRY, painting, and plants, to create NONSENSE BOTANY. Lear was poking fun at a botanist from Sweden called LINNAEUS, who made a classification system giving complex names to plants.

Enter FLORA NONSENSICA: a cluster of everyday objects, books, brushes, tea kettles, guitars, watches, magically transformed into flowers, given much more serious names.

A pioneer perspective is hard to imagine in the modern world. An influence that is far-reaching: absurdism and satire in theatre; Lear influenced comedians like Spike Milligan, The Goons, Monty Python, and we can see his touch in the likes of Roald Dahl’s characters and stories, like Revolting Rhymes and Tim Burton’s The Death of Oyster Boy.

If you want to experience a bit of that nonsense magic yourself, Mr Lear will be at Shakespeare North Playhouse on Saturday 22 August as Part of the Serious Nonsense Festival 2026.

Step into the absurd world of Edward Lear, the master of nonsense verse and author of The Owl and the Pussycat. His faithful, grumpy, and beloved cat, Foss, needs your help to grow a brand-new, nonsense plant in their garden!

In this interactive workshop, we’ll explore local history and the playful rhythms and hilarious rhymes of Mr Lear’s classic work. Then, it’s your turn: let your imagination run wild as you help us invent a new botanical marvel.

Purrrfect for creative minds of all ages.

Potty Plants with Edward Lear and Foss, His Curious Cat
Saturday 22 August 2026 (11:30 am and 1:15 pm , 45-minute sessions)
Tickets