Community Post Type: News

Ignite your fringe: Evening of big ideas in bite-sized format – Labour Party Conference fringe event, held 29 Sept ’25

With just a couple of weeks until the Labour Party Conference rolls into town, there’s still time to join them for their unofficial fringe event.

Capacity and Kindred are joining forces with Ignite Liverpool for ‘Ignite your fringe’ – an evening of big ideas in a bite-sized format about the way we live in the places we love.

If you’re up for something different at this year’s Labour Party Conference, this is your invitation to join them at One Fine Day and Little Leaf on Old Hall Street on Monday 29 September at 6pm for a 7pm start.

Hear some radical ideas from local creators, thinkers, tinkers, innovators, doers, makers and dreamers. The format is fast and fun, but the ideas might be far out.

They’d love to see you there. Just drop them a line at comms@thisiscapacity.co.uk and they’ll book your place.

Tiber Young Producers: Through Our Lens brings young perspectives of L8 in project with Tate to open at new Lodge Lane building

Tiber Young Producers (c) Emma_Case
Tiber Young Producers. Credit: Emma Case

Tate Liverpool is working with Tiber Young Producers – a group of young producers, artists and curators aged 14-18 on an audio-visual installation and exhibition that will be the first in the new Tiber building on Lodge Lane. The exhibition, Tiber Young Producers: Through Our Lens, which combines photomontage, photography and film, will launch on Thursday 25 September and will run until 1 October.

Tate Liverpool worked with the Tiber Young Producers to explore the history, culture and wisdom of different generations in the L8 postcode, through oral history, archive research and photography to create their own artworks.

Supported by artist Mark Murphy, the Tiber Young Producers have created photomontage works drawn from their own photography, inspired by the archives of photographer Leroy Cooper and Liverpool Black Archive Hub founder Michelle Peterkin Walker, to reflect the past, present and future of L8.

Some of these new artworks will remain in the new Tiber building, leaving a legacy of the work between Tate and Tiber in L8, joining the mural co-created with Neil Keating which was installed in April and is a permanent feature welcoming visitors.

Quotes from Tiber Young Producers:

Jasmin Kosmos said: “This project has allowed our voices as young people to flourish and allowed us to turn the adversities faced by the young people of Toxteth into a positive, creative space. It’s allowed us to show our vulnerability and use it for the better.”

Amira Taher said: “Through Tiber we have turned our diversity into a strength and our exhibition showcases what young people are capable of and what we can build together.”

Daisymay Austin said: “Working with Tiber has shown me creativity can unite a diverse community, turning individual stories into a shared story”

The Tiber Young Producers developed their ideas for this project over the summer of 2025, working with a number of people from the L8 community, including Jerome Griffin, the ‘Scouse Ghetto Gourmet’, to explore its food, history, and cultures. Their work questions the narratives and ownership of histories, foregrounding the importance of visibility, local archives and who tells the stories of communities.

Stef Bradley, Curator of Learning, Tate Liverpool, said: “We are proud to see what Tiber Young Producers have achieved with Through Our Lens. It has been truly inspiring to see this group rise to the challenge of an even more ambitious project in their third year working with Tate, taking their producer skills to ambitious new heights for this beautiful show close to home at Tiber.

“The Young people’s decision to connect with inspiring elders within their community to share stories over a meal brought so much inspiration for the group, opening up some rich discussion exploring their place in their community as a new generation of creatives carving their own paths.”

Emma Case, Lead Artist and Tate Learning Producer, said: “As a photographer, so much of my understanding and sense of place comes from being able to explore the world through my camera. This project has been such a wonderful experience to watch our young producers, with such depth and curiosity, explore their local area and their relationship with Toxteth through their own lens.”

Tate Liverpool has been working with the Tiber Young Producers for more than 3 years and their 2024 project The Threads That Bind Us won the Community Cohesion Award at this year’s Liverpool City Region Culture & Creativity Awards.

Tiber Young Producers: Through Our Lens is open to the public on the following dates:

Friday 26 September 17:00 – 19:00
Monday 29 September 17:00 – 19:00
Tuesday 30 September 17:00 – 19:00
Wednesday 1 October 17:00 – 19:00

 

The South (featuring members of The Beautiful South) come to Liverpool’s Arts Club This October

The South are back on the road and do what they do best – perform the songs of that great British pop institution, The Beautiful South, to the thousands of fans of these timeless classics.

The South are an impressive 9-piece band who feature former members of The Beautiful South including singer Alison Wheeler and lifelong sax player Gaz Birtles. Since Dave Hemingway, the original singer, left the group at the end of 2016, Gaz has moved across to front the band with Alison and taken on vocal duties. Gareth John joins both Gaz and Ali on vocals bringing his talents to the forefront making him a third vocalist as part of the new set-up.

Since the demise of The Beautiful South in 2007, this exciting live band have spent 15 years touring the theatres and festivals of the UK up and down the country, bringing back the full sound and arrangements of these treasured songs – A Little Time (the number one single), Perfect 10, Rotterdam, Song For Whoever, Old Red Eyes Is Back, Good as Gold, Don’t Marry Her plus many more singles and album tracks as well as a few choice South originals. These songs span an impressive 18-year career starting way back in 1989!

The South are:
Alison Wheeler (Vocals), Gaz Birtles (Vocals), Phil Barton (Guitars), Steve Nutter (Bass), Dave Anderson (Drums), Karl Brown (Percussion), Gareth John (Trumpet/Vocals), Su Robinson (Sax) and Andy Price (Keyboards).

Let’s Carry On… Regardless!

Fri 24 Oct Liverpool – The Arts Club

Tickets available via thesouth.co.uk/tour-dates.

Shakespeare North Announce Winter 25 / Spring 26 Season

Shakespeare North Playhouse announces a vibrant new programme of shows, film  screenings, community activities and special events now on sale for Spring 2026. From bold new theatre productions to food experiences, guided tours and family activities, there’s  something for everyone to enjoy.

A Northern Classic Returns

Kicking off the new line-up is Jim Cartwright’s TWO. Set in a northern pub where two actors  embody 14 characters over the course of one night, the play offers a funny, moving and  sharply observed portrait of working-class life. Audiences encounter a cross-section of pub goers: from flirty couples and squabbling husbands and wives to lonely drinkers and lost  souls – each carrying their own stories of hope, humour and heartbreak. 

At its core, TWO is about resilience, connection and the hidden struggles we carry. As  laughter collides with grief, and small talk masks deeper pain, Cartwright shines a light on  the joy and fragility of ordinary lives. 

Lisa Allen, CEO & Creative Director of Shakespeare North Playhouse will be directing the  play. She said: “TWO is a play rooted in northern life and storytelling. It’s funny, moving and deeply relatable  – exactly the kind of theatre we want our audiences to experience here.”

More Theatre Highlights

Other highlights now on sale include Puck: A Fairy’s Tale, a magical reimagining of  Shakespeare’s mischievous sprite, direct from Riverside Studios London; The Silence of  Snow: The Life of Patrick Hamilton, Mark Farrelly’s award-winning solo show; and Justin  Moorhouse: The Greatest Performance of My Life, a brand-new comedy show from the  northern favourite.

Local voices take the spotlight in Our Public House, a funny and heart warming new play with music by best-selling novelist and playwright Barney Norris, inspired  by real voices from across the nation. Music fans can look forward to a special performance  from Paul Young on the Cockpit Theatre stage as part of Knowsley Music Festival 2025 in  November. 

Big Screen In Prescot 

Also new, Shakespeare North Playhouse introduces a 6-month programme of film  screenings curated by Imagine Futures CiC. Each month features two special screenings:

  • Wee Film Club – Saturday morning screenings for children, complete with free arts  and crafts activities. 
  • IF Cinema Fridays – evening screenings for adults, from must-see new releases to  restored classics, each paired with a short by a local filmmaker. 

Tickets are £3 for children’s screenings (Wee Film Club) and £5 for adults, making a family  day out or an evening at the cinema possible for everyone. Local filmmakers can submit  their short films for free at imaginefutures.uk for the chance to be featured. Supported by Film Hub North with National Lottery funding on behalf of the BFI Film  Audience Network, this pilot programme is delivered by Imagine Futures CiC. 

A Place To Connect

Alongside theatre and film, Shakespeare North Playhouse offers a wide range of  opportunities to connect, learn and discover. Community favourites such as Baby Bards,  Chatty Café, Shared Reading, Life Drawing, and Itch Spoken Word Nights sit alongside the  brand-new Shakespeare North Young Company and special events like Supper Clubs, while  Heritage and Tech Tours invite audiences behind the scenes. 

Whether you’re seeking unforgettable theatre, film, delicious food, or opportunities for  families and communities to get creative, this latest programme invites everyone to make  memories at Shakespeare North Playhouse. 

Priority booking for supporters opens 10th September. 

Support starts from just £5 per month. 

Explore the full programme and join as a supporter today at shakespearenorthplayhouse.co.uk.

 

University of Liverpool exhibition tells story of Black musicians from Toxteth – The Harlem of Europe, opens 11 Oct ’25

A new photographic exhibition in Liverpool is set to tell the story of Toxteth’s Black musicians of the 1950s and 1960s, whose influence reached The Beatles and beyond.

This autumn, the University of Liverpool’s Victoria Gallery & Museum (VG&M) presents Toxteth: The Harlem of Europe. Running from 11 October 2025 to 26 April 2026, the free exhibition features portraits by Liverpool photographer Ean Flanders. Alongside striking new images of musicians from that era, Flanders also captures portraits of their descendants.

Event

Presented in partnership with local charity Mandela8, arts development organisation Northern Roots, and the VG&M, the exhibition draws on the knowledge and memories of community figures such as singer Ramon “Sugar” Deen  and Carol Phillips – daughter of Harold “Lord Woodbine” Phillips, and elders who were active in the area during this era.

Toxteth: The Harlem of Europe celebrates Toxteth’s Black musicians from across two decades, telling the story of a generation whose talent and innovation helped shape the sound of modern British music.

Legends from Liverpool’s music scene feature, including: Chris Amoo and Dave Smith from The Real Thing, Garry Christian from The Christians, Ramon “Sugar” Deen from The Harlems, Joe Ankrah and Alan Harding from The Chants, female harmony group Distinction, and reggae artist Ramon Judah, who continues to champion Liverpool 8’s rich musical tradition today.

The exhibition will examine how out of the racial inequality of 1950s and 60s Liverpool emerged a rich, dynamic music scene centred on the vibrant nightlife of Toxteth in L8. Clubs such as the Whitehouse, the Palm Cove, and Dutch Eddies became hubs of creativity and musical excellence. Complementing Flanders’ portraits will be a selection of archival images, bringing to life this time in L8’s history.

Key figures included The Chants – backed at times by The Beatles – The Harlems, The In Crowd, “The Godfather” Odie Taylor, Derry Wilkie, and Lord Woodbine (Harold Phillips), a Trinidadian calypsonian who first sampled Liverpool nightlife whilst serving in the RAF during WW2 before returning to the UK on the Windrush. Woodbine, known affectionately as “Woody”, formed the Royal Caribbean Steel Band, mentored The Beatles, promoted them at his New Colony Club, and helped drive them to Hamburg for their first major break.

In 1964, when The Beatles refused to play for segregated audiences in the US, Paul McCartney said: “It wasn’t a political decision – we’re from Liverpool – all the bands, Black, white, we all just played together.”

The exhibition will be accompanied by an events programme including a performance from KOF + Jazz Gittens at the Tung Auditorium on Wednesday 29 October 2025 (1-1.50pm).

Open Eye Gallery graduate exhibition coming soon! starts 26 Sept ’25

Coming soon: Next Up, our annual graduate exhibition of work from the MA in Socially Engaged Photography course a joint programme Open Eye Gallery has run with the University of Salford since 2018.

This year, we feature work by three early-career photographers and creative producers from our 2024 graduates (in our upstairs Gallery 3 space), from 26 September – 16 November.

Isabel Walker’s photography focuses on social connections found through subcultures in the electronic music industry. Her project, Hold Tight, highlights the strength of the community and the challenges some people face around access and inclusion to these specific music environments.

Eleni Karypidou showcases her project, Breaking the Silence; a participatory art project between Eleni, fellow student Isabel Walker and women from HMP Styal. Together, the group explored ideas of freedom of expression through music and dance and questioned our ideas of open and flexible conversation in often inflexible environments. Eleni also worked as a co-curator on the design of the Gallery 3 show.

Anna Wijnhoven presents Embracing the Inevitable, an ongoing collaborative photography project which navigates the real lived experiences of six assisted death advocates who support the actions of the charity Dignity in Dying to legalise assisted death for terminally ill adults with less than six months to live.

For more details, visit the Open Eye Gallery website here

The legendary Earth, Wind and Fire Experience come to Liverpool Philharmonic, held 27 Feb ’26

Just Announced at Liverpool Philharmonic!

The legendary and defining funk, soul & disco band Earth, Wind & Fire will be celebrated live on stage in a show created by their iconic guitarist Al McKay.

The Earth, Wind & Fire Experience reincarnates the spirit of the original band, powerfully delivering hit after hit of the supergroup’s iconic songs with their authentic feel. Audiences will be treated to a show packed with Earth, Wind & Fire’s most iconic hits including After The Love Has Gone, Let’s Groove, Can’t Let Go, September, and more.

Follow the link here to get your tickets 🎫

Tate Hall reopens with new exhibition exploring where great ideas come from, opens 12 Sept ’25

This autumn, the University of Liverpool’s Victoria Gallery & Museum (VG&M) is set to illuminate with the opening of Lightbulb moments, an exhibition that explores the origins of some of Liverpool’s greatest ideas.

Opening on Thursday 11 September 2025 and running through to autumn 2027, the exciting free exhibition will be held in the Tate Hall Museum—located within the VG&M —as it reopens after 5 years closure due to roof restoration and the pandemic.

Great ideas can occur in many places—on a walk, in the shower, or even in bed —and many of them come from Liverpool. This exhibition explores the origins of some of the city’s most remarkable discoveries, innovations, and insights, and invites visitors to reflect on what makes ideas possible in the first place.

Drawing from the rich collections of the University of Liverpool and The National Archives, Lightbulb moments displays 150 objects – from archaeological finds and scientific tools to puzzles and literature. Highlights include teaching materials for Esperanto, the universal language invented by L. Zamenhof in 1887 to promote international peace; a pair of wooden globes – terrestrial (1833) and celestial (1799) – that chart explorers’ routes and mythic constellations while prompting reflection on Britain’s role in global history; and a re-creation of Bagatelle Nouvelle, an 1847 indoor game revived by local primary school children using original trade designs from The National Archives.

Event

Researchers from across the University of Liverpool also play a key role in the exhibition, sharing their own moments of discovery. From history, music, and archaeology to chemistry and medical science, every faculty at the University brings its own lightbulb moment to the story. Highlights include Professor Andrew Weeks‘ creation of the Postpartum Haemorrhage Butterfly—first prototyped at home using a potato masher and LEGO and now a medical device that could save many lives worldwide. Also, Dr Ariel Camp’s breakthrough in biomechanics is also celebrated, which revealed how fish bend their spines and heads upward, reshaping our understanding of animal evolution and influencing robotics.

More than a traditional display, Lightbulb moments is a vibrant celebration of curiosity and creativity—inviting visitors to explore how great ideas take shape and inspiring them to discover their own.

Steve Slack, Lightbulb moments’ curator said: “Throughout history, Liverpool has been a hub of innovation, and this exhibition celebrates the city’s role in fostering great ideas. By weaving together historical and contemporary contributions from Liverpool’s thinkers, creators and visionaries, Lightbulb moments aims to inspire the next generation of innovators. The exhibition reinforces that anyone—from scientists and artists to students and museum visitors—can experience a moment of insight that changes the world.

“As the Tate Hall Museum reopens its doors, Lightbulb moments invites visitors to step inside, be inspired and perhaps even experience their own flashes of brilliance. After all, there’s no better place to have a great idea than in a museum.”

Dr Matt Greenhall, Director of Libraries, Museums and Galleries, University of Liverpool, added: “The reopening of Tate Hall Museum is a momentous occasion. After five years of careful building restoration, it will be wonderful to see this historic space welcoming visitors once again. Lightbulb moments is the perfect exhibition to mark this new chapter, celebrating both the University and the city as a hub of innovation and great ideas.

“The exhibition features unique objects and documents from the University’s significant heritage and cultural collections, alongside the work of our academics, students and city partners.  As we developed the exhibition, we worked closely with our local community—and we’re excited to continue welcoming them into a space designed to spark curiosity, creativity, and conversation. We look forward to Tate Hall Museum being a space where great ideas are showcased, shared, and created!”

Steve Burgess, Head of Exhibitions at The National Archives: “I’m really excited to see Lightbulb moments and delighted that it was inspired by Spirit of Invention. We’re all happy here that we had a small part to play in your opening exhibition. I’m sure it will be very popular.”

VG&M and Lightbulb moments are free to visit, with an accompanying public programme of events and activities designed to engage and inspire visitors of all ages. Visit vgm.liverpool.ac.uk/whats-on/exhibitions/lightbulb-moments