With 2025 marking one hundred years since the International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts and the birth of Art Deco, the iconic design movement that defined an era and continues to captivate audiences with its elegance and modernity.
To celebrate the Art Deco Society UK is proud to present a unique series of events over the course of a weekend that will honour the glamour, innovation, and enduring legacy of Art Deco.
Taking place mainly at the Crowne Plaza John Lennon Airport, a Grade II* listed Art Deco Hotel, the event will offer a mix of talks, tours, dance classes, vintage automobiles and aircraft, cocktail hour, ball and an afternoon tea.
This venue is of particular interest to Art Deco lovers because this was the site of Speke Airport which offered scheduled flights courtesy of Imperial Airways. An increase in air travel meant that by the 1930s the existing farm and barns which made up the aerodrome were due for replacement. The magnificent new terminal was designed by Edward Bloomfield and was one of the first buildings to be created specifically for air transport, as such it is a very fitting venue for our celebrations!
Highlights of the Celebrations Include:
- Tours of vintage planes, provided by the Speke Aerodrome Heritage Group and the opportunity to book a 15 minute ‘flight’ in one of the vintage planes in a flight simulator.
- Author event with Simon Pollock, popular Art Deco instagrammer @londonsuburbia and author of the recently published I Love Suburbia and Fiona Veitch Smith, author of Golden Age inspired mysteries series
- An illustrated talk on Port Sunlight by local guide Peter Coyler
- City tours of Liverpool locations including the Municipal Hotel, Adelphi Hotel and Masonic Lodge
- Cocktail Hour and a Centenary Ball with a delicious three course meal and entertainment provided by local chanteuse Hattie Bee and the magnificent Brandyn Shaw and his Rhythm Makers
- Attendees in full period outfits, displays of vintage planes and cars, vintage DJs and 1930s dance lessons,
Quotes:
Lucy Jane Santos, Chair of the ADSUK “We cannot wait to showcase and celebrate the timeless allure of Art Deco. Whether you’re a devoted enthusiast or simply curious about this iconic period, we welcome everyone with an eye for the style to join us. Our goal is to encourage people to delve deeper into the UK’s rich Art Deco heritage and we cannot think of anywhere better to do that than in Liverpool.”
Hattie Bee, vintage singer “Liverpool as a city has such a rich history, it’s a busy city, but when you look up at the buildings around you, you see the art deco splendour, be it the Bullring, The Philharmonic, even waking down Bold Street you see glimmers of that beautiful past. You can see why films such as Florence Foster Jenkins and Fantastic Beasts were filmed in our city, because of the beautiful Art Deco Architecture. I’m so proud to be bringing the premier ADSUK Art Deco Centenary Celebrations to Liverpool and can’t wait to show everyone what our beautiful city has to offer.”
Event Details:
- What: ADSUK Art Deco Centenary Celebrations
- When: 29th and 30th March 2025
- Where: Multiple locations, but mainly at Crowne Plaza Liverpool John Lennon Airport, Speke Aerodrome, Liverpool, L24 8QD
- Tickets/Registration: Tickets can be purchased from Ticketsource https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/art-deco-society-uk Hotel accommodation is not included and would need to be booked separately