Author: Uncover

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.

This May half term holiday is jam-packed with events to discover and explore, from a revolting science show and Albert Dock art trail to a dinosaur rock band adventure and a detector dog display, there’s plenty of family entertainment on offer over the half term break to enjoy.

Here’s our selection of family activities for May half term.

Everywhere’s a Beach, Wonder Arts at Haigh Woodland Park, St Helens (23 May)

Join Wonder Arts for a day at the beach unlike any other in this high energy, circus theatre show! Perfect for the whole family, Everywhere’s a Beach is a charmingly ridiculous performance taking place on a giant revolving beach parasol! This dynamic, dizzying and downright daft show will leave you dancing with delight!

You’ll be swept away as this show embraces everything you love about the beach. Their spinning parasol creates the perfect setting for their eccentric beach loving characters. Watch as their world collides with yours, as sophistication turns to chaos in this aerial circus performance.

Mosh Tots: Disney Kingdom, Future Yard (24 May)

The Mosh Tots Band headline the hippest show in town this May half term! Aimed at children aged 0-8, Mosh Tots: Disney Kingdom is there to introduce young people to the world of live music in a safe and fun environment.

Future Yard believe that live music should be for everyone, no matter your age. For too long live music venues have been off limits for young children and their parents. Mosh Tots flips that on its head and is an opportunity to share the joy of live music together as a family.

The Dinosaur That Pooped, Liverpool Playhouse (26 – 30 May)

Adapted from the number one best-selling books by Tom Fletcher and Dougie Poynter, the whole family will have a poopy good time enjoying The Dinosaur that Pooped, a brand, new story for the stage. The books feature rip-roaring rhyme and laugh-out-loud silliness with the Dinosaur that Pooped series selling over 1.5 million copies around the world!

This stage adaptation expertly brings the series to life, featuring new songs by Tom and Dougie, a lot of laughs and a whole lot of poo!

Beside the Seaside: National Museums Liverpool at 40, World Museum (28 May)

Beside the Seaside invites families to dive into a day of coastal creativity, music, and hands-on discovery. Inspired by the seaside scenes in Walter Sickert’s Bathers, Dieppe and New Brighton, 1977 by photographer Martin Parr, alongside a range of maritime models, paintings, and objects from their NML 40 exhibition, this event brings the spirit of the seaside to life.

Create your own seaside-inspired scenes, take part in creative activities, and get up close with real maritime objects. Discover the stories behind life by the sea — from boats and voyages to the tools and treasures of the coast. With music, making, and plenty to handle and explore, Beside the Seaside offers a playful and engaging way for families to experience their NML 40 exhibition.

Mildred’s Albert Dock Art Trail, Tate Liverpool (Everyday, self-tour)

Mildred, Tate’s art-loving cat, wants you to help her find 6 images of artworks placed around the inner quay of the Royal Albert Dock on Mildred’s Art Trail. Collect your free Art Trail booklet from Tate Liverpool + RIBA North at Mann Island.

Follow the map on the back to find the images of Tate artworks. There’s plenty of space and guidance inside the booklet to encourage young visitors to create their own amazing art along the way. Mildred also likes word games! There are 5 letters near the artworks that can be rearranged to spell a word. The Art Trail is a great way for families to spend time together, doing something that is both creative and active.

Pat the Painting Pig, Unity Theatre (28 May)

Join Pat and a host of other woodland creatures in this charming exploration of friendship, community and artistic talent. Pat the Painting Pig is a brand new play featuring set and props made at Bridge Inn Community Farm, and original music and songs.

Written by Ed Bixter and directed by Suzy Walker, this pig-tastic adventure will have the entire family clapping along and oinking with laughter. Ideal for a fun half term slice of entertainment.

Return of the Detector dogs!, World Museum (28 May)

Detector dogs work with a handler from Border Force to detect hidden objects and smuggled goods. More recently, they have also been used in the detection of diseases and as a resource in wildlife biological research. The World Museum is hosting a special Return of the detector dogs! visit from these highly skilled dogs with a unique chance to see them in action and find out more!

Demonstrations will take place in their Treasure House Theatre throughout the day. Sessions are drop-in, with no booking required

The Utterly Revolting Science Show, The Atkinson (30 May)

Brace yourselves for the Rude Science team’s hilarious, high-tech, highly-explosive new journey through the human body, The Utterly Revolting Science Show, packed with burp biology, fart physics and revolting edible chemistry. Expect enormous bottoms, edible fireworks, burp machines and the world’s loudest fart in this riotous science spectacular.

On the surface it’s a rollercoaster of disgusting experiments built to delight young audiences, but under the bonnet it’s a brilliantly-constructed curriculum-driven adventure designed to inspire Britain’s kids with a lasting fascination for science. The show is the brainchild of Stefan Gates, high-octane presenter of twenty TV series, five for CBBC.

Find even more events across the Liverpool city region via our What’s On listings.

By John Maguire

In this instalment of Buried Treasure, ArtsGroupie’s John Maguire reveals how Liverpool’s streets become a living archive through immersive Irish Famine trail walks.

History is often treated as a date in a textbook or an artefact in a museum. But in Liverpool, history is a living, breathing map. It’s visible when you look up above the modern shop fronts, or walk along our Victorian warehouses along the docks of the Mersey, yet it remains hidden in the masses of modern developments that don’t really stand up next to some of our architectural masterpieces. Indeed, the number of memory-stick buildings going up can make part of the city feel like Manchattan – the nickname I heard for Manchester, from a taxi driver. I love the info I get from the cabbies in the city – like the fact that, as so many people get knocked down on Hanover street, it has been nicknamed  RANOVER street.

In this edition of Buried Treasure, we will be talking about Artsgroupie’s approach on our heritage walking tours and the work we’ve undertaken on the Liverpool Irish famine trail walks – a two hour tour – practicing, what is known as Living Historiography: uncovering the invisible layers of An Gorta Mór (The Great Hunger) that still define the topography of our city today.

The Tour Toolkit: Two Ways to See the City

To truly understand the Irish experience in Liverpool, the trails use two special lenses that help us see the streets in a whole new way. Don’t worry, there’s no test at the end, just an awareness of the past and a new perspective on the street we live in.

• Living Historiography (History as a continuous process): Rather than viewing 1847 as a closed chapter, we treat the streets and dock walls as a “living document.” We explore how the echoes of An Gorta Mór continue to shape Liverpool’s social and physical landscape today.
• Psychogeography (How a place makes you feel): This is the study of how an environment, the biting wind off the Mersey, the narrowness of a court alley, or the scale of a building, shapes our emotions. We use this to help people walk in the footsteps of the Irish refugees, connecting their feelings in 1847 to ours in 2026.

Through years of meticulous work by the Liverpool Irish Festival’s history research group, we’ve moved beyond the “what” and “when” to the “where” and “how.” These tours transform the city centre into a primary source, layering the sounds and stories of 1847 over the modern bustle of the city using a new trail app and noise-cancelling headsets.

An Gorta Mór Introductory Tour

Duration: 2 Hours | Focus: Liverpool’s historical landscape as a place of sanctuary.

This comprehensive walk traces the path from the harsh exposure of the waterfront toward the sites that offered food and safety.

• Local Philanthropy & Survival: Learn how the “Select Vestry” (local government) and everyday Scousers fought to provide medical care and food when the national government was slow to act.
• Fenwick Street Relief Station: Stand at the very site where, in 1847, thousands of people queued daily for life-saving soup and bread.
• Brownlow Hill Workhouse: Explore the history of what was once the largest workhouse in Britain (now the site of the Metropolitan Cathedral), a final, desperate safety net.
• A National Landmark: The tour culminates at the Liverpool Irish Famine Memorial at St Luke’s Church. Created by renowned sculptor Eamonn O’Doherty, it remains the only major freestanding monument to the Great Hunger in all of England.

This journey highlights the incredible benevolence of the local people and the lasting impact Irish refugees had on the city’s identity.

Once you’ve walked this trail, you’ll never see the dock front or the backstreets of the business district the same way again. 

Tour Dates (11am – 1pm): 17th May | 21st June | 19th July

• Meeting Point: The Pilotage Building (near the Museum of Liverpool). Please arrive 15 minutes early.
• Technology: Tours use headsets to enhance the storytelling and eradicate city noise (seagulls, traffic, etc.).
• Booking: Essential by 5 pm on the Friday before each walk. Donations are welcome and support the ongoing research of the Liverpool Irish Festival. 

Booking Link: eventbrite.co.uk/liverpool-irish-famine-trail

Liverpool’s weather is a key character in this story. Since you’ll be out for up to two hours and we start at the waterfront, dress for the wind and rain!

Mischa Barton makes her UK stage debut as the dangerously seductive Phyllis Nirdlinger in Double Indemnity. James M. Cain’s gripping novel comes to life in this adaptation by Tom Holloway and directed by Oscar Toeman, in a special arrangement of ILP theatrical.

Set in 1930s Los Angeles, Walter Huff a sharp-eyed insurance salesman (Ciarán Owens) meets Phyllis Nirdlinger (Barton) and finds himself drawn into her web. With Walter’s knowledge of insurance laws and Phyllis’ passion for danger, together they plan the perfect crime: murder the husband, cash in the policy, and disappear into the Californian sunset.

Set behind the Hollywood sign, Ti Green’s set transports the audience to a dingey, concrete tunnel receding into the back wall. The grate walls open and close, allowing the ensemble and set to move seamlessly across the stage. The minimalist set allowed for inventive choices to instantly set a scene, without overly relying on props or backdrops. Moving from an office, to a house, to a car, to the edge of a train, the set leant itself to every scenario, and trapped the characters in the world of deceit that they were creating.

Josh Gadsby’s lighting design complimented the set perfectly and created the film noir shadows for the actors to hide in. The play begins with Walter directly addressing the audience, with his silhouette cast on both sides of the walls, seeming like he was surrounded by people listening in, or waiting to catch him. The lighting and set together aided the mysterious and dangerous feel of the show, especially when the light would peer through the grates in the walls, obscuring faces and casting large shadows.

Whilst the whole ensemble was strong, the highlight of the cast was Martin Marquez. His portrayal of the driven and complicated Keyes brought a great energy and excitement to the story, and had the audience rooting for him to uncover the truth that they were privy to. Maybe he is initially overlooked by both Walter and the audience, but his sharp mind and dedication to his job drive his search for answers. 

Similarly, Ciarán Owens demonstrated versatility in his role as Walter Huff. Beginning as smug and presumptuous, as the plot unfolds Owens expertly showed the unravelling and desperation of a man who has lost control.

This interpretation of the iconic novel was a success, and will be continuing its tour in Bromley, Manchester and Cardiff.

Find out what else is coming up at the Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse via For more information and tickets visit everymanplayhouse.com and find out more about Double Indemnity at doubleindemnityplay.co.uk.

April is packed with unmissable events in Liverpool and across the City Region. From film festivals and swing dance courses to a stunning production of Double Indemnity and a spooky Haunted Book Club, there’s plenty to discover.

With longer days and spring in full swing, it’s the perfect time to explore exciting new events happening throughout the region this month. Here’s our pick of the best events in Liverpool and the city region this April.

1. Horizon Film Festival: No Budget screenings, Unity Theatre (11 April)

Horizon Film Festival: No Budget Screenings showcases the work of Liverpool’s best and brightest upcoming filmmakers. They seek to give them the exposure, connections, and support they need to thrive in the industry.

Attending the festival is your opportunity to watch ground-breaking short films, talk to their creators, and discover the bold visionaries who will shape the future of the industry. Join them in celebrating the art of film in the heart of Liverpool.

2. Double Indemnity, Everyman Playhouse (14 – 18 April)

Hollywood icon Mischa Barton (The O.C.) makes her Liverpool stage debut in Double Indemnity, the gripping adaptation of one of the greatest crime novels of the 20th Century – the story that inspired Billy Wilder’s film noir classic.

James M. Cain’s thrillingly amoral masterpiece of murder, deceit, and mystery is adapted for the stage by Tom Holloway and directed by Oscar Toeman.

3. The Telescopes, Future Yard (15 April)

Future Yard welcome the legendary The Telescopes to their live room. The Telescopes are an all embracing concern that began in 1987, the only constant being sole composer/instigator, Northumbrian born Stephen Lawrie. The band’s line-up is in constant flux and there can be anywhere between one to 20 members on a recording.

The Telescopes music has constantly pushed at it’s own boundaries, overlapping many genres and followed its own course. The band is sure to play a selection of songs from their classic releases over the last forty years.

4. Talking Culture: Public Discussion Group, Bluecoat (16 April)

Talking Culture: Public Discussion Group is a series of friendly discussions where curious people can come together to think, talk, and explore today’s major issues. The first session focuses on public and private space in Liverpool city centre. Many buildings and spaces are privately owned, which raises fundamental questions about what – and whom – the city is for.

Dr Paul Jones from the University of Liverpool’s Department of Sociology, Social Policy and Criminology will frame the discussion around who can do what, when, and with whom.

5. 6 Week Beginners Swing Dance Course, Live Wire Dance Studio / Mersey Swing (16 April – 21 May)

It don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing! Join Mersey Swing for a 6 Week Beginners Swing Dance Course. This course will give you the history and foundations of swing dancing and prepare you for their mixed level Wednesday night classes.

Their goal in Mersey Swing is to get people making friends and dancing. Head along solo or with a mate, and leave with your toes tappin’ and a smile on your face! Straight after the last class of the course, they’ll also be having a social dance at Live Wire to celebrate you completing 6 weeks of dancing.

6. Conteh – Liverpool Royal Court (17 April – 9 May)

In the 1970s and 80s, John Conteh was one of the best-known people in the city. He lived the highest of high lives and wrung every ounce of pleasure from his sporting success. A friend to many, perhaps too many, and some were quick to take advantage.

Aron Julius (Boys From The Blackstuff) has written and stars in Conteh, an incredible blow by blow drama about the life of one of Liverpool’s sporting greats. A mix of sporting and personal highs and lows, you will understand him like never before.

7. Jim Henson’s Labyrinth in Concert – Liverpool Philharmonic (17 April)

Jim Henson’s original masterpiece and musical fantasy film Labyrinth is coming to Liverpool Philharmonic this spring in celebration of its 40th anniversary. Starring the iconic David Bowie, fans will be transported to Goblin City in an exciting fusion of film and live music on stage with Jim Henson’s Labyrinth: In Concert.

The film features a soundtrack of unique and memorable melodies, with Bowie’s original songs like Magic Dance, Underground and As the World Falls Down, along with Trevor Jones’ orchestral score.

8. Haunted Book Club, Norton Priory (18 April)

A Haunted Book Club for enjoyers of eerie tales, curious to know more about the stories that make their skin crawl. Join ‘Norton’s Narrator’, Gav Cross and author John Reppion as they delve into the stories behind some of your favourite spine-tingling tales. Whether you’re a seasoned ghost story expert or a newcomer to the realm of creepy fiction, Haunted Book Club welcomes all new members.

At this session of the Book Club, they will be reading ‘The Curfew’ by Lucy M. Boston. The haunted story of open graves and lost bell towers, is widely considered to be inspired by Norton Priory.

9. The Britpop Show with Marc Burrows, The Atkinson (22 April)

Join award-winning writer and comedian Marc Burrows for a multi-media stand up celebration of one of British music’s most iconic and enduring movements, The Britpop Show, marking 30 years since the iconic Blur vs. Oasis chart war.

Music journalist Marc dives into the stories, rivalries and larger-than-life personalities of Britpop, as well as some of the finest music the UK has ever produced. Part nostalgic love letter, part send-up, part rock ‘n’ roll party, The Britpop Show is a perfect night-out.

10. Leap Dance Festival (24 April – 9 May)

Leap Dance Festival returns with an impressive programme celebrating the region’s vibrant dance scene, featuring performances from local artists, community groups and emerging talent. Highlights include Dancing at the Palm House, youth showcases, new commissions and the lively Dancing in the Streets takeover of the city centre.

Find even more events across the Liverpool city region via our What’s On listings.