Community Post Type: News

Eco Artist, Arnd Drossl from Germany is travelling to COP26 via the UK and Ireland to raise awareness around the Summit – a walking and cycling moving installation.

The artist reception is free and held outside Liverpool Town Hall, 26 September, 4pm.

Beginning on 7 August, Arnd has taken a 1,500 kilometre long “Promise Walk” to the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow began in Paderborn. On foot, in a wire ball and by bicycle, across Europe – for the good of our Earth.

In this video you can get an impression of the art object and the project:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xo5rSdW2-s&t=23s

All further information as well as route and dates can be found at:

https://mypromise.earth/en/tour-21?nonitro=1

A special event will take place in Liverpool this month to remember those youngsters who have lost their lives through violence.

Liverpool Cathedral will host the vigil on Saturday 25 September, with the aim to bring together the family and friends of those who have been killed as a result of violent crimes such as knife and gun crime.

Starting at 6:30pm, there will be a series of live music performances by local talent including Quinten Green and the Ukulele Club Liverpool. There will also be poetry readings and speeches and those attending will be encouraged to light a candle at the venue and contribute to a book of condolence to share memories of their loved one. The book will be open across the weekend.

The inspiration behind the event is Mandy Jamieson whose son Danny was stabbed to death in Gateacre, July 2018, aged just 16.

Since the tragedy, Mandy has set up Danny’s Place – a charity which facilitates talks to schools, youth organisations and the probation sector about the ripple effect knife crime can have.

In a bid to lobby the government to introduce an official national remembrance day for victims and the families of youth violence, the cathedral event will be an open invitation to anyone affected by this type of crime, to remember their loved one and to celebrate their lives.

A similar event will also take place in Chelmsford, Essex – the current location for the Knife Angel sculpture which was originally on display outside Liverpool cathedral in 2018.

On the Saturday evening, city landmarks have been asked to support the campaign by lighting up purple, and anyone who can’t attend the event is being asked to step out of their front door at 8pm and shine a light – either from their phone, using a torch or even lighting a candle – in a show of solidarity.

Organised by Culture Liverpool

The second annual Liverpool Theatre Festival has been hailed a roaring success after attracting an audience of 2,700 theatregoers across 12 days. 

The outdoor festival programme featured 23 performances of 16 shows and was warmly welcomed by audiences and industry professionals, who were once again eager to embrace live entertainment and celebrate the region’s performing and creative arts talent.

Liverpool Theatre Festival 2021 ran between 1 and 12 September at St Luke’s Bombed Out Church in Liverpool city centre, a perfect setting for the unique event.

Organisers were thrilled with the “incredible” and “heart-warming” feedback. Plans are already underway to bring the festival back in 2022 for its third consecutive year.

Liverpool Theatre Festival was created by Liverpool theatre producer Bill Elms and was first staged in September 2020 to help support the city’s creative arts industry during the Covid-19 pandemic. Theatres and live entertainment venues were ordered to close immediately under the Government’s first national lockdown guidelines.

It was Bill’s mission to reinvigorate and boost the city’s live performance and creative arts sector, offering a lifeline when it was needed most. Liverpool Theatre Festival was created in a matter of weeks. Its inaugural staging won praise from audiences and critics alike, as well as winning an award along the way.

This year, the event returned bigger for its main event in September, preceded in July by seven-day Little LTF new fringe event to champion and showcase new works and talent, which went on to attract 1,200 festivalgoers.

Liverpool Theatre Festival is committed to supporting local artists, creatives, and theatre companies. During this year’s two events, a total of 30 local and regional diverse theatrical productions have been staged – resulting in almost 200 performers, musicians and creatives being involved and working as the pandemic continues.

The main festival opened and closed with the premieres of two new shows, a huge coup for the festival which strives to champion new talent – both performance and creative.

One-woman comedy 2Gorgeous4U, written by acclaimed Liverpool playwright Mark Davies Markham and starring Liverpool actress Lynne Fitzgerald raised the curtain on the festival. While the event closed with Something About George – The George Harrison Story, featuring Liverpool actor and musician Daniel Taylor. Festival director Bill Elms is already in talks with production companies regarding a future life of both shows. 

Billed as a highlight of Little LTF new works festival in July, Twice Nightly returned for the main festival. Organisers and critics were so impressed by the quality of writing and storyline highlighting Liverpool’s lost theatres of the 1930s, they felt the production has real potential and should be included in the main LTF 2021 programme and was fully supported to enable the show to return.

The full programme also included Perfectly Frank, The Last Five Years, When Another Dragon Roars, Everybody’s Talking About Musicals, Boing…Meow! The Musical, Electric Dreams, An Evening Without Kate Bush, Swan Song, Opera Beneath The Stars, Broken Biscuits, Twelfth Night By William Shakespeare, Laughterhouse Comedy, and Goldilocks And The Fab 4.

Just one show during the run had to be relocated due to torrential rain – and organisers were grateful for the support of Royal Court Liverpool and its basement Studio as the change of venue for Opera Beneath The Stars. 

Visit www.liverpooltheatrefestival.com for the latest news updates. 

 

 

Come join the Carbon Literate Communities to talk with like minds, discuss your carbon reduction pledges, what Climate Change action is happening in your community, and get support with your individual and group actions.

This is a drop in event so you can come along anytime and stay as long as you like.

This event will be online via ZOOM details are below:

Topic: Carbon Literate Communities Drop-in session
Time: Thursday 6:00pm – 8:00pm

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86303746692

Meeting ID: 863 0374 6692

 

The Carbon Literate Communities Project provides fully funded Carbon Literacy Training for community groups, charities and social enterprises throughout the Liverpool City Region.

Energy Projects Plus, Faiths4Change and Zero Carbon Liverpool are offering a series of courses to certify 400 community members Carbon Literate through September 2021.

Fully funded training is available for anyone who is a member of a community group, faith group, charity or social enterprise and lives within the Liverpool City Region. which you can find out more about here https://www.epplus.org.uk/carbonliteratecommunities/

A dazzling and heartwarming stage show charting the careers and relationship between Hollywood mother and daughter Judy Garland and Liza Minnelli continues its UK tour into Autumn at venues across the country.

Captivating audiences for a decade, Judy & Liza will embark on a national tour throughout September and October 2021 to mark the show’s landmark 10^th anniversary visiting Lichfield, Radlett, St Helens, London, Chelmsford, Warrington, Halifax, Leamington Spa and Crewe.

The show is thought to have been one of the first shows to tour the UK post lockdown, coinciding with the Government’s roadmap for the easing of lockdown restrictions.

The Judy & Liza UK Tour comes to St Helens Theatre Royal on Wednesday 13 October.

Judy & Liza is produced by Bill Elms Productions and On Song Productions; created and written by West End performer Emma Dears who appears as Liza Minnelli; with Francis Goodhand as musical director.

Emma performs alongside Helen Sheals, who plays Judy Garland. Together they belt out timeless classics with uncanny resemblance of Judy and Liza, bursting with their unrivalled and elusive star quality.

The incredible talents of two of the biggest names in Hollywood showbusiness – mother and daughter Judy Garland and Liza Minnelli – are reunited thanks to this sensational musical experience.  This dazzling production tells the turbulent tale of the stars against the backdrop of their infamous 1964 London Palladium concert. Audiences are taken on an emotional rollercoaster journey as they discover the uncanny parallels between some of Judy and Liza’s most iconic songs and their own personal lives.

The show features performances of iconic songs including Cabaret, Maybe This Time, Over The Rainbow, The Man That Got Away, The Trolley Song, and Together Wherever We Go.

Liverpool-born actress Emma Dears self-penned the musical biopic to critical acclaim. Emma’s acting career began at the age of nine when she toured the UK in the title role of Annie. She later headed to London to join the Italia Conti Academy for Performing Arts, however she left before completing the course as she was offered a part in the tour of Les Miserables performing in Dublin and Edinburgh. Emma’s West End roles have included Les Miserables, Miss Saigon, and Oliver. Television roles include Emmerdale, Nice Guy Eddie, Shameless, Hollyoaks, Brookside, and Second Coming.

Helen is widely known for her roles in Coronation Street and Downton Abbey. However, Helen is no stranger to portraying Judy Garland having previously played the title role in the West End musical Judy! at The Arts Theatre in London. Her extensive theatre roles have included Mistress Quickly in Merry Wives and Goneril in King Lear for Northern Broadsides, directed by Sir Jonathan Miller; Mari Hoff in The Rise and Fall of Little Voice (Hull Truck and UK Tour); and Shirley Valentine. Helen’s TV credits include Brookside, Meterosexuality, Family Affairs, Last Tango in Halifax, Silent Witness, Holby City, Casualty, Doctors, Dalziel and Pascoe, and Mrs Wigan in three seasons of Downton Abbey.

Producer Bill Elms commented: “We are thrilled to announce another leg of the 10^th Anniversary UK tour of Judy & Liza, it’s a show very close to my heart as I worked on the very first run. It is going to be very special tour, for many people, this will be their first show of the year, coming out of lockdown. We can promise audiences a safe and very memorable experience as they rediscover the joy of live entertainment through this captivating show.”

Writer and actress Emma Dears added: “It is with pure excitement that we can take Judy and Liza’s emotional and iconic story on the road. As performers, we crave being in front of a live audience – seeing, hearing and feeling their reactions, it gets no better than that. Whether you’re a fan of Judy or Liza, or both, their story is unique. The show is full of love, heartache, and passion, and Helen and I have worked tirelessly to make sure we get every tiny detail just right. Join us for an evening with the mother and daughter who really did put the ‘show’ into showbiz.”

To find out more visit www.judyandliza.co.uk

Artist Tabitha Jussa has been inspired by the work of renowned mid-20th century Liverpool photographers to create a series of portraits capturing women at the forefront of the city’s arts and culture today.

Agency of Women is a collection of black and white and hand coloured photographic portraits inspired by E. Chambré and Margaret Hardman. Their 1950s home and photographic studio on Liverpool’s Georgian Quarter, now preserved and cared for by the National Trust, is hosting the exhibition until 6 November. 

As the first artist in residence of the Hardmans’ House, former Liverpool Art Prize-winner Jussa was given special access to the vast archive of the Hardmans’ photographs housed at Liverpool Central Library.

“As our first ever artist in residence, it was really exciting to see what Tabitha would make of the huge and varied E. Chambré Hardman Photographic Collection,” says Michelle Yunqué Alvarado, collections and house manager at the National Trust.

“There are so many different aspects to it, from countryside landscapes and photographs of Liverpool’s mid-20th century transformation to portraits of some of the celebrities of the age.”

After delving into the archive, Jussa became particularly drawn to the many glamorous portraits of women, and the style and techniques used by the Hardmans’ studio to reflect the golden age of Hollywood.

“Changes in camera technology make replication of the Hardmans’ distinctive signature portraits virtually impossible,” says Tabitha Jussa. “My access to the archive inspired me to produce works that explored the portrait genre the Hardmans’ used.”

One aspect of this genre Jussa has explored is the way many of the Hardmans’ portraits were painstakingly hand coloured by freelance artists, who were mostly women working at home. Packages of photographic prints were sent out to them, as well as snippets of dress material, lipstick, and hair samples, to accurately match colours.

“I was inspired by these forgotten hand colouring techniques and the highly skilled women who used them, as well as the way the female sitters who were having their portraits taken wanted to be represented,” Jussa says.

“There’s also Margaret Hardman, who was a shrewd businesswoman and vital to the success of their studio. This led me to think about the makers and managers in Liverpool’s cultural scene today who also share these qualities.”

In early 2020, Jussa invited a number of women at the heart of Liverpool’s cultural scene to take part and have their portrait taken in the photographic studio at the Hardmans’ House.

Using a Mamiya RB67 camera and a selection of lenses to create a range of specific effects, Jussa photographed a total of 17 women, including: Claire McColgan (director of Culture Liverpool); Stealing Sheep (musicians); The Singh Twins MBE (artists) and Angela Samata (arts professional and ambassador of Survivors of the Bereaved by Suicide).

Jussa then used a range of the ‘forgotten’ techniques used by the Hardmans’ to bring their portraits to life. Now, the public are being invited to explore these portraits at the Hardmans’ House.

Sarah Fisher, Director of Liverpool’s Open Eye Gallery, says: “The Hardman’s House, as a unique visitor experience, allows us to understand how central photographic studios were to civic life. This intelligent exhibition by an exceptional contemporary talent, Tabitha Jussa, explores portraits of key women who are driving our cultural renaissance – a key factor in Liverpool’s civic and economic model.

“Jussa reflects on the aesthetics and practical processes employed by Hardman to inspiring effect, situating these portraits within the traditions of studio photography.”

The exhibition can be viewed as part of a guided tour of the Hardmans’ House on Fridays and Saturdays between 17 September and 6 November. Spaces are limited so booking is recommended to guarantee a spot on a tour.

Tickets can be booked online at www.nationaltrust.org.uk/hardmans-house or by telephone on 0344 249 1895. Entry is free for National Trust members, but booking is essential.

Agency of Women is supported by Arts Council England and presented in partnership with the National Trust, Open Eye Gallery and University of Chester.

Full list of sitters:

• Angela Samata – Arts Professional and Ambassador of the Survivors of the Bereaved by Suicide.
• Bisakha Sarker MBE – Artistic director of Chaturangan, Artist
• Mary Cloake – Director of Bluecoat, Liverpool
• Charlotte Corrie & Christina Grogan – Founders and Directors of Open Culture
• Claire McColgan – Director of Open Culture
• Doreen Allan – Founder of Planet X Liverpool
• Elaine Clarke – Founder and owner of Baa Bar Ltd
• Emily Speed – Artist
• Stealing Sheep – Musicians
• Madeline Heneghan – Co-director of Writing on the Wall
• Helen Legg – Director of Tate Liverpool
• Michelle Charters – Director of Kuumba Imani Millenium Centre, National Museums Trustee, Community Activist
• Nicola Triscott – Director of FACT, curator, writer and researcher
• The Singh Twins MBE – Artists
• Zilan Liao – Musician and director of Pagoda Arts
• Niki Kand – Musician, singer and songwriter
• Fatoş Üstek – Independent curator, writer and former director of Liverpool Biennial

To honour Batman Day 2021, the iconic Bat-Signal will be appearing on five mystery UK buildings throughout the evening of the 18th September.  The exact locations will not be revealed until the night of the launch but London, Liverpool, and Glasgow have been announced as the chosen cities.

From sundown on Batman Day, the huge and instantly recognisable Bat-Signal will travel up the country, being projected onto four different buildings along the way. Eagle eyed fans who spot the building and follow the Bat-Signal will also be in with the chance of being surprised with Batman themed rewards, as the first ten people on site to approach event organisers and declare “I love Batman” will win prizes.

Starting in London, travelling north to Liverpool and Glasgow, and then returning to Batman’s home… the timings for the evening have been revealed as:

• 8 – 8.30pm – London
• 8.45 – 9.15pm – Liverpool
• 9.30 – 10pm – Glasgow
• 10.15 – 10.45pm – London

The exact locations will be teased on Instagram and Facebook by DC GB Facebook and DCUKComics on the 18th to give Bat-Signal seekers a head start.

Batman Day 2021 will take place on Saturday 18th September.

More than 1,000 eager runners laced up their trainers at the weekend to take part in the biggest road race Liverpool has seen in 18 months.

The 28^th annual BTR Liverpool Skyline Half Marathon is a highlight in the race calendar given its long established roots. The event on Sunday (12 September) also featured the sixth annual 10 Mile Road Race. Both races began together from Pier Head Liverpool on the city’s iconic waterfront.

The race was last staged exactly 18 months ago in March 2020, a week before the Government announced the first national Covid-19 lockdown.

The date for next year’s BTR Liverpool Skyline Half Marathon and 10 Mile Road Race is already confirmed for Sunday 27 March 2021. Entries are open.

Organisers BTR Liverpool say they feel “extremely privileged and relieved” they could once again stage a headline race event to bring the Merseyside running community together following the lifting of pandemic restrictions.

BTR Liverpool is the leading independent organisation for creating, managing and delivering headline race events across Liverpool City Region. All BTR races are organised and delivered in accordance with Covid guidelines.

BTR Liverpool Skyline Half Marathon 2021 was won by Thomas Rogerson from Liverpool Harriers AC in a time of 1 hour 11 minutes 22 seconds. First place female was Fay Hughes from UTS Running Club in 1 hour 24 minutes.

Joseph Turner from Cambridge & Coleridge AC was first place male in the BTR Liverpool Skyline 10 Mile Road Race 2021 in 54 minutes 33 seconds. First female was Amy McKechnie from Queensbury RC in 1 hour 6 minutes 17 seconds.

Last year’s event was rebranded to the BTR Liverpool Skyline Half Marathon to celebrate the host destination’s strong tourism offer. The race route takes in the city’s famous sights including landmarks Liverpool Cathedral, Royal Albert Dock Liverpool, Sefton Park, and Museum Of Liverpool.

Runners enjoyed a grandstand start and finish line area under the gaze of the Liver Birds and the iconic Three Graces – Royal Liver Building, Cunard Building, and Port Of Liverpool Building. There was a slight change to the start of the race to accommodate ongoing roadworks on The Strand.

BTR Race Director Alan Rothwell commented:

“The runners came out, the medals were shining, and there were plenty of smiles from start to finish. We staged the same race exactly 18 months ago just before the first national lockdown, and everyone has been through such a challenging time since. We feel extremely privileged and relieved to bring headline races back to the city.

“We must applaud a brilliant team effort from our volunteers – the official time pacers; 4 Coy Merseyside Army Cadet Force, Dockside Runners, Everton in the Community, Good Gym Liverpool, Liverpool Running Bugs, Penny Lane Striders, and members of the wider Merseyside running community.

“We’re now incredibly excited and counting down the days to five further events in 2021, including the BTR Mersey Tunnel 10K on 26 September and the festive spectacular Appreciate Group Liverpool Santa Dash on 5 December. Races have most definitely returned, let’s get back out there.”

Organisers BTR Liverpool implemented a series of Covid-19 safety measures, encouraging runners to take a Covid-19 lateral flow test and maintain distancing on the day. To minimise personal contact, runners were required to pick up their own water, medals and T-shirts.

Fifty-five-year-old Stephen Symons from Quays Running Club in Manchester has completed every Liverpool Half Marathon, making it his 28^th consecutive year. Stephen completed the race in 2 hours 2 minutes 42 seconds.

Stephen suffered a brain haemorrhage in November 2012, but still completed the next race in March 2013 accompanied by family. He is already looking forward to next year when the race returns to its usual March date – and is excited for a landmark year in 2024 when the race marks its 30^th anniversary.

The day’s most senior male runner was 83-year-old John Courtney from Liverpool. This was his 111^th half marathon and he guided his blind son James during the race.

Southport runner Paul Warrington, 45, took part in the half marathon dressed in full hockey goalkeeper kit to attempt a Guinness World Record. Paul completed the 13.1 miles wearing a helmet, chest protector, elbow protectors, hard pads on both legs, padded shorts, leg guards, hand pads and shoe pads – the kit weighed 12lbs before adding running kit and a water hydration pack.

Paul was accompanied by fellow Southport & Waterloo Athletics Club runner Tracey Barlow. Unfortunately he did not set a new record – but he has smashed his charity target for Cancer Research UK raising more than £1,500. Paul’s father-in-law was diagnosed with lymphoma in Summer 2020, he is now in recovery after six months of chemotherapy – and he used this as the motivation for his challenge. Paul’s donation page is https://bit.ly/3zpMWJE

As travelling restrictions continue to ease, overseas runners from Belgium, Denmark, and Germany took part.

A group of 30 runners from Alive Fitness gym in Crosby took part. Local running clubs represented included BTR Road Runners, Kirkby Milers AC, Liverpool Running Club, Marsh Lane Harriers, and Penny Lane Striders.

Liverpool drumming band Batala Mersey gave runners an uplifting send-off as they started the race. They later welcomed them back, spurring runners along the final home straight near Museum Of Liverpool and towards the finish line.

The Gym at Liverpool ONE offered participants a free one day pass on race day to use the changing facilities.

Next up in the BTR race portfolio is the 15^th BTR Mersey Tunnel 10K on Sunday 26 September. Find out more at www.btrliverpool.com

Liverpool’s newest theatrical space The Hope Street Theatre will officially re-open its doors on 5^th October following its closure on 16^th March 2020 after the Prime Minister’s announcement closing all live entertainment venues. Covid 19 has had a massive effect on venues in the region and thanks to a DCMS Cultural Recovery Fund grant the venue secured its imminent future and enables the work previously started in its opening year to continue.

A varied season of professional and community projects will relaunch the venue for its re-opening Autumn/Winter Season that includes a two-week run of The Musical of Musicals The Musical! (16 – 27 Nov). Directed by West-End performer and Director Sharon Byatt The Musical of Musicals The Musical parodies and pastiches five separate musical theatre composers in five small mini-musicals. Also helping to launch the new season is a stunning new pantomime for the venue from local producers Just Entertainment. Sleeping Beauty (16 – 30 Dec.) stars Liverpool Live Radio’s breakfast show host Aaron Hayes as Dame Dolly alongside an ensemble from LIPA and Performers Theatre School.

Launching the opening season is Sciptshop with their latest showcase of new writing Leaving (5-6 Oct). Twisting and shouting back into the space with several new plays is long-running Beatles themed theatrical festival Ticket To Write (8-9 Oct).  Liverpool favourites Naughty Corner return to the venue with their latest production Sheep (14-16 Oct). Warrington based youth theatre company First Act Drama make their Hope Street Theatre debut with the powerful musical Spring Awakening (28 – 30 Oct). In November professional company Matter of Act present their stunning one man show Rossiter (4-6 Nov) which charts the ups and downs of one of Liverpool’s most prolific exports Leonard Rossiter. Making a welcome return to the venue following a sell-out run in 2020 is Mike Howl’s play This Girl (8 – 14 Nov) which looks at the iconic life of Cynthia Lennon. Wirral based Off The Ground round up the season as they bring their latest comedy drama The Drunks (2 – 4 Dec) to the venue.

General Manager of The Hope Street Theatre Sam Donovan is excited to finally be able to re-open the theatre following the prolonged closure due to the Covid-19 Pandemic “After almost 18 months, we are excited to be able to finally re-open our doors to welcome back new and old companies to the venue The Hope Street Theatre is all about celebrating the wealth of talent on offer in the region from youth theatre, community companies and professional productions and we believe that this re-opening season shouts that from the rooftops.”

All shows can be booked through our website at www.hopestreettheatre.com or via telephone on 0344 561 0622.

Art or history, literature or leadership – Continuing Education’s new programme of online short courses offers a wide-range of choice for students.

The University of Liverpool Continuing Education (CE) team are delighted to announce a new programme of short courses, seminars and workshops, providing accessible high-quality learning for the Merseyside region.

The new courses – taught online in the university’s virtual classroom – ensure students enjoy the benefits of engagement with both tutors and their peers from the comfort of their own home.

Included in the university’s offering are a range of courses across the arts world, such as Sculpture in Liverpool; Writing Novels and Short Stories; Analysing Film: Hitchcock & Mastering Suspense; and Phantasmagoria: Liverpool on Film, 1897-1957.

For those looking to enhance their business acumen, there are also courses on a range of industry topics, such as Beyond rationality: how superstition affects investment decisions; Building Relationships; and Developing Emotional Intelligence and Resilience.

And as the world begins to open up once again, those looking to travel can learn some of the world’s most widely spoken and influential languages through Open Languages – the University’s initiative to increase language learning in the region, with courses on Arabic, Spanish, French, German, Russian, Mandarin and others on offer. The language courses will be taught on campus rather than online.

Participants will also have access to a wide range of the University’s academic support and, on completion, will be awarded with a formal University of Liverpool Certificate of Engagement that acknowledges their professional and personal development.

Dr Glenn Godenho, Academic Director of Continuing Education, said:

“After a successful year for CE, we have decided to continue with online learning for the coming Academic year. Our innovative approach makes use of video conferencing and a sophisticated virtual learning environment to provide students with a high-quality learning experience that is expected from the University of Liverpool.

This year’s programme is as diverse as ever, with a variety of fascinating courses to choose from. Students can learn about our galaxy, the City on film, ancient Rome, the Left in Irish history, film analysis and English and European literature. Or you may want to learn programming or enhance your work skills? With more courses being released in the coming months, there is a lot to choose from.

The courses are open to everyone, and with no prior qualifications needed; people can join for the sheer enjoyment of learning about a subject that they’re interested in.”

If you would like to learn more about the courses on offer, visit the University of Liverpool’s Continuing Education website or follow the Continuing Education team on Twitter and on Facebook.