Author: Uncover

Summer is in full swing, and this month’s guide to events in Liverpool and across the city region features everything from family-friendly activities and open-air theatre to live music, creative workshops and free community events. Here are ten unmissable picks to add to your calendar this August.

1. Women In Translation Liverpool Online Book Club (1 – 31 August)

August marks the global Women in Translation Month, and to celebrate, Zest Event Management and Wordscape have created a new online book club for readers across Liverpool City Region. It’s a chance to discover women’s writing from around the world, swap recommendations and there’s a few real-world surprises planned along the way.

Follow Women in Translation Lpl on Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook for book recommendations, community favourites and festival updates.

2. Dr Alimantado, Future Yard (6 August)

Legendary Jamaican reggae artist Dr Alimantado is returning to the UK for his first live performance here in two decades! A hugely influential figure in roots reggae and dub, he is best known for his 1978 cult album Best Dressed Chicken in Town, created with equally legendary names including Lee “Scratch” Perry, King Tubby and Scientist. Dr Alimantado brings his show to Future Yard on 6 August—Jamaican Independence Day.

3. Open Air Theatre, The Reader at Calderstones Park (6 & 23 August)

The Reader is bringing open-air theatre back to the beautiful setting of Mansion House Garden in Calderstones Park, with two lively takes on much-loved classics. Illyria kicks things off with a swashbuckling production of The Three Musketeers on 6 August, followed by the HandleBards’ hilariously high-energy version of Macbeth on 23 August—expecting plenty of laughs alongside Shakespeare’s famous tragedy.

4. The Almost Complete History of Britain, Shakespeare North Playhouse (14-15 August)

Join the critically acclaimed Pantaloons Theatre Company for a fast-paced and wonderfully inaccurate journey through British history. In under two hours, they’ll transform Henry VIII’s life into a romantic comedy and the Spanish Armada into a light operetta, with live music, audience participation and plenty of brilliantly silly surprises along the way.

5. Family Weekend, Bluecoat (15-16 August)

Bluecoat’s popular Family Weekend returns with two days of free creative activities for all ages. This time it’s inspired by Debjani Banerjee’s colourful and playful exhibition Jalsaghar. Families can try badge making, block printing and textile crafts, explore their dreams and make a handmade journal. It’s completely free and there’s no need to book—just drop in between 1pm and 4pm on 15 or 16 August.

6. Tea Dance, The Atkinson (17 August)

Head to The Atkinson for a feel-good afternoon of live music, dancing and entertainment, all while raising money for Sefton Opera. Aimed at the over-50s, the monthly Tea Dance features Elvis, resident band Memory Lane, dance routines from The Bootle Belles and a variety of special guests. Whatever your dancing ability, everyone is welcome to come along, get involved and enjoy the afternoon.

7. Nile Rodgers and Chic, Salt & Tar (17 August)

Nile Rodgers & Chic bring their unmistakable disco-funk sound to Bootle this summer, promising a feel-good live show packed with timeless hits. They’ll headline Salt & Tar’s Music Weekender on 16 (sold out) and 17 August, which is heading ‘on tour’ to a new location at Lock & Quay for 2026.

8. The Great Race- New York To Paris, Liverpool’s Royal Court Theatre (21-22 August)

Buckle up for a brilliantly chaotic journey around the world as The Great Race – New York to Paris arrives at Liverpool’s Royal Court. Based on the strange but true story of a 1908 motor race, the show features five actors playing 45 different characters, an original ragtime soundtrack and plenty of laughs and mishaps along the way.

9. Wonder In The Street, St Helens (22 August)

Church Square in St Helens will come alive with a free day of outdoor entertainment for the whole family, thanks to Wonder Arts. Wonder in the Street features the big beats and lively energy of Liverpool’s Katumba and HUG, a colourful mix of aerial dance, circus and physical theatre that celebrates connection and the simple power of a hug.

10. LGBTQIA+ Creative Wellbeing Event – Clowning, Community, Comfort Food, Bidston Observatory Artistic Research Centre (28 August)

Ugly Bucket is hosting a free LGBTQIA+ creative wellbeing day at Bidston Observatory, bringing together clowning, community and comfort food. The day includes a gentle workshop exploring how clowning can support wellbeing, a shared meal and an afternoon campfire, with time to wander around the hill, explore the observatory’s domes or simply find a quiet spot to relax. Places are free but limited, so email uglybuckettheatre@gmail.com to book.

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

Liverpool City Region’s museums, galleries, theatres and cultural spaces contain far more than visitors can discover during an ordinary visit.

The best arts and culture venue tours in Liverpool and the city region reveal the hidden histories, remarkable collections and fascinating people behind some of the region’s best-known cultural spaces. Some occupy historic buildings with stories stretching back hundreds of years, while others offer a glimpse into the architecture, ideas and creative work behind contemporary culture.

From exploring the Grade I-listed Bluecoat to stepping inside Shakespeare North Playhouse’s timber-framed Cockpit Theatre, these guided tours allow you to experience Liverpool City Region’s cultural venues from a completely different perspective.

Bluecoat Heritage Tours

Bluecoat is a familiar part of Liverpool city centre, but even regular visitors may not know the full story of its remarkable building.

Originally built as a charity school in the early 18th century, Bluecoat is the oldest surviving building in central Liverpool. Its story stretches from its beginnings as the Blue Coat School to its reinvention as the UK’s first arts centre.

During Heritage Open Days, Bluecoat’s Director of Cultural Legacies, Bryan Biggs, leads special tours of the Grade I-listed building. Visitors can learn more about its architecture, the people who have passed through its doors and its place within Liverpool’s cultural history.

The 2026 tours take place on Sunday 13 September and Tuesday 15 September. They are free, but advance booking is required.

Find out more about Bluecoat’s Heritage Tours.

The Reader Heritage Tours

The Reader’s home in Calderstones Park brings together literature, nature and several thousand years of local history.

Its free Hidden Heritage guided walks explore some of the park’s most significant and surprising landmarks. Along the way, visitors can discover what makes the ancient Allerton Oak so special, hear the story of Jet of Iada and learn what the Mansion House reveals about the changing life of the park.

The walks take place on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month and last approximately one hour. They are free to attend, with donations welcome.

The Reader also offers a separate weekly tour of the Grade II-listed Mansion House. These tours explore how the rooms were used when the building was a private residence, their later role under council ownership and how the house has been transformed into The Reader’s public home.

Mansion House tours take place on Tuesdays from 2pm until 3pm and are free to attend.

Discover The Reader’s heritage tours.

Shakespeare North Playhouse Guided Tour

Shakespeare North Playhouse may be one of the Liverpool City Region’s newest cultural venues, but the history behind it reaches back more than 400 years.

Prescot was home to the only purpose-built indoor playhouse outside London during the Elizabethan period. Today’s venue celebrates that theatrical history through its architecture, performances and striking timber-framed Cockpit Theatre, inspired by a 17th-century theatre built to designs by the celebrated architect Inigo Jones.

Its guided tour takes visitors through the award-winning venue while exploring Prescot’s connections to Shakespeare and the history that led to the Playhouse being built.

The tour includes the Sir Ken Dodd Performance Garden, Cockpit Theatre, Learning Centre, Exhibition Gallery and community spaces. Lasting around one hour and 15 minutes, it also provides an opportunity to ask questions about the building and its work.

Find out more about guided tours at Shakespeare North Playhouse.

Liverpool’s Royal Court Heritage Tour

From its striking Art Deco design to the famous names who have appeared on its stage, Liverpool’s Royal Court has played an important role in the city’s entertainment history.

The current Grade II-listed theatre opened in 1938, replacing an earlier building that had been destroyed by fire. Over the decades, it has welcomed performers ranging from established theatre stars to major music acts, before becoming the home of distinctly Liverpool-focused theatre that audiences know today.

Its heritage tours take visitors around the building, including areas that are normally hidden from the public. Led by an experienced guide, the approximately two-hour experience explores the theatre’s architecture, history and stories from both onstage and behind the scenes.

Money raised through ticket sales supports the continued restoration of the building.

Find out more and book a Royal Court Heritage Tour.

Sudley House Highlights Tour

Tucked away in Mossley Hill, Sudley House offers the rare opportunity to experience a major art collection within the Victorian home created to display it.

The house belonged to Liverpool merchant, shipowner and philanthropist George Holt. Its rooms remain home to the collection assembled by Holt, including paintings by artists such as JMW Turner, Thomas Gainsborough, Joshua Reynolds and members of the Pre-Raphaelite movement.

Highlights tours for groups explore the history of Sudley House, the Holt family and the artworks and furnishings found throughout the property. As well as introducing individual works, the tour helps visitors understand what life was like inside the house and how Liverpool’s mercantile wealth shaped its creation.

Unlike many of the tours in this guide, the Sudley House experience is intended for pre-booked adult groups.

Find out more about Sudley House Highlights Tours.

In this month’s Buried Treasure, ArtsGroupie CIC’s John Maguire explores Liverpool as an open-air museum, uncovering the historic objects, architecture and hidden stories found across the city’s streets.

As the British Association for Victorian Studies (BAVS) prepares to gather in Liverpool this July, it’s led me to reflect on the Victorian legacy that defines our city. But first, what exactly is BAVS? Founded in 2000, BAVS is the UK’s premier multidisciplinary organisation dedicated to the study of the Victorian period, bringing together over 1,200 International Scholars, curators and historians. The BAVS Annual Conference 2026 is being held at Liverpool John Moores University. Their arrival is a fantastic opportunity to showcase the living history of our streets.

We are lucky here in Liverpool to have such fine art galleries, like the rich collections at the Walker, opened since 1877 and arguably the first to allow free access to the general public. When it comes to first-class museums, National Museums Liverpool do a sterling job in platforming progressive new work and honest reappraisals of their collections.

The great thing about the pool of life is that there are also many fascinating objects on display that we walk past daily. An outdoor open-air archive easily at our disposal. Liverpool’s sprawling city streets form one vast in situ museum. Around corners, we see echoes from the past, battle scars and triumphs from when Liverpool morphed into the Second City of the Empire. We can see where the wealth was injected into the city. Like the opulent Castle Street, where the world’s banking representation held court, with architectural ostentatious statements, each building trying to outdo the next.

An immersive trudge around the spatial psychogeography, you are never far away from buried treasure. One of my favourites is off Dale Street – Dale and Castle Street are the last two of the seven streets that made up Liverpool in 1207. Off this busy road is Hackins Hey – what a name. It sounds like it has been lifted off the pages of a Charles Dickens novel, like Sweeting Street and Leather Lane. The Teagle Crane is an artefact you have probably walked past without even recognising its significance and historical importance. It is a belt-driven counterweighted mechanism invented by engineers Frost and Stutt in 1835. They created the system that was then adapted by local firms across the land.

The Teagle Crane was used to drop barrels and crates off the delivery carts, to lower directly into the cavernous cellars used for storage. With business rates being so expensive (something that has not changed), this allowed merchants to use all the space that their property had to offer in streets that were mismatched and narrow, particularly those routes that would not allow for bigger cranes like those down at the docks.

This simple street furniture is a monument to the evolution of industrial labour. Topped by a pineapple, a symbol of the exotic items that may have been stored at the premises, but possibly an indication of wealth, as our Town Hall railings are decorated with many golden pineapples. Pineapples, to our travelling readers in modern times, take on a completely different meaning. I found this out only recently when a walking tour participant pointed out, in plain terms, the modern-day symbolism of the fruit. I’d just purchased a summer shirt adorned with hundreds of the exotic items and was so glad that this had not been worn.

From objects to buildings, the architecture is another story, too. One particular building has left me ecstatic this month. LJMU has recently announced that it is to rename the Henry Cotton Building as the Kitty Wilkinson Building. An Irish immigrant to Liverpool in the 18th century, Kitty is revered as the ‘Saint of the Slums’. Having studied for my PhD at LJMU and staged my play Kitty: Queen of the Washhouse,  I know well that in her lifetime, she was never recognised for being the great community champion that she was. She did receive a teapot from Queen Victoria, but I’m sure she would have pawned that teapot to be able to give somebody a meal. Her legacy of unity and community is exactly the kind of buried treasure that defines our great city.

I will be encouraging our BAVS guests this July to ensure they not only spend time in our wonderful cultural assets, but also make time to see the hidden histories on our streets, too.

With the summer holidays fast approaching, now’s the perfect time to start planning how you’ll keep the kids entertained. If you’re looking for the best summer holiday events in Liverpool City Region, we’ve rounded up some fantastic family-friendly days out, creative activities and unforgettable experiences to help you get organised before the school gates close.

From free events to ticketed attractions, here’s our guide to some of the best family-friendly things to do across Liverpool and the region this summer.

1. Debjani Banerjee: Jalsaghar, Bluecoat (11 July – 6 September)

Jalsaghar, the solo exhibition by Debjani Banerjee, explores the relationship between the artist’s Bengali heritage and her 1980s upbringing in England. Across film, sculpture, and installation, her work playfully merges traditional craft, religious imagery and modern culture, encouraging audiences to think about what it feels like when different ways of life interplay.

The title Jalsaghar means ‘music room’ in Bengali, and comes from Satyajit Ray’s 1958 film of the same name. Banerjee reimagines this idea of a ‘music room’ and transforms the gallery into a sensory space where you can reflect with music, stories and artworks that connect the past and the present.

Additionally, don’t miss Bluecoat’s Family Weekend (15-16 August) for two days of free family-friendly fun, including creative activities inspired by Debjani Banerjee’s exhibition, suitable for all ages.

2. Ancient Egypt Galleries Tour, World Museum (Tuesdays & Fridays)

Step back in time with a guided tour of the World Museum’s fascinating Ancient Egypt gallery, where families can discover 5,000 years of history, incredible artefacts and stories of mummies, gods and pharaohs. It’s a great way to bring the museum’s Egyptian collection to life for curious kids and adults alike.

In fact, the World Museum makes for a great day out for families with five floors to explore, including the aquarium and the planetarium. Read our floor-by-floor guide to the World Museum before you go.

3. Make It! Summer Craft Workshop, The Atkinson (23 July – 27 August)

Be inspired by The Atkinson’s museum, gallery and theatre programme in a Make It! Summer Craft Workshop suitable for all the family. There’s something for all ages, with all materials supplied and all for free!

Drop-in any time between 11am – 3pm and get creative. Children under 12 must be supervised by an adult. First come first served. You may be expected to wait until a space at a craft table becomes available.

4. LAAF Family Day 2026, Sefton Park Palm House (26 July)

Taking place on the final day of the Liverpool Arab Arts Festival, Sunday 26th July, the long-established LAAF Family Day is a celebratory showcase of Arab arts and culture.  Creating a moment of togetherness and community, Sefton Park’s Palm House will play host to a free afternoon of music, performance and authentic Arab culture, complemented by a range of stalls offering Arabic and Middle Eastern food, arts and crafts, traditional practices such as calligraphy and dance, as well as activities for children, including storytelling and workshops. 

5. Summer Drama Workshops, Unity Theatre (27 & 28 July)

If you are looking for somewhere to drop your kids off for the day, look no further! Unity Theatre’s Summer Drama Workshops offers participants the chance to spend a  few days exploring drama, meet new friends, enjoy games, create characters, puppetry and more with brilliant practitioners.  Don’t worry, you don’t have to be a theatre expert! All abilities are welcome for children aged between 9-12 years old.

6. Storybarn Holiday Club, The Reader (27 July – 21 August)

Discover Storybarn’s Holiday Club, a holiday club with a difference.  Every day they will venture out into the gorgeous Calderstones Park, dive into the realm of storytelling in the magical  Storybarn, play games and much more.  Every ticket purchased  helps support their charitable work with children and young people across the UK.

Children will embark on new adventures with their Storyhunters, inspired through their diverse range of picture books. They will use their imagination to create new story worlds and characters as part of a team.

7. Open Air Theatre & Cinema: The Reader at Calderstones (27 July – 31 August)

Grab a picnic, settle in under the open sky, and enjoy an unforgettable afternoon of theatre at The Reader with The Three Musketeers. Join the daring Young D’Artagnan on a swashbuckling outdoor adventure as he sets out to prove he has what it takes to become one of the King’s legendary Musketeers. Packed with thrilling sword fights, daring escapes and plenty of laughs, Illyria’s fresh take on this timeless classic is perfect for the whole family.

Additionally, The Reader’s Open-Air Cinema is returning to The Mansion House garden this summer, with feel-good films, and food & drink flowing throughout July and August. They have a packed programme of kids films this summer, including the classics – Zog and the Flying Doctors, Back To The Future, The Scarecrows’ Wedding, Jurassic Park, Tabby McTat and more.

8. National Children’s Orchestras American Concert, Liverpool Philharmonic Hall (1 August)

Join National Children’s Orchestras American Concert featuring musicians from In Harmony Liverpool Philharmonic for an afternoon of glorious American music. For NCO’s eldest musicians, just 13 and 14 years old, this concert is the culmination of their final week-long NCO residential of the year, which has included rehearsals, creative sessions and more.

NCO’s concerts are for everyone, join them to appreciate the sheer joy that can be experienced nowhere else than in the presence of a wonderful children’s orchestra and be part of supporting the next generation of musicians. Expect a warm, welcoming audience and to be dazzled by really remarkable young musicians.

9. Pipes & Poo, Shakespeare North Playhouse (19 August)

Have you ever wondered what happens to a poo after you flush it down the loo? Head down to the Shakespeare North Playhouse for a delightfully disgusting interactive game-show exploring the extraordinary world of water, Pipes and Poo. A brand new show from award-winning children’s theatre company One Tenth Human. Featuring ridiculous dance moves, competitive flushing, real toilets, and some very disgusting poo, this brand new adventure will delight everyone aged four and up. 

You can discover plenty more evens happening across the Liverpool city region by exploring our What’s On listings.

By John Maguire

In the latest instalment of Buried Treasure, ArtsGroupie CIC’s John Maguire explores Bootle’s layered and often overlooked heritage, uncovering the stories, landmarks and community spirit that continue to shape the town today.

For this month’s Buried Treasure, I am in Bootle and have been astounded by the hidden heritage uncovered here. Local landmarks tell a fascinating story, from the historic Bootle Baths, a generational hub for swimming clubs and water polo proudly tied to Bootle-born Olympic swimmer Margaret ‘Maggy’ Kelly MBE, to the town’s oldest house at 1 Merton Road. Built in 1773, this building was originally the kitchen wing of the Earl of Derby’s Hunting Lodge, sitting just across from Christ Church, which has served the community since 1864.

It’s like a labyrinth and you can turn a corner and be struck by a ghost from the past. Take the industrial history on display by Well Lane and Waterworks Street, where the Bootle Tanning Company Factory was built around 1900. This factory, along with several others in the area, was established due to the abundant local water supply. 

I also had the pleasure of exploring In Another Place, located right inside the Strand Shopping Centre. Here, a dedicated team of volunteers were busy sewing and crafting world flags to decorate an amazing community showcase, the Bootle International Festival. An event led by the community for the community. A true factory of creativity, and with my own passion for the theatre, having the chance to peep inside their prop cupboard left me feeling like a kid in a candy store. Digging through their collection, I encountered Mr Tumnus from Narnia, a sleeping apostle, and even a couple of dragons. 

The festival returns on Saturday, 27 June 2026, from 12pm to 4pm, transforming the Strand Shopping Centre into an international celebration of culture and community roots. The event originally evolved out of the Eurovision celebration in 2023, which served as the foundation for this annual showcase before the official first festival under the ‘International’ name launched at nearby Salt & Tar in April 2024. This canal-side events space is named after Bootle’s historical salt trade and the Hawthorne Road Brotherton Tar Distillery. 

The choice to host this year’s festival inside the Strand carries deep historical significance. Opened in 1968 alongside the Netherton Girobank development, marking Bootle’s charter centenary year, the shopping centre sits on the historic site of a demolished Victorian housing estate affectionately known as ‘Little America.’ Where shoppers now walk, once ran old neighbourhood tracks like Delaware Street and Vermont Street.

While the concrete mall was famously home to generations of retailers like Woolworths and originally erected to bring post-war commercial progress to the town, it has like most high street retail areas faced challenges, particularly as the way people shop continues to change. It has evolved from its 1980s transition into an American-style mall to facing the challenges of the recent pandemic. Nearby, the cutting Office Block Triad building, completed in 1974, reminds me of the infamous Nakatomi Plaza building in the great Xmas film Die Hard. It still cuts into the skyline as one of the region’s few remaining brutalist architectural treasures, that you either like or loathe.

Today, the shopping complex integrates not only In Another Place, but community hubs like Strand By Me and Kingsley and Co. In June 2026, as old storefronts are being cleared to make way for a sustainable new Mons Square, hosting the festival here honours the site’s legacy as a monument to community building, bridging Bootle’s retail past with its future as a hub for cultural identity.

Reviving the site’s original goal as an accessible civic hub, this completely free, fully accessible, and family-friendly event eliminates financial barriers. It invites diverse local communities together under one roof to show mutual appreciation for the town’s rich diversity. Visitors are welcome to explore international crafts, play giant games for all ages and enjoy a diverse line up of performers.

Maggi Aslet from Sefton CVS notes that the festival is a brilliant opportunity for the community to come together, looking forward to an exciting and inspiring day shaped by a rich mix of workshops and activities. Annie Spiers, Creative Director at In Another Place, adds that the event offers a wonderful way for families to sample global culture without ever having to get onboard an airplane.

Visitors can expect an exciting lineup of cultural performances, including African drumming, Bollywood dancing, samba, and Ukrainian choirs, side-by-side with a vital spotlight on talented local musicians and dance groups. This harmonious blend celebrates Bootle’s modern identity, reinforcing a collective ‘Made in Bootle’ pride right where generations of local families have walked.

To find out more about Bootle International Festival visit inanotherplace.com/bootle-international-festival-2026.

Uncover Liverpool is giving you the chance to win a pair of tickets to this year’s Africa Oyé festival, one of the UK’s most vibrant celebrations of African and Caribbean music, culture and community.

Taking place in Liverpool, Africa Oyé brings together an incredible line-up of live artists, DJs, food, and atmosphere across a weekend that has become a staple in the city’s summer calendar.

How to enter

There are two ways to be in with a chance of winning:

• Comment on the Uncover Liverpool Instagram post and tag the person you’d bring with you.
• Or complete our quick entry form.

That’s it — simple as that. Good luck!

Competition Terms & Conditions

1. Closing Date: The competition closes at 11pm on Wednesday 17 June 2026. Entries submitted after this time will not be counted.
2. Prize: The prizes are redeemable on the specified event, Africa Oyé festival 2026. No cash alternatives will be offered.
3. Winner Selection: The winner will be chosen at random from all eligible entries and contacted directly via the details provided.
4. Eligibility: Open to UK residents aged 18 or over. Only one entry per person is permitted.
5. Contacting The Winner: If the winner does not respond within 1 days of being contacted, The Culture Network reserves the right to choose an alternative winner.
6. Data Use: Personal data supplied will only be used for the purposes of this competition and in accordance with The Culture Network LCR’s privacy policy.
7. Acceptance: By entering, participants agree to these terms and conditions.

Open Eye Gallery is an independent, not-for-profit photography gallery based in Liverpool. They share photography for everyone, with everyone, every day.

Launched in 1977, Liverpool’s Open Eye Gallery was one of the UK’s first dedicated photography galleries. Excluded from the programmes of art galleries, photographers and others with an interest in the medium established their own network of galleries in the 1970s and ‘80s, with a growing sense of photography’s artistic, social and political potential.

After working from premises in Bold Street and Wood Street in the 90s and 2000s, in 2011 the Gallery moved to new premises in Mann Island. A change to more audience focused exhibitions and growing relationships with local, national and international partners has ensured a 500% increase in visitors over recent years. Since 2019, they have also been building a network to discuss and accelerate the practice of socially engaged photography. 

Alongside their main gallery exhibitions, the Gallery also run Socially Engaged Photography Projects and Residencies in the Liverpool City Region, across the North West, nationally and internationally.

Here’s a selection of their recent work and exhibitions. 

Current exhibitions and upcoming events

Self-Defined: New Stories from Archives (Open Eye Gallery, until 7 June, open Tuesday–Sunday, 10am–5pm)

Self-Defined brings together the histories from the East (or the Centre, depending on the perspective) of Europe through the contemporary work of artists from different geographies working with local contexts and their own family stories. It explores non-institutional, independent, private archiving and the non-existence or inaccessibility of material memory.

The projects featured in the exhibition range from an exploration of post-WW2 family displacement in Poland and Ukraine; to the history of the Crimean Tatars in the 20th century; to a decades-long photographic exploration of life in the Latvian countryside; from playful collages deconstructing Soviet tourist photographs to a speculative video dealing with the disappearance of the family archive.

Absence. In conversation with artists and curators (Open Eye Gallery, 6 June, 5pm–7pm, free, RSVP)

Curators and several of the exhibiting artists will discuss their work and the challenges of picturing what resits to be shown. Absence (exhibited at Stable Gallery) will be discussed in conversation with Self-Defined. New Stories from Archives, exhibited at Open Eye Gallery, exploring the use of archives in contemporary photography to highlight omissions, memories and historical narratives.

TreeStory Wigan (Haigh Woodland Park, Wigan, 23 May – 6 September)

A stunning outdoor exhibition featuring photos and stories by 20 local people, celebrating the remarkable trees that shape Wigan’s landscape and heritage. 

TreeStory Wigan is a community project that invites residents of all ages and abilities to discover and celebrate the incredible trees of the borough, from the wetlands of the Flashes of Wigan and Leigh National Nature Reserve to cherished trees in local parks, streets and green spaces. 

OFFSHOOT: Artists in Residence (RHS Garden Bridgewater, until 28 February 2027)

Explore RHS Garden Bridgewater from new perspectives with exhibits from the inaugural artists in residence displayed in a variety of locations across the garden.

Yan Wang Preston, a multi-award-winning visual artist and photographer passionate about the natural world and our place within it, shares two pieces of work inspired by the garden and the work of the RHS. Yan’s work is shared alongside images by Fiona Robinson and Anoosh Ariamehr, Socially Engaged Photographers who have been resident in the Community Wellbeing and Community Grow gardens. Their artwork deepens our understanding of the impact of these spaces, allowing us to better understand how individuals from all walks of life connect with gardens and gardening.

Previous Socially Engaged Photography Projects

Photography Projects at the Life Rooms

The Life Rooms is a Mersey Care NHS Trust initiative, set up in 2016, to provide a wide range of free, short courses aimed to enable people to become more active in their own health and support wellbeing. They focus on prevention and enabling the whole community to bring about change. As part of their collaborative approach, Open Eye Gallery works in partnership through their Photography Projects at the Life Rooms to deliver a series of photography courses across all three of their sites in Walton, Bootle and Southport.

Revitalising Historic High Streets

With Revitalising Historic High Streets, Open Eye Gallery was working with Historic England, local authorities and other partners on revitalising cultural projects in Chester and Prescot. This project aimed to unlock the potential of high streets across England, fuelling economic, social and cultural recovery and breathing new life into it for future generations. It resulted in A Place of Our Own exhibition (2023).

Socially Engaged Photography Residencies

The Gallery’s Socially Engaged Photography Residencies programme has been running since 2016. This programme focuses on commissioning photographers and other creative practitioners together with local communities, using photography to explore topics which are important to those communities.

These have ranged from collaborative projects working with people within health and social care settings, local grass root community initiatives, gardening communities, youth centres, charities and prison settings. The work is made with and for those communities, ensuring their voice is central to the work.

One of the recent examples is Photo Here, a series of 6 residencies across the Liverpool City Region. The ‘Photo Here’ project saw established groups, including refugees and asylum seekers, members of the LGBTQI+ community and D/deaf and BSL users, tell their stories and the stories of the areas they live in with the help of professional socially engaged photographers in residence. Workshops culminated in six exhibitions in 2025. 

Socially Engaged Photography Network

Working with organisations, photographers, community groups, academics and curators from across the country, Open Eye Gallery have been building a Socially Engaged Photography Network to discuss and accelerate the practice of socially engaged photography.

In the spirit of social practice, the network is shaped collaboratively by its users and has been running as a distributed network since October 2019. They now have over 500 members and 25 organisational partners supporting its development and delivery.

Socially engaged photography means activities or projects where photographers and communities/ individuals come together to co-author or co-produce visual representations of the world around us. The process behind the work produced is often as important as the final photographic work, and projects are often reliant on collaboration and discussion. The work often reflects multiple voices about a particular social, political, economical or environmental issue, rather than that of a single artistic voice.

Find even more events from Open Eye Gallery and beyond via our What’s On listings.

In the latest instalment of Buried Treasure, ArtsGroupie CIC’s John Maguire explores the radical history of Unity Theatre and its enduring role in championing working-class voices, experimental theatre and political storytelling in Liverpool.

Alternative drama in Liverpool has a deep history, with roots stretching back to 1895 when the January issue of The Labour Chronicle first referenced the Liverpool Socialist Dramatic Society. During this era, groups of left-wing activists and artists were forming all over the UK.

Among them was the London-based Left Book Club Theatre Guild (LBCTG), which loosely associated 250 branches nationwide. Meeting minutes from February 7, 1937, first acknowledged the formation of a new Liverpool branch: the Merseyside Left Theatre. Many of their early productions were anti-war plays and fundraisers supporting socialism and democracy in Spain during the fight against fascism.

Despite having no permanent home between 1937 and 1965, the company managed to stage radical left work from America and Europe, British classics, new original pieces, and even Ancient Greek drama in various venues across Merseyside. After World War II, 50 branches connected with the LBCTG formed The Unity Federation, and the Merseyside Left Theatre officially changed its name to The Unity. The company gradually moved away from its strict, radical left roots over the decades, though it continued to host radical and experimental work, finally finding a permanent home on Hope Place in 1981 by converting an old Victorian synagogue schoolroom.

The nomadic nature of The Unity’s early days, staging productions in nontraditional spaces long before securing a building, has heavily influenced the evolution of my own practice, particularly post-COVID. For instance, an adaptation of my short story, The Liver Bird, by The Bookworm Players toured local parks, turning the green spaces of Liverpool into “community centres without walls.” Such agile, project-based practice has defined my artistic journey. 

I began writing in the late 1990s, volunteering as a steward at The Unity in my teens, which gave me the opportunity to develop my cultural capital, witnessing diverse, experimental and radical work. To see firsthand the possibilities of imagination, creativity and passion. Companies like Kaboodle, Volcano, Hope Street Ltd and many other artists transformed the way I looked at theatre. Work that was radical and risky.

Now, with more stringent arts cuts, theatres are becoming more risk-averse, leading to a problem that David Edgar coins as a growth in the “Primark play” (a term he attributes to Amanda Whittington), with new plays being staged once and never done again. 

ArtsGroupie are delighted to be at The Unity in May, participating in an event that will discuss theatre and the arts for working-class creatives.

The Breaking the Class Ceiling event takes place on Saturday, 30th May, with a panellist briefing at 2pm ahead of a 3pm public start. This live, unflinching exploration of working-class artistry bridges the gap between Unity’s 1930s “Workers’ Theatre” roots and Liverpool’s contemporary creative scene, bringing together six local artists to discuss the politics of the stage, the power of heritage, and the future of storytelling.

The afternoon is split into two ninety-minute halves: Part 1 (3pm – 4.30pm) features the main panel discussion and audience Q&A, followed by a brief interval, before Part 2: The Scratch (5pm – 6.30pm) opens a dedicated platform for local voices to test new ideas, poetry, scenes, or political rants. Bringing their insights to this vital conversation are featured panellists Dr Ashleigh Nugent, Dr Maria Barrett, Mikey Garland, Steph Greer, Dr Andrew Sherlock, and Dr John Maguire.

This vital conversation is part of a much broader celebration, as Liverpool’s Unity Theatre hosts A Radical Reimagining: Unity Heritage Project from mid-May through June 2026. Supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, this dedicated season honours the building’s rich history as a former synagogue schoolroom and a historic hub for grassroots political theatre.

Alongside the Breaking the Class Ceiling panel and open mic, the extensive line-up features an archive exhibition at the Mount Pleasant Campus Library, hands-on political theatre and songwriting workshops, archive open days, and a screening of the acclaimed documentary Orwell: 2+2=5. The programme directly champions contemporary, forward-looking performances as well, highlighting the next generation through the youth-led Young Radical Theatre Makers alongside Unity’s own in-house production, Stage Left.

For more information about Unity Theatre and the Radical Re-Imagining Heritage Project visit unitytheatreliverpool.co.uk/a-radical-re-imagining-unity-heritage-project.