Community Post Type: News

Deaf School, the massively influential Liverpool band play a special show at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall in July 2026.

On 3 July 1976, Deaf School made their one and only appearance at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, a month prior to releasing their debut album 2nd Honeymoon. Anything looked possible… until the arrival of punk changed everything.

But that first album’s art-rock style, with its roots in cabaret, resonates to this day and the band went on to be an important influence on many British musicians. For Frankie Goes to Hollywood singer Holly Johnson, “[Deaf School] revived Liverpool music for a generation”.

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Head along to a daily tour (Tuesday to Sunday) between 13:00 – 13:20 for a brief introduction to FACT and their current exhibitions.

Led by their friendly Visitor Experience team, tours are open to everyone and filled with stories and insights about film, art and the history of FACT. No need to book, just turn up!

Suitable to all ages, they adapt their tours to you.

Visit their website here

We’re hosting an in-person launch of a digital exhibition about the work of renowned science-fiction author Brian Aldiss (1925 – 2017) to coincide with the centenary of his birth.

You will get the chance to see some of the physical items that will appear in the exhibition and hear about the life and work of one of science fiction’s most influential authors.

Grab your FREE ticket!

📅 Saturday 23 August
🕒 3pm – 5pm
🎟️ FREE tickets, refreshments included

Visit their website here

An exciting all-star line-up of Liverpool talent will entertain audiences at the Epstein Theatre’s special Gala Opening event this September.

The sparkling gala evening at the historic Hanover Street landmark will take place on Friday, 19 September – Brian Epstein’s birthday.

Tickets are on sale now priced from £25.50.

National treasure Ricky Tomlinson will cut a ceremonial ribbon to officially open the theatre, marking the beginning of a new era for the beloved 110-year-old venue.

Acclaimed Liverpool group The Christians are set to headline the event which will also see appearances from Liverpool actors Andrew Lancel and Joe McGann, songstress Charlotte Gallagher, much-loved troubadour Asa Murphy and acoustic duo The Skylarks.

And students from the city’s creative media institution LMA, which has a special relationship with the Epstein Theatre, will open the show.

The Christians burst on to the music scene in the late 1980s with their self-titled debut which still remains Island Records’ highest-selling debut album – and contained seven amazing singles including Forgotten Town, Ideal World, Hooverville and Born Again. The band’s second album Colour was released in 1991 and proceeded to knock Phil Collins off the top of the charts.

The Liverpool stars went on to enjoy many years of UK and European success with Words, Father and other hits from their follow up album Happy in Hell.

Lead singer Gary Christian still sounds as good today as he did back then, and the band is constantly touring as well as being invited to appear at many prestigious festivals where it has a reputation for delivering a belting set packed full of the hits which bring back pure happiness and nostalgia for the crowd.

Much-loved actor and comedian Ricky Tomlinson is best known for his roles as Bobby Grant in Brookside, DCI Charlie Wise in Cracker and Jim Royle in The Royle Family. He also played the title character in the film Mike Bassett: England Manager and is a very keen musician who plays both banjo and harmonica. Most recently, Liverpool audiences will have seen him on stage in the hit musical Irish Annie’s.

Award-winning stage and screen star Andrew Lancel is best known for his roles in The Bill and Coronation Street. On stage among his many credits he has appeared as Brian Epstein in Epstein: The Man Who Made the Beatles which was premiered at the theatre in 2012, and in Cilla the Musical.

Joe McGann is the eldest of the legendary Liverpool acting clan and has enjoyed a stellar career on stage and screen, starring in shows including The Upper Hand, The Hanging Gale, Madame Bovary, The Brylcream Boys, Hollyoaks and Kaos. His stage credits include Ghost the Musical, Guys and Dolls, Urinetown, Les Miserables, Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof and Lost Monsters at the Liverpool Everyman. In 2007 he was one of the Three Magi in the Liverpool Nativity.

Talented singer and dancer Charlotte Gallagher will have you on the edge of your seat with her incredible vocals. The Liverpool performer is known for her celebration of some of the world’s most celebrated divas, from Whitney Houston to Alicia Keys, and has also performed on stage with stars like Strictly’s Giovanni Pernice as well as being in demand to sing at major events.

Meanwhile musician, broadcaster and playwright Asa Murphy has been a successful entertainer for two decades, during which he has performed all over the world singing Big Band swing music and his own self-penned songs. He has sold out Ronnie Scott’s, topped the bill at the Liverpool Empire and has enjoyed a long-running BBC Radio show.

He is also the creator of thrilling stage shows Irish Annie’s, Buddy Holly Lives and Mack the Knife.

The Opening Gala will also feature The Skylarks, a Liverpool-based mother and daughter acoustic duo who appeared on The Voice. They perform Irish, folk, country and pop and are known for their fiddle, guitar and vocal harmonies.

They will honour the musical legacy of the venue from its earliest days as the Crane Concert Hall to the present day.

The Epstein started life in November 1915 as a concert hall situated above the Crane brothers’ music emporium in Hanover Street.

The venue was renamed the Crane Theatre in 1938, and in 1967 the lease was taken over by the then Liverpool Corporation. Following refurbishment of the auditorium, including the stage, it reopened the following year as the Neptune Theatre.

A long-time favourite of local amateur drama groups along with visiting performers and comedians, the venue was closed in 2005 due to health and safety concerns. When it reopened its doors in 2011, following a £1.2 million upgrade, it gained its current name – the Epstein Theatre – in honour of the late Brian Epstein.

The Grade II listed landmark had been closed for almost two years when it was taken over by its current leaseholders and a new management team, and since it reopened its doors it has  developed an opening season programme of entertainment which reflects the theatre’s century-long role as the home of local talent, national touring productions, music, comedy and pantomime.

Epstein Theatre General Manager Anthony Proctor said: “I’m so excited to reveal the fantastic line-up we have for the Gala Opening which takes place on 19 September – Brian Epstein’s birthday. Although we reopened the Epstein’s doors in April, this is the official relaunch of the theatre, and I’m absolutely delighted Ricky Tomlinson will join us to cut the ribbon.

“With some of the brightest Liverpool stars of stage, screen and music set to appear, the evening should be a truly memorable and very special occasion – and it will definitely have a real party atmosphere.

“I’m very proud of the programme we have created for this opening season at Hanover Street – we’re committed to presenting top quality performers to Liverpool audiences, and the brilliant response of theatregoers to the shows we have staged so far has really bowled us over.”

For more details visit the Epstein Theatre website www.epsteintheatre.com

Bluecoat Display Centre’s Featured Artist Member for August 2025 is the jeweller Paul Finch

Paul was inspired to make jewellery during his travels in Asia and has been working as a self-taught designer jeweller since 1998. He is now based in Southern France.

Paul uses a variety of techniques to create distinctive ranges of jewellery characterized by simplicity and elegance. A love of strong form is key to his work. He aims to create sculptural pieces in silver or gold combined with diamonds or gemstones in unusual settings.

See their website here

After another outstanding year for solo exhibitions, the ArtHouse in Southport will be playing host to Southport Contemporary Arts’ keenly anticipated mixed-classes group exhibition opening in August.

The SCA network began in 2009 and was set up to embrace the fact that Southport is home to a host of different art practitioners – both professional and amateur – working across a broad variety of disciplines.

This year’s showcase at the ArtHouse is now able to draw upon the diverse range of SCA’s current weekly taught art classes and workshops – Kaleidoscope Arts – that continue to attract a wide selection of Sefton creatives to its well equipped studios at ArtsLoft and ClayWorks in Southport‘s town centre.

Regular attendees, Chris Brown from Burscough and Rena White from Southport are both unanimous in their praise for the activities on offer: “A friendly group and a safe space to develop and learn new techniques” and “There is always something to inspire us in these classes!”

Jo Smith from Hillside, who attends Amanda Clark-Price’s Mixed Media Art class, is equally buoyed up by the experience: “Amanda’s art class has brought me such joy and happiness. I look at the world differently now”.

Amanda is also responsible for the Young Creatives Club which meet each Wednesday aimed at 7-15 year olds keen to develop their skills by working on a range of projects including, drawing, painting, printing and 3d and having lots of creative fun along the way.

Aimed at nurturing the artistic talents of the individual, although each of SCA’s Kaleidoscope Arts groups of students is introduced to the same skills, it is the way in which each artist then goes on to apply them in their own work that is key.

As Norrie Beswick Calvert, one of the SCA directors, emphasizes: “We are really proud of the developments that our students make and seeing their individuality shine through is an added bonus”.

Since its inception SCA has annually gone from strength to strength, adding the ClayWorks studio in May 2016 in response to the need from local artists who wanted to work in ceramics.  A year later in April 2017, the suite of craft studios above ClayWorks – ArtsLoft – was set up to deliver hands-on participation across a wide range of art and craft based workshops.  In accord with its all-embracing policy to engage with as many local artists and practitioners as possible, a stair lift was added to provide full access to the first floor studio space.

Deliberately keeping the groups small and informal, the convivial classes cater for beginners, improvers and experienced creatives alike. Over the last 12 months Kaleidoscope Arts has offered regular Constructed Textiles, Ceramics and Mixed Media activities in addition to specialist taster workshops led by professional and experienced artists from the SCA fraternity covering such activities as book binding with Debbie Matthews and origami with Becky Atherton.

Local textile artist from Formby, Jo Landy, who leads the Thursday class, confirms: “The Creative Textile class is a joy to teach – all abilities are catered for and the class members derive a great deal of inspiration and encouragement from each other. We cover all aspects of textiles including print, stitch, felt making and heat techniques and it is lovely to see new skills being learned and translated into finished pieces. Everyone works at their own pace and they continue to surprise me with very individual and quality work”.

Additionally, each Friday afternoon there is also an Adult Autism Friendly Art Class led by mixed-media artist from Banks, Linda Heavon. Built around nurturing creative skills in adults that have Autism spectrum challenges, each student is supported to freely experiment using a variety of media as well as promoting positive interaction within the group as a whole.

Linda explains:“This year the Autism Friendly Art Group decided to take a deeper dive into a specific medium of their choice, using our sessions to explore the different properties of various art materials to develop skills and build confidence in their uses. Whether it be watercolour or acrylic paints, oil pastels or tempera sticks, papercraft or gel-plate printing, our artists fearlessly embarked on their personal journey of creative discovery.”

Some of the most popular classes occur at ClayWorks, SCA’s dedicated fit-for-purpose ceramics studio. Timetabled classes are scheduled twice-daily weekdays and delivered by a team of skilled potters. Students across the week are encouraged to exploit a wide range of making and decorating methods, including coiling, slab building, casting, throwing and glazing.

Southport potter, Alice Odgers, who has previously worked as a ceramics instructor in summer camps in America and Canada, oversees 4 of the ClayWorks’ classes: “Being part of a network of people expressing themselves through creativity is amazing. Our sessions and its members are diverse, each with their own pottery styles and abilities. It’s great to see the students work with one another, to see ideas grow and confidence flourish during our pottery sessions, which is reflected in the works now on display.”

A new addition to the Kaleidoscope Arts timetable is Becky Atherton’s “Painting for Pleasure” class which currently meets up every Monday: “If you want to switch off from the outside world and become absorbed in your artwork this is the place to be. We work in a very calm and relaxed way drawing inspiration from different artists and reference materials that I research and bring in which include seascapes, still life, nature and portraiture. The group are also encouraged to bring in their own reference materials if something sparks their imagination. We work in acrylics and I support individuals with colour mixing, experimentation, composition and pointers on how to improve.”

Additionally, Kaleidoscope Arts now offers two monthly workshops – ‘Life Drawing’ led by Dawn Summerlin and ‘Machine Sewing skills & Constructed Textiles’ led by Sue Burns – as well as staging a series of ‘pop-up’ Creative Specials throughout the year.

Norrie concludes: “If you’re thinking of making a start on, or developing your skills, why not think about joining one of our small, group friendly sessions and let your creativity fly!”

More information about SCA’s current series of workshops and classes can be found at www.sca-network.co.uk or by emailing to arthousesca@gmail.com.

‘Create It Together’ is a celebratory exhibition and sale of work that certainly confirms the diversity and resourcefulness of these talented homegrown artisans. SCA’s Kaleidoscope Arts Mixed-Classes Group Exhibition will be on display at the ArtHouse, Eastbank Street from 19^th August – 6^th September 2025.  The gallery is open Tuesday – Friday 10.00-15.00.  Saturday 11.00-16.00.

Diaries at the ready, Tate Liverpool’s August events are here!

🐟 Dive into Tate Liverpool‘s free Making Waves summer holiday workshops! 🌊 Create your own 3D sea creature, inspired by the marine life featured in artworks from the Tate collection.

Every day until 31 August, 10.00-16.00.

🎨 Follow their Art Trail around Royal Albert Dock Liverpool and find 6 Tate artworks and 5 hidden letters.

Available every day.