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WoWFEST25: Writing on the Wall Marks 25 Years of Literature, Activism & Community

Posted on 27/04/2025 | by Uncover

As WoWFest mark their 25th anniversary, they reflect on the journey that has shaped Writing on the Wall since their first festival in June 2000. Founded on principles of social justice, they have always been a voice for change, a platform for truth, and a home for writers, artists, activists, and communities—from the Dingle to Dakota and beyond.

WoW’s roots lie in the Liverpool Dockers’ Lockout, and the resilience of those who fought back then is imprinted on their DNA. Against the backdrop of today’s global challenges, they believe writers and artists are vital voices for hope and change.

Balancing entertainment and activism, they have driven positive change—publishing over 500 writers in the past decade alone and paving the way for emerging talent through projects like Liverpool Young Writers and Pulp Idol.

Their 25th festival welcomes old friends and some first-time guests. Here are a selection of highlights for 2025:

Irvine Welsh, Rough Trade Liverpool (2 May)

To kick off the 25th anniversary celebrations, WoW are delighted to bring you Irvine Welsh, who paid them the greatest compliment, stating, “There isn’t another writing festival in England as good as Writing on the Wall.” Famed for his iconic novels, not least of all the ground-breaking Trainspotting, Irvine joins WoWFEST to discuss Resolution, the third of his novels featuring Ray Lennox.

A night with Irvine Welsh is always fun, a bit gritty, entertaining, and always gets you thinking. Irvine Welsh will be in conversation with author, visual artist and musician Zoë Howe. Join WoWFEST in welcoming back one of their earliest and most favourite WoW guests, Irvine Welsh, for the chance to get inside the mind of the man who created such iconic characters as Renton, Sick Boy, and Spud.

The Best Of Everything: Kit De Waal, Online (13 May)

Not only is Kit de Waal an incredibly talented writer and storyteller, she is also a champion for elevating the voices and opportunities for diverse, working class writers, putting her money where her mouth is by creating the Kit de Waal Creative Writing Scholarship to help improve working-class representation in the arts.

They welcome her back to WoWFEST for this online event discussing her latest novel, The Best of Everything, described by Booker Prize winner Bernardine Evaristo as ‘A profoundly compassionate novel of devastating power’.

Levi Tafari, Victoria Gallery and Museum (9 May)

Levi Tafari is a renowned poet, performer, and educator whose work spans literature, music, and activism. Known for his powerful storytelling, Tafari’s poetry blends elements of reggae, Rastafari culture, and social commentary. His work has earned him widespread acclaim, as he consistently seeks to inspire and uplift. Levi has performed around the world, captivating audiences along the way.

Levi has long been a member of the Writing on the Wall artistic community, working on such projects as From Great War to Race Riots, the Princes Boulevard Steps initiative and most recently in the re-opening for Spellow Library. Levi will perform from his powerful new collection, Being Human, a celebration of the human spirit.

Liverpool Rising Against Racism, St George’s Hall (17 May)

Come together for an unforgettable night of music and spoken word, celebrating diversity and Liverpool Rising Against Racism in one of Liverpool’s most iconic venues.

Hip-hop legend Skinnyman, who returns to the city in a show of solidarity, will be joined by a blistering line-up of Liverpool talent, including rapper Blue Saint, Yemeni Scouse poet Amina Atiq, and rising stars Sam Millne & the Virants, with more exciting names to be announced.

Expect big beats and rhymes, unforgettable performances, and an excellent vibe. The night will kick off with a spectacular outdoor performance by the Batala drummers at the North Entrance to the hall.

The Singh Twins, Museum Of Liverpool (18 May)

WoW are hosting the Liverpool launch of The Singh Twins‘ latest book, Slaves of Fashion: Art of the Singh Twins – Personal Reflections on Hidden Stories of Empire, Colonialism, and Their Legacies.

This richly illustrated, artist-designed book, showcases Slaves of Fashion, an award-winning series of portrait-based allegorical and narrative works by contemporary British artists The Singh Twins. Slaves of Fashion explores diverse histories and legacies of empire and colonialism through the history of Indian textiles. It is a global story of conflict, conquest, exploitation, slavery, intercultural exchange, and changing fashion.

Absurageddon: Armando Iannucci, Liverpool Philharmonic Hall (22 May)

WoWFEST welcomes Armando Iannucci, a towering figure of British storytelling and satire, to seek answers to the question — can laughter still challenge authority, expose hypocrisy, and spark change — or has the joke already worn thin?

Armando Iannucci, creator of iconic TV and film, including The Thick of It, Veep, In the Loop, and The Death of Stalin, has spent decades turning political dysfunction into brutal, brilliant comedy. With a signature blend of intelligence and irreverence, Iannucci has held a mirror to power, exposing its absurdities with scalpel-sharp precision.

From Spellow to Southport…with Love, The Isla Gladstone Conservatory (28 May)

From Spellow to Southport…with Love is a special family-friendly event featuring three of the UK’s most celebrated poets and performers—Michael Rosen, Jackie Kay, Jordan Stephens, and Beth Suzanna. Join Jordan and Beth for a captivating and interactive storytelling adventure to discover the wonders of the natural world! This day of creativity, storytelling, and poetry aims to promote unity, diversity, and resilience.

The tragic murders of young girls in Southport and the racist riots that followed, resulting in major fire damage to Spellow Library, deeply affected communities across the region. While the library may be repaired, the community still needs healing. Writing on the Wall, in partnership with Culture Liverpool and Spellow Library, ran a series of free creative writing sessions called What’s Your Walton Story? for anyone who wanted to share their experience of living or working in the community. They will be celebrating these stories on the day and launching an anthology of work.

John Cooper Clarke, Everyman Theatre (30 May)

Making a welcome return to WoWFEST, Dr John Cooper Clarke, one of the most iconic poets of our time, whose seminal works, including Evidently Chickentown and (I Married a) Monster from Outer Space are as relevant and vibrant today as when they were first written.

His status as the Godfather of Punk Poetry is now firmly established as Dr John Cooper Clarke became the first-ever poet to headline an arena in the UK, with a sell-out performance at The Co-op arena in Manchester. You will not want to miss this unique evening of conversation and performance. The self-confessed nosy parker is hot off the back of his arena tour and the paperback release of his best-selling poetry collection, WHAT.

See the full WoWFEST25 programme and get your tickets via writingonthewall.org.uk/whats-on.

Buried Treasure With ArtsGroupie CIC: Celebrating 100 Years of Liverpool Empire Theatre

Posted on 21/04/2025 | by Uncover

By John Maguire

In this latest instalment of Buried Treasure with ArtsGroupie CIC writer and theatre-maker John Maguire reflects on a century of storytelling, stars, and stagecraft at the iconic Liverpool Empire. As the theatre celebrates its 100th birthday, John takes us on a journey through its rich and dramatic past, reminding us why this majestic venue remains a jewel in Liverpool’s cultural crown.

2025 marks a significant birthday for one of Liverpool’s most beloved theatre’s, The Empire. ArtsGroupie recently attended a centenary celebration showing of Willy Russell’s Blood Brothers and we were reminded of the significance of this venue and its sheer majesty. For, the space is charged with a magical energy. Wonderful and electric. A result of the many dramas being played and audiences coming together to enjoy a piece of storytelling.

For a century, the stage has been populated by theatrical productions, spectaculars, concerts, and a vast variety of entertainment. The theatre site itself is actually older than one hundred years. The first performance to take to the boards was Faust, opening on October 15, 1866, as the New Prince of Wales Theatre and Opera House. This building consisted of a lower story, with carved heads of dramatists Shakespeare, Schiller, Moliere and composers Beethoven and Rossini, above the first floor. A bold statement to indicate its function and figures chosen emblematical of drama and music.

Empire Theatre Liverpool - Courtesy of Liverpool Central Library Archives — Image Courtesy of Liverpool Central Library Archives

When it opened as the New Prince of Wales Theatre, it was Liverpool’s largest theatre built to date, though it was only two-thirds the size of The Empire which now stands in its place. The building changed hands in 1867 and was renamed in honour of the then Princess of Wales, Princess Alexandra of Denmark. It became known for a variety of Italian operas, plays, pantomimes, and burlesque. Esteemed thespian Henry Irving, renowned for his performances in revivals of Shakespeare’s plays performed at the venue, he became the first actor to ever be knighted. The exact dates of Irving’s performances at the Empire are not specified but, the theatre’s history indicates that he and other famous actors, including Ellen Terry, Sarah Bernhardt, and Marie Lloyd, were among the many notable performers who graced its stage.

In 1895, it came under the ownership of a company called Empire Theatre (Liverpool) Ltd., though it retained the name Alexandra until December 1896, when after renovations it was reopened as the Empire Theatre. A production of Cinderella came direct from the Lyceum in London with an impressive two hundred performers in the spectacle.

The theatre switched to Variety performances, until 1911 when it briefly showed silent motion pictures, (it gained the exclusive rights for Liverpool to show Kinemacolour, an invention of pioneer filmmaker George Albert Smith, with the likes of 1908’s ‘Natures Looking Glass’ – the only stereoscopic life motion pictures, reproducing the actual colours of nature without any means of colouring), before the opening of Liverpool’s first purpose built cinema in 1912, Lime Street Picture House (later The Futurist).

History of the Empire Theatre Liverpool - Courtesy of Liverpool Central Library Archives — Image Courtesy of Liverpool Central Library Archives

The theatre continued to host Variety entertainment throughout the First World War (1914-18) and finally closed for the last time in February 1924. The building was then demolished to make way for the much larger art deco Empire Theatre that we know today. The 1925 new build was constructed in the style of a New York City theatre. But the original plans had to be changed as they left out a key asset to a theatre’s profit making. As being modelled on an American venue, there were no bars included. Due to prohibition, venues in the states could not sell liquor.

The Empire’s stage was declared the largest in Great Britain, making it an attractive venue for big names internationally. Big musical productions came to Liverpool, like 1926 Lady Be Good starring Fred and Adele Astair.

Despite Liverpool being the most bombed city outside of London in WWII, The Empire survived and was managing to book Hollywood greats like Mae West (1947), Laurel and Hardy (1947), Judy Garland (1951), and Frank Sinatra (1953), amongst many others during the rebuilding effort. The theatre was still pulling in big names throughout the 1960s, and even during the peak of Liverpool’s economic decline The Empire, alongside the Royal Court had become an important rock and roll venue hosting the biggest rock acts in the world. The Rolling Stones, Bowie and Kate Bush, to name a few.

The theatre would go through multiple renovations and improvements over the years. The Empire is now Liverpool’s largest receiving house, attracting the countries biggest touring theatre shows.

Here is to another hundred years of theatrical adventures.

Culture Radar – Laura Pye (National Museums Liverpool)

Posted on 21/04/2025 | by Uncover

Laura Pye - © Robin Clewley — Credit: Robin Clewley

This week our Culture Radar guest is Laura Pye, Director/ CEO at National Museums Liverpool and member of the Culture Network LCR Board of Directors.

Loved: I saw Shirley Valentine at the Everyman recently and absolutely loved it, I have seen the play a couple of times and felt this version was both the most true to the original script I had seen and yet the most contemporary feeling. It was brilliant theatre.

Looking forward to: There is always loads going on across the city region so often it hard to keep up, as we approach the summer I am looking forward to WoWFEST25 in May and I have had tickets for Hamilton at the Empire for what feels like years!

Trivia: National Museums Liverpool will be 40 next year, whilst many of our museums and galleries are much older than that we were brought together as a national arms length body by an act of parliament in 1986.

Culture Radar – Nicola Triscott (FACT)

Posted on 13/04/2025 | by Uncover

This week our Culture Radar guest is Nicola Triscott, Director/CEO of FACT and and member of the Culture Network LCR Board of Directors.

Loved: DaDa Fest’s Zoe Partington’s Painting in Light, stunning text-based light sculptures conveying slogans and messages from disabled people’s activism, in venues across the city. Also the photos and engaging stories of women disability activists, artists and leaders at Open Eye.

Looking forward to: Excited for Liverpool Biennial, this year curated by Marie-Anne McQuay. And, at FACT, Amartey Golding’s exhibition featuring a huge chainmail sculpture created in collaboration with imprisoned men from HMP Altcourse. Sadly, I missed the hot ticket of Jodie Comer in Prima Facie at the Playhouse next year!

Trivia: Last year, FACT opened Studio/Lab on its top floor, a creative space designed to support artists who want to learn and experiment with digital and immersive media. We have a growing membership with opportunities to showcase work at FACT.

10 Exhibitions In Liverpool And The City Region You Can’t Miss This Spring

Posted on 13/04/2025 | by Uncover

By Abbie Billington

Spring is the time for nature to come alive, and with warm weather and blossoms in bloom, it’s impossible not to feel inspired. So why not get outside and enjoy some culture this season? There’s no shortage of incredible exhibitions in Liverpool to engage the mind and the senses. From buzzing soundscapes and sailing plants to a fond farewell to a beloved stadium, the city region is bursting with creativity.

1. No Iconic Images. Views of War, Open Eye Gallery (Open until 4 May)

No Iconic Images. Views of War at Open Eye Gallery is a compelling exhibition that questions the role of war photography in our digital age. Featuring powerful work from Magnum photographers Peter van Agtmael and Newsha Tavakolian, it explores how images shape memory, media narratives, and public understanding of conflict. In collaboration with The Guardian and Magnum Photos, the show also highlights editorial decisions behind war coverage, with contributions from Forensic Architecture and Ukrainian artists Yarema Malashchuk and Roman Khimei. A timely and thought-provoking exhibition that challenges the idea of the “iconic” war image.

2. Bees: A Story of Survival, World Museum (Open until 5 May)

It’s nearly the time of year for our fuzzy friends to make the rounds again, so now is the perfect opportunity to learn more about them and how incredible they are! Bees: A Story of Survival, which opened at The World Museum last May brings together art and science to tell a story of 120 million years of adaptation and survival. Interactives, sculpture, projection and light all play a role in this stunning exhibition that will have you shouting: save the bees! Don’t miss your chance to see this exhibition before it closes.

3. Bahar Noorizadeh: Free to Choose & Christopher Kulendran Thomas: Safe Zone, FACT (Open until 11 May)

Christopher Kulendran Thomas, Safe Zone. Installation view at WIELS Centre for Contemporary Art, Brussels, 2024. Courtesy the artist. Photo by Andrea Rossetti

Two powerful exhibitions at FACT invite you to explore the complex forces shaping our world — from speculative futures to real-life turning points. In Free to Choose, Bahar Noorizadeh presents a “financial science-fiction opera” that imagines the credit system of the future as a Central Time Travel Agency. This immersive film explores the absurdities of finance through a surreal, neoliberal lens.

In Safe Zone, Christopher Kulendran Thomas explores the political, economic, and cultural forces that shape our world. Through painting, video and sound, he links global events like 9/11 and the Mullivaikkal massacre to the ongoing ripples they create today.

There’s also still a few weeks left to catch Art Plays Games in the upstairs gallery, which showcases how games help us make sense of the world and how they are their own storytelling model. So if you like art and video games (let’s be honest, the two go hand-in-hand), then you’ll love this exhibition.

4. The Plant That Stowed Away, Tate Liverpool + RIBA North (Open until 11 May)

Plants have always had a way of connecting people, and in this exhibition at Tate Liverpool + RIBA North, the connections between the trading history of cities like Liverpool and the global movements of plants and people are traced through art and photography. Wirral-born photographer Chris Shaw is the thread of inspiration for The Plant That Stowed Away, with many of the pieces building on his narratives and highlighting how urban and natural environments have been changed by growing industrialisation. Even in cities we have always co-existed with the natural world, and this exhibition serves as a reminder of that fact.

5. Liverpool Lines, dot-art (Open until 17 May)

Liverpool Lines exhibition celebrates the city region’s architectural heritage through the distinctive works of dot-art Artist Members Alexis Butterfield, Nicola McGovern, and Richard Farrell. From iconic waterfront landmarks to hidden corners, these artists capture Liverpool’s diverse landscapes using varied techniques—from gold-leafed pen drawings to intricate papercut collages and watercolor with ink wash—offering fresh perspectives on the buildings that have shaped the city’s soul and spirit.

6. Metamorphosis: Johnny Vegas and Emma Rodgers, Walker Art Gallery (Open until 29 June)

Did you know that Johnny Vegas has a degree in Arts and Ceramics? Now you do! After “life got in the way”, Johnny Vegas rediscovered his artistic talent after a chance meeting with local sculptor Emma Rodgers. The two have come together to collaborate on an exhibition cantering around the idea of metamorphosis, creating pieces out of bronze, clay and 3D printing. From the tragic figure of Icarus all the way to a fragile female figure, Vegas and Rodgers take us through their interpretations of flight, faith, and transformation.

7. Graham Crowley: I Paint Shadows, Walker Art Gallery (On until 13 July)

Graham Crowley first had his work exhibited at the Walker Art Gallery in 1976 during the John Moores Painting Prize. He has a long-standing history with the gallery, and this solo display offers the opportunity for visitors to see his work on a more intimate level and gain a deeper understanding. His signature style of experimenting with light, shadows and luminosity creates some striking pieces of art that will stick with you for some time.

8. The Holly Johnson Story, Museum of Liverpool (On until 27 July)

1980s Britain was a turbulent time for many. While music was seeing a drastic revolution, so were the social and political environments. At the forefront of all of this was pop icon Holly Johnson. The Holly Johnson Story charts Holly’s early personal life as well as his career, growing from a young musician to an internationally renowned, openly gay star, living in the public eye. While also shining a light on Holly himself, the Museum of Liverpool is telling the stories of people who experienced the gay scene in the 1980s, and the devastating legacy of the HIV crisis. For fans of Holly Johnson, and those interested in his impact on the music and LGBTQ+ scenes, this is not an exhibition to be missed.

9. Goodbye to Goodison, Museum of Liverpool (On until 21 September 2025)

Goodison Park has been the home of Everton FC since 1892, and many a legendary match has taken place under its lights. But as the club sets its sights on its future at Bramley Moore Dock stadium, the Museum of Liverpool looks back on Goodison’s final season as the home of The Blues. The exhibition highlights the pubs, chippys and streets in L4, shining a light on the matchday traditions of fans across the club. Bring a pack of tissues and your finest blue scarf as we say a fond farewell to The Grand Old Lady.

10. Subterranean Elevator, Williamson Art Gallery (On Until 20 December)

Descend into the world of Subterranean Elevator at the Williamson Art Gallery and discover what it means to become one with the earth and soil. This installation is a sensory exploration, taking visitors on a journey through mesmerising sounds and projected visuals into the inner worlds of soil and the subconscious mind. It invites collective contemplation and asks us to remember our connection to living and nonliving beings alike. It is a stark look at the emotional landscape of the climate emergency, an important reminder for each and every one of us.

Discover more exhibitions and arts events happening across the Liverpool city region via our What’s On listings.

8 Things To Do In Easter Half Term In Liverpool and The City Region

Posted on 07/04/2025 | by Uncover

Little Liverpool 2024

With the Easter half term upon us, it’s time for some family fun! If you’re looking for exciting things to do in Easter half term, the Liverpool city region has an exciting lineup of events—from interactive theatre and creative workshops to hands-on crafts and more. The best part? Many of them won’t cost you a penny!

1. Bugs Are Us, Tate Liverpool (5 – 21 April)

Bugs Are Us Tate Liverpool

Take inspiration from the creepy crawlies in Tate’s collection this Easter half term in Liverpool with Bugs Are Us and construct multi-coloured neon replicas of your favourite bugs. Use the materials from our pick ‘n’ mix recycled craft box to make a 3D model of your bug. On Saturday 5 April, 1 – 5pm, there will also be a free workshop led by artist Colette Whittington. You’ll learn how to make relief stamps to print bug patterns and textures that can be used in your bug models.

2. Through Shadows We Learn, Libraries Across Liverpool City Region (8 April – 10 May)

Shadow Puppet Workshops

Join ArtsGroupie this Easter half term in Liverpool for Through Shadows We Learn, free shadow puppetry across a range of Libraries in the city and surrounding region. Shadow puppetry encourages children to engage in creativity, and unleash their imaginations. Children will devise their own characters and stories, and create their own puppets, culminating in a celebratory puppet showcase at Liverpool Central Library.

3. Little Liverpool – Easter and Spring Special, Museum Of Liverpool (8 – 27 April)

Little Liverpool 2024

This Easter half term it’s time to celebrate Easter and Spring in at the Museum of Liverpool! Join us to explore our Little Liverpool gallery with some added Spring crafts, activities and fun for those aged 0 – 5 years.

4. The Gruffalo, Playhouse Theatre (8 – 12 April)

Join Mouse on a daring adventure through the deep, dark wood in Tall Stories’ magical, musical adaptation of the classic picture book, The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler – which celebrated 25 years in 2024!

Songs, laughs and monstrous fun for children aged 3 and up and their grown-ups, in the much-loved show that’s toured Britain and the world!

5. War Horse Page To Stage, Empire Theatre (16 April)

War Horse Page To Stage

For young theatre enthusiasts, this behind-the-scenes workshop offers a unique insight into the creative process behind War Horse. Led by Resident Director Anna Marshall and members of the touring company, the hour and a half session explores key moments in the show, the director’s vision, and the rehearsal process. Participants will also learn about puppetry and the technical magic that brings War Horse to life, with a chance to ask questions at the end. It’s suitable for Key Stage 3-5 (ages 10+).

6. Make It! Craft Workshop, The Atkinson (17 April)

The Atkinson Make It Craft Workshop

Enjoy a free, drop-in arts and crafts workshop at The Atkinson’s Art Box, open to all ages. Materials are provided, and children under 12 must be supervised by an adult. Running from 11am – 3pm, spaces are first come, first served, so there may be a short wait for a craft table.

7. The Sticky Dance, Park Farm Community Centre (April 26)

The Sticky Dance

Three dancers’ shimmy through the audience weaving a tapestry of sticky tape in this tactile dance performance for young children. This Easter half term in Liverpool they invite you to tape, stick and groove, to see and feel sound or to be still, watch and listen. The Sticky Dance is an interactive, engaging and colourful performance installation for children and their families.

8. The Baddies, The Atkinson (30 April – 1 May)

The Baddies, The Atkinson
Meet the very worst Baddies in the world! Don’t you dare to come too close to a witch, a troll and an ancient ghost! With songs by Joe Stilgoe (Zog and Zog and The Flying Doctors), The Baddies is a wickedly hilarious adaptation of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s smash-hit story. A laugh-out-loud riot for all the family.

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

Culture Radar – Madeline Heneghan (Writing on the Wall)

Posted on 07/04/2025 | by Uncover

This week our Culture Radar guest is Madeline Heneghan, Co-Director, Writing on the Wall and member of the Culture Network LCR Board of Directors.

Loved: The launch of Jay Farley’s debut poetry book A Cupboard Full of Tomboys. Jay’s performance accompanied by techo music, was inspired and powerful. Rough Trade provided the perfect vibe and it was packed to the rafters.

Looking forward to: Sorry but it has to be WoWFest25! Our month-long annual festival returns in May and this year we’re celebrating a quarter of century of Writing on the Wall. We’re delighted with the programme and looking forward to welcoming old friends and WoW first timers, including Irvine Welsh, The Singh Twins, Gary Younge, Jackie Kay, Frank Cottrel Boyce and loads more. I’m very proud that during the festival we will be presenting Liverpool Rising Against Racism in partnership with Love Music Hate Racism & Liverpool City Halls in a cultural show of unity in the face of those that try to divide us.

Trivia: I’m the queen of the poached egg, no vinegar, no swirling – mine are perfect time. Trivia about WoW: We were part of the team that wrote the beautiful heritage plaques on Princes Boulevard. It’s one of favourite places in the city. Come and check it out.

Culture Radar – Helen Jeffrey (Writer, Director, Creative Facilitator & Trustee At Unity Theatre)

Posted on 31/03/2025 | by Uncover

This week our Culture Radar guest is freelance Writer, Director and Creative Facilitator, Helen Jeffery. Helen is also a trustee of Unity Theatre.

Loved: Up Next Festival at Unity Theatre in March which supported 22 artists all trying out work for the first time. A fantastic variety of work was shown over 3 days and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for some of the work that was previewed.

Looking forward to: I’m looking forward to Writing on the Wall’s annual WoWfest happening in May. This year its the 25th anniversary of the Festival and the entire month will offer an exciting programme of events comprising local, national and international writers, performers and artists.

Trivia: I am just over 4 years sober and my recent play ‘Buckled’ (which explored navigating sobriety) has finished touring venues in the Northwest last week! I run writing courses and workshops online and in person. The next 6- week online course starts 2nd April 2025 and all info is in my Linktree.

10 Unmissable Things To Do In Liverpool And The City Region In April

Posted on 31/03/2025 | by Uncover

As spring breathes new life into the city, there’s no better time to explore the incredible array of events and experiences happening across Liverpool and the wider city region. Whether you’re planning family-friendly days out, looking to immerse yourself in culture, or just want to discover something a little different, our guide to the best things to do in Liverpool and the city region this April has something for everyone. From vibrant parades and iconic theatre shows to thought-provoking exhibitions and Earth Day celebrations, get ready to fill your calendar with these unmissable highlights.

1. Joanne Masding- The Moveable Scene Of The Page, Bluecoat (4 April- 11 May)

This April Bluecoat presents new writing by Joanne Masding and follows her strategy of using fiction to explore the nature of objects, their physical properties and how they relate to us. In the exhbition visitors can explore sculptures made from metal, ceramic, plaster and shimmering textiles which are suspended from a series of elongated copper sculptures. Pages of Masding’s new works of fiction will hang from these copper frames, for visitors to tear off and read. On top of that Masding’s exhibition will include new alphabet structures inspired by Monster Munch Crisps so be sure to include this on your list of things to do in Liverpool this April.

2. Grand Parade of Bees, World Museum (5 April)

Join the vibrant parade of flowers and pollinators as they celebrate the importance of bees! Create a spectacle with them as they head out from World Museum at 3pm, then waggle their way along William Brown Street, along side Bob the Butterfly, Gerry the Gerbera and with dance moves from Movema, bringing their story of the bee out into nature. Additionally, families can book to make your very own mini wildlower meadow, or to make a colourful costume to wear to the parade.

3. Goodbye to Goodison – Museum of Liverpool (5 April – 21 September)

A love letter to Liverpool’s oldest team and its iconic ground, Goodbye to Goodison will feature nine photographer’s from Everton’s fan base showing the final season from a fan’s perspective. The photos will look into the relationship between the ground and its loyal fan base before they move onto the next chapter in Everton history. The photos selected highlight matchdays away from the Premier League glamour – the chippies, pubs, meeting places and family moments shared during the final season.

4. The Gruffalo, Playhouse Theatre (8-12 April)

Another one for the kids in this list of things to do in Liverpool, join mouse on a daring adventure through the dark wood in this magical adaption of classic children’s book The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. Prepare for some songs, laughs and monstorous fun.

5. War Horse – Liverpool Empire Theatre (8 – 19 April)

War Horse is an unforgettable theatrical experience which takes audiences on an extraordinary journey from the fields of rural Devon to the trenches of First World War France. Based on the beloved novel by Michael Morpurgo, this powerfully moving and imaginative drama, filled with stirring music and songs, is a show of phenomenal inventiveness. At its heart are astonishing life-sized horses by South Africa’s Handspring Puppet Company, who bring breathing, galloping, charging horses to thrilling life on stage.

6. Poetry Reading: Eleanor Rees and Luke Thompson (12 April)

Celebrated Liverpool poet Eleanor Rees reads from her new Portent and Portals: New and Selected Poems, a powerful collection spanning three decades of work inspired by landscapes, communities, and liminal spaces. Joined by editor and publisher Luke Thompson of Guillemot Press, the poetry evening includes readings, a discussion on small press publishing, and a Q&A exploring the poetic process and Rees’s ongoing creative response to place.

7. Blick Bassy, Liverpool Philharmonic Hall (April 13)

Join incredibly talented Cameroonian singer-songwriter Blick Bassy for a vibrant live performance. An Indie-pop and Afro-soul enthusiast deeply rooted in the Africa continent, Blick Bassy released his album Mádibá, in 2023 addressing many environmental issues mainly using his mother tounge – Bassa.

8. The Wizard Of Oz – The Atkinson (April 19)

Follow Dorothy and friends on the yellow brick road this April at the Atkinson. Prepare for your favourite songs from the classic movie and some laughs along the way as Dorothy tries to find her way back to Kansas and avoid the Wicked Witch of the West. The Wizard of Oz at the Atkinson should be high up on your things to do in Liverpool and the city region this April.

9. Earth Day – World Museum (22 April)

When looking at things to do in Liverpool this April why not celebrate the earth and learn about the importance of reusing and how we can do a little bit each day to help the environment this Earth Day at the World Museum . As exhibition Bees: A story of survival draws to a close, Create a bug hotel or simple bird feeder to look after their pollinators and make flowers out of used papers.

10. The Sticky Dance – Park Farm Community Centre (26 April)

Wonder Arts and Second Hand Dance present a joyful, interactive dance performance where children and their families are invited to move, stick, and groove alongside three playful dancers weaving with sticky tape. Designed as a free-flowing, sensory experience, The Sticky Dance encourages little ones to explore at their own pace, flipping the rules of traditional theatre into a colourful, tactile adventure.

To discover over 270 event listings from across the Liverpool city region check out our What’s On listings.

Culture Radar – Patrick Fox (Heart of Glass)

Posted on 24/03/2025 | by Uncover

This week our Culture Radar guest is Patrick Fox, Chief Executive – Heart of Glass – we are a community arts organisation supporting the work of artists and communities. Patrick is also a member of the Culture Network LCR Board of Directors.

Loved: There’s always so much going on in the region – some recent highlights for me in the last while range from Irish comedy legend Deirdre O’Kane at the Playhouse, our recent collaborative levent with Duckie’s Posh Club at St Helens Town Hall – a brilliant queer performance and social club for over 60’s which was a sell out (plus large waiting list) and has received some of the best feedback we’ve ever had for an event, and was a complete joy all round, and then of course there was the LCR Culture and Creativity Awards where it was great to hear about the breadth and depth of work taking place amongst our peers and partners across the region. We were delighted to be nominated for our long term collaboration with Artist Mark Storor titled The Suicide Chronicles, and shout out to MAKE CIC, our partners in Huyton who were recognised for their brilliant work as Arts Organisation of the Year.

Looking forward to: The Liverpool Biennial is just around the corner, and curated by the brilliant Marie-Anne McQuay, and that is always a brilliant showcase that allows us to see and experience our city differently. Our ongoing project called How to Look After a Grieving Elephant (and other social animals), produced in partnership with Wonder Arts and Willowbrook Hospice and Child Bereavement UK is a really beautiful project and with the support of St Helens Art in Libraries will be touring library venues over the course of the year so I’m excited to see how that is received – needless to say I would highly recommend it.

Trivia: We turned 10 in 2024 and a lot of people don’t know that we were named after the Werner Herzog film of the same name in which a local artist known for making brilliant glass sculptures dies without passing on to anyone the skills of his trade, leading the owner of the town’s glass factory to obsessively attempts to recover the deceased artist’s lost knowledge. Not necessarily his best work, but a story that resonated with our origins in St Helens and our belief that art and artists are a critical part of a functioning civil society. Ps. the Blondie song is also a tune!