The Liverpool Literary Festival is a fascinating weekend of discussions, readings and debates in one of the most dynamic, culturally vibrant cities in the world.
This year their festival is on Friday 16 – Sunday 18 October and they will be welcoming local authors, poets, best-selling novelists and many more to their iconic Victoria Gallery & Museum.
Writers appearing include Roger McGough, Samira Ahmed, Alexandra Potter and Frank Cottrell-Boyce.
For full details and listings, visit here
Black History Month 2026 features a host of inspiring events and activities across the Liverpool City Region that celebrate the achievements of Black individuals throughout history.
Events include Reckoning with Liverpool’s Colonial History at Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and Writing on the Wall’s Walking Tours. St Helens will also be loudly celebrating Black History Month with a free BHM Day of activities on 17 October at St Helens Minster.
Liverpool City Region’s Mayor Steve Rotheram has described the decision by the Reform-led St Helens Council to withdraw support for Black History Month as the ‘worst dog whistle politics’. Despite a complete lack of funding, local charities and organisations are proudly coming together to make Black History Month a celebration to remember.
For the full Black History Month 2026 listings, visit here
Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine is hosting its third Black History Month event on Wednesday 28th October 13:00 – 14:00 in person.
Introduction
LSTM would like to welcome you to its third Black History Month event ‘Reckoning with the Colonial History of Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine‘. This event is hosted by the school’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion team.
The event will take place on Wednesday 28th October from 13:00 – 14:00 in person (with online access avaliable to LSTM Global Hub Partners) at LSTM’s Mary Kingsley building (found at the top of London Road closest to the Royal Liverpool hospital), hosted at the Nuffield Lecture theatre.
Background
In 2025, LSTM officially launched its two-year decolonial history research project to explore its own foundations in colonialism, with a view to developing a decolonial record of its first 25 year history, including reparative recommendations.
LSTM has a troubling history, which exemplifies the interconnectedness of colonialism and medicine, a relationship that has a profound impact on the field of Global Health today. The institution was created to further scientific understanding of tropical diseases in an effort to reduce their debilitating effects on colonial trade and resource exploitation, and it in turn created new forms of extraction and exploitation of colonised peoples. Though typically celebrated for its scientific advances, LSTM’s history is also one of support for colonial governments and imperial merchants, the taking of land and the extraction of bodies, body parts, and blood, racially prejudicial medicine and epistemicide.
Today, LSTM has undergone significant changes in light of its history, including the commissioning of this project and its wider race equity work, led by the school’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion function. The institution’s history matters for understanding enduring structural inequities that continue to shape Global Health as a discipline and offers LSTM opportunities to lead more equitable practice and partnerships now and into the future.
One year into the project, in this talk, the two project team members, Professor Rob Burroughs and Dr David Damtar, will discuss progress and challenges encountered so far, outline some initial key findings, and welcome reflections, questions and feedback from audience members.
Event running order
Speakers
Professor Rob Burroughs, Lead of LSTM’s Decolonial History Research Project
Dr David Damtar, Postdoctoral Research Associate of LSTM’s Decolonial History Research Project
Logistics
This is an in person event, with online access for LSTM’s Global Hub Partners only.
There is no on site parking avaliable. The closest car park is Paddington Village Multi-Storey Car Park (address: Elm Grove, Smithdown Ln, Grove St, Liverpool L7 3FA) or local avaliable council on street parking.
The closest public transport links include bus stops on London Road or trains via Liverpool Lime Street or Liverpool Central.
If anyone requires accessibility support please email LSTM’s Senior Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Manager Samia Benbrih at samia.benbrih@lstmed.ac.uk.
Tea and coffee will be available on the day.
For free tickets, visit here
There’s a fantastic selection of other Black History Month events to explore, including BlackFest workshops, Literary Talks and excellent Walking Tours by Writing on the Wall.
For the full BHM 2026 listings, visit here.
Co-created by National Museums Liverpool with veterans at sessions at the RAF Museum Midlands, the new suitcase brings together specially selected items from the Museum’s handling collection and archive, chosen for their ability to prompt conversation, reminiscence and personal stories.
The RAF Memory Suitcase will be used as part of National Museums Liverpool’s award-winning House of Memories programme, which supports people living with dementia, their families, carers and communities through the power of museum collections.
Memory Suitcases are designed to support activities exploring identity, culture and memory. Filled with photographs, memorabilia and objects that can be handled and discussed, they provide accessible prompts to encourage people to share memories and experiences of days gone by.
The RAF Museum worked with veterans at its Midlands site to co-create the contents of the new suitcase, drawing on their experiences and perspectives to help identify objects and material that could generate meaningful conversations.
The new RAF suitcase also completes an Armed Forces trio within the Memory Suitcases programme, joining existing Army and Royal Navy suitcases.
Rhiannon Watkinson, Community Engagement Manager at the RAF Museum, said:
“We’re delighted to have worked with National Museums Liverpool and our veterans to create the RAF Memory Suitcase. The RAF story is ultimately a story about people, and the objects and photographs in our collection can hold incredibly powerful personal associations.
Something as simple as a photograph, an item of uniform or a familiar object can be a starting point for a conversation and unlock memories and stories that might otherwise remain untold. It has been particularly important to us that veterans have helped shape the suitcase and decide what should be included.
We hope it will give people living with dementia, their families and carers an enjoyable and meaningful way to connect with RAF stories, as well as with memories and experiences from their own lives. It’s also wonderful to see the RAF represented alongside the Army and Royal Navy, completing the Armed Forces Memory Suitcase collection.”
Dawn Carroll, Head of Programme at House of Memories, National Museums Liverpool, added:
“The RAF Memory Suitcase is an important addition to our Armed Forces collection. Created in partnership with the RAF Museum, it explores stories of service life through significant objects and everyday experiences.
It forms part of our wider work with Armed Forces communities, following previous projects with the National Army Museum and Royal Hospital Chelsea for the My House of Memories app. Alongside our dementia awareness training, the free loan service of Memory Suitcases gives professionals and carers practical resources and the confidence to lead thoughtful, person-centred activities. We hope it will help raise awareness of dementia across the Armed Forces community and provide meaningful support for veterans living with dementia and those closest to them.”
The Memory Suitcases initiative forms part of National Museums Liverpool’s wider House of Memories programme, which uses museum objects and resources to help people living with dementia connect with their memories and with the people around them.
The partnership reflects both museums’ commitment to making their collections accessible to a wide range of audiences and finding new ways for stories, objects and experiences to create meaningful connections within communities.
On Tuesday 29 September 2026, Culture Network LCR brought together cultural leaders, policymakers, MPs and conference delegates at Open Eye Gallery to ask one big question: why does culture matter to place?
The speakers were:
And then came the moment that wasn’t on the running order. The Minister for Arts and Museums, Baroness Mackenzie of Sherwood, gatecrashed the speeches! When a minister asks to speak to your audience, you know the message about Northern culture is getting through.
Watch Baroness Mackenzie of Sherwood’s speech.
Read the Culture Network LCR’s first impact assessment.
This Black History Month, a powerful historical drama that explores the remarkable true story of Joseph Philippe Lemercier Laroche, the only known Black passenger aboard RMS Titanic, comes to Museum of Liverpool on Saturday 17 October.
Blending history, identity and human drama, ‘Laroche’ explores the life of the Haitian-born engineer, navigating race, class, love and belonging in early twentieth-century Europe. Through intimate storytelling and historical insight, the play sheds light on a largely forgotten figure whose presence on Titanic challenges the narratives we think we know about history.
Written and directed by Dr Carlette Norwood, ‘Laroche’ was inspired by a visit to Liverpool’s Maritime Museum, where Dr Norwood watched a reenactment about a first class Titanic passenger. Following this Dr Norwood began to consider if there had been any Black passengers aboard Titanic and through her research became immersed in the story of Laroche.
Playwright, Dr Carlette Norwood said: “Joseph Laroche’s story is one of resilience and perseverance, and yet it has been largely forgotten, especially in popular culture. Through this play, we aim to change that.
“This is more than just a historical drama; it’s a reclamation of a piece of Black history that has been lost in time. Laroche’s legacy lives on, and we are honoured to share his story.
“It is exciting to bring his story to a Liverpool audience and to the city which has such strong connections to Titanic for the first time.”
‘Laroche’ will be performed at Museum of Liverpool on Saturday 17 October from 1pm.
Book tickets: https://www.liverpoolmuseums.
Tickets are £17.00, with concessions available.
Opened in 2012, the exhibition, ‘Titanic and Liverpool: The Untold Story’ marked the centenary of the ship’s sinking by exploring Liverpool’s significant links to the famous liner. Due to the huge popularity of the exhibition, it became a permanent gallery. Now, as part of Maritime Museum’s redevelopment the celebrated gallery will return refreshed and revitalised.
Both Maritime Museum and International Slavery Museum are due to reopen in 2029.
Explore more Black History Month events and online collections and stories at National Museums Liverpool: https://www.liverpoolmuseums.
Jade carvings, showstopping opera costumes, intricate ceramics and more will go on display at World Museum on 10 October in a new display from the Shanghai Art Collection Museum, showcasing China’s rich artistic heritage and the cultural links between the twin port cities of Liverpool and Shanghai.
Wings of the Sea will give visitors the chance to journey through a wide range of Chinese artforms, by artists showcasing their craftsmanship and the evolving nature of traditional art in our modern world. Works meticulously carved out of jade and stone and sculpted from metal will be displayed alongside paintings portraying countryside landscapes and everyday rural life. Folk art and handicrafts will give a glimpse into another side of Shanghai, with paper cuttings, embroidery and enamelwork revealing how Shanghai’s art combines tradition with new cultural influences.
Meanwhile, the rich aesthetic language of the Peking Opera – which was designated as a national cultural treasure by UNESCO in 2010 – will be on full view through vivid, highly decorative costumes, portraits and beautifully painted masks.
Dr Ashley Cooke, Head of World Museum, said: “Liverpool and Shanghai have been twinned since 1999, so we are very much looking forward to showcasing Shanghai’s culture here at World Museum. As ports, both cities have been shaped by the constant flow of people. Liverpool is home to one of Europe’s oldest and largest Chinese communities, and Wings of the Sea is another important step in reflecting the global connections of our museums, whilst also representing the range of cultures that call Liverpool home.”
Mr Hu Muqing, President of Shanghai Art Collection Museum, said: “Through this exhibition, we hope UK audiences will discover not only the craftsmanship of traditional Chinese arts, but the shared aesthetics and life experience embodied in these works. Working with National Museums Liverpool gives us the opportunity to share Shanghai’s living heritage more widely and explore how these stories can resonate with people from different cultural backgrounds. We hope the exhibition will strengthen exchanges between Shanghai and Liverpool, turning appreciation of art into deeper cultural understanding and fostering lasting connections between China and the UK.”
This new exhibition follows the success of China’s First Emperor and the Terracotta Warriors, which came to World Museum in 2018. Organised by National Museums Liverpool and the Shaanxi Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau and Shaanxi History Museum (Shaanxi Cultural Heritage Promotion Centre), People’s Republic of China, the exhibition attracted 600,000 visitors and contributed almost £80 million to the Liverpool City Region’s economy.
National Museums Liverpool has also successfully toured its own exhibitions in China. Art in the Age of Victoria was seen by 300,000 visitors during its tour and Return of the Gods, which was on display at World Museum in 2023, is currently on a tour of four venues in the country.
Wings of the Sea opens at World Museum on 10 October 2026 and runs until 8 November 2026. Find out more about the exhibition here and keep up to date with World Museum on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
One of Britain’s newest clean energy technologies is landing at Labour Party Conference, with a plug-in solar panel helping to power an outdoor bar in the Liverpool conference zone.
There will be a little extra energy at Labour Party Conference this year, as one of Britain’s newest solar technologies makes its conference debut.
A new UKSOL plug-in solar panel will be installed at the venue’s pop-up outdoor bar inside the secure conference zone, helping to power the space and giving thousands of delegates the chance to see the technology in action.
And whatever the Liverpool weather brings, the new panels don’t need wall-to-wall sunshine. They generate electricity from daylight, including on cloudy days, although brighter conditions mean more power.
Plug-in solar only arrived in Britain this summer, following new rules allowing compliant systems to connect directly to a suitable mains socket.
Unlike traditional rooftop solar, the technology is designed to be simple and accessible. A panel can be positioned in a suitable outdoor space, with a microinverter converting the electricity it generates into power that can be used by the building.
Systems can provide up to 800W of power. The government estimates that, in a home, that could provide up to 20 per cent of an average household’s electricity use and save up to £110 a year.
The technology could be particularly useful for hospitality businesses, where terraces, gardens and other outdoor spaces could offer new opportunities to generate clean electricity and help cut running costs.
Katie White OBE MP, Minister for Climate Transition, said:
“From cafés and pubs to restaurants and hotels, plug-in solar could be a game-changer for hospitality, turning unused outdoor space into cheaper, homegrown power with something as simple as a panel and a plug.
“And whatever the Liverpool weather throws at us, it doesn’t need blazing sunshine to work. That’s why I’m so excited to have one here at conference, so thousands of people can see this brilliant new technology in action.”
Eddie Dos Santos, Director of Operations and Venue Management at Liverpool Experience Campus, said:
“Our campus is about bringing people together and creating spaces where new ideas can be experienced first-hand. Hosting one of the UK’s first demonstrations of plug-in solar technology at Labour Party Conference is a great example of that. It’s a simple but innovative solution, and we’re proud to help showcase how clean energy could become part of everyday operations across the hospitality and events industry.
Sustainability is at the heart of our long-term strategy, and we’ve committed to reaching net zero by 2030, twenty years ahead of the industry’s target. Showcasing emerging technologies such as plug-in solar is part of that journey, demonstrating how innovation, hospitality and environmental responsibility can go hand in hand.
Jennifer Hammond-Langley, Commercial Lead for New Products at UKSOL, suppliers of the panel, said:
“Plug-in solar is designed to make clean energy more accessible than ever before. If you have a suitable outdoor space, generating your own electricity can be as simple as positioning a panel and plugging it in. Plug-in solar offers a simple way to make suitable outdoor space work harder, generating up to 800 W to help offset everyday daytime loads such as refrigeration, lighting and tills, and reduce the amount of electricity imported from the grid.
We’re proud to be bringing one of the UK’s newest energy innovations to the Labour Party Conference and showing how small changes can make a meaningful difference to energy costs and sustainability.”
Liverpool Community Lottery is an LCVS initiative helping local charities, community groups and grassroots organisations raise money and reach new supporters.
Apply to become a participating good cause and give people another way to support your work.
How your organisation benefits
• Your own lottery page to tell your story, set a fundraising target and share with supporters.
• A regular source of income from supporters who choose your cause and keep playing.
• Greater visibility for your organisation and the difference you make locally.
Where the ticket money goes
For each £1 ticket supporting your cause, your organisation receives 50p and a further 10p supports the central community fund. That means 60% of ticket income goes to good causes. Funds raised for your organisation are paid monthly into its nominated account.
A weekly draw with something extra
Supporters buy £1 weekly tickets and choose the cause they want to support. Draws take place every Saturday at 8pm, with a chance to win a £25,000 jackpot. Regular Super Draw prizes also help attract new players and reward existing supporters.
How to join and start fundraising
1 Apply online
Visit LiverpoolCommunityLottery.co.uk and select “Are you a good cause?”. Read the eligibility information and complete the online application.
2 Get approved and set up your page
LCVS checks whether your organisation qualifies. Once approved, you will have your own page and receive a welcome pack. Use your page to explain who you help, what you do and what the money will support.
3 Share your page with supporters
Promote your unique page through your newsletter, social media, website and events. Encourage supporters to choose your cause when buying tickets, and keep them updated on the difference their support makes.
Join award-winning author, poet and filmmaker Dean Atta for a special event celebrating the publication of his adult literary debut, Big Man — a tender, funny and deeply moving novel about love, identity, ageing, family and the lasting impact of trauma.
Big Man follows Big, a middle-aged Black British gay man living a gentle life in East London with his boyfriend, Little. Their world is one of friendships, holidays, yoga at home and runs along the Hackney canals. But when Big reconnects with Mother — an African American trans woman who provided a refuge for queer young people during his youth — he is forced to confront a long-repressed experience from his past.
Full of warmth and gentle humour, Big Man explores what it means to grow older as a queer person, and the ways in which friendship, love and community can sustain us. It is also a love letter — sometimes complicated, sometimes joyful — to the people and places that shape who we become.
Dean Atta is a multi-award-winning author and poet, as well as a BAFTA-winning and BIFA-nominated filmmaker. His books include the Stonewall Book Award-winning YA novel The Black Flamingo, the memoir Person Unlimited: An Ode to My Black Queer Body, and the poetry collections I Am Nobody’s Nigger and There is (still) love here. His poetry has appeared on the BBC, BET, Channel 4 and MTV.
Come and hear Dean discuss the inspiration behind Big Man, writing across poetry, memoir and fiction, and the importance of telling stories about queer lives in all their complexity, tenderness and joy.
https://writingonthewall.org.
BHM26: Dean Atta: Big Man
Tuesday, October 6, 2026
Time 7pm
Venue: The Black-E
Tickets £5 – £3 with discount code for network members: https://tinyurl.com/4u6w8jhe