Community Post Type: News

The Reader launches Spellow Library Shared Reading group – open to all, regardless of background/literacy levels

A new Shared Reading group has just launched at Spellow Library Hub in Liverpool for 2025.

The Walton group will run every week on Mondays from 4pm – 5pm.

It is led by a volunteer who has trained as a ‘Reader Leader’ with national charity The Reader based at The Mansion House in Liverpool’s Calderstones Park.

Nichola Ditchfield, Spellow Library Hub Manager, said: “Reading a novel, short story or poem aloud in a group can open up discussions and reflection, fostering a love of reading and flourish imagination.

“I feel these sessions in Spellow Library will benefit the community in many ways including helping to reduce loneliness, increase social connections, relaxation and wellbeing, as well as and understanding. People who come along will be able to share experiences, thoughts, ideas, and memories.

“More importantly reading is a fun and enjoyable activity to be part of and brings a sense of community together which we are hoping to achieve. These groups are open to everyone, regardless of background or literacy levels it is free to attend.”

Anyone interested in joining is invited to drop into the library – located at 125 County Road, Walton, Liverpool L4 3QF.

The group offers a welcoming, inclusive and non-judgmental space where people can connect and share experiences using stories and poems. There is no pressure to talk or read aloud.

It was originally due to start in 2024 after Spellow Library Hub reopened last March but was put on hold following damage caused by devastating riots which swept across the city and UK last summer triggered by events in Southport.

The newly revamped community hub was left severely damaged and parts of the building were badly scorched. A GoFundMe page, https://www.gofundme.com/f/books-for-spellow-lane, set up to support the rebuilding of the library, has so far raised more than £250,000 and even Queen Camilla has donated books.

Donations flooded in from people across the UK and the world including from Nigella Lawson and Children’s Laureate Frank Cottrell-Boyce, a patron of The Reader, who attended the reopening of the library in December 2024.

Nichola added: “Spellow Library will always be a supportive and friendly environment. We offer many services for all walks of life.”

Community services and family-friendly activities include training and skills courses, enterprise business services, Liverpool in work, Smoke-free One Stop Shop, Song and Rhyme sessions for under 5s, Song and dance using BSL signing for under 5’s, welfare rights, councillor’s surgeries, smart classrooms, flexible learning space, public PC’s, hublets, projector, Wi-Fi and smart board.

Liverpool-based national charity The Reader, located in the Grade II listed Mansion House at Calderstones Park, runs around 490 Shared Reading groups across Liverpool City Region and the rest of the UK, including 112 in libraries.

Shared Reading has been shown to improve wellbeing, reduce loneliness and help people find new meaning in their lives, according to the charity’s research and annual feedback from group members and volunteers.

The charity also works with children, families, adults in community spaces, people in dementia care homes, people with physical and mental health conditions, those coping with or recovering from addiction and people in the criminal justice system.

For further information on Liverpool’s Libraries, including Spellow Library Hub visit here: https://liverpool.gov.uk/libraries/. To find out more about Shared Reading in Communities visit here: https://www.thereader.org.uk/shared-reading-wwd/shared-reading-in-communities/.

If you think your organisation or community would benefit from Shared Reading visit here: https://www.thereader.org.uk/get-involved/partner-with-us/.

Oasis manager Marcus Russell comes to Tung Auditorium, held 8 May ’25

This May, The Tung Auditorium present Before Oasis: In Conversation with Marcus Russell – a rare opportunity to hear the story of how one of the UK’s most successful artist managers came to work with Oasis, the definitive act of Britpop.

Along with Dr Mike Jones from the University of Liverpool’s Department of Music – a lifelong friend of Russell’s – they will reflect on memories of Russell’s formative music industry experiences as a young gig promoter. The story begins in his hometown of Ebbw Vale in South Wales, eventually leading to his management of Jones’s band Latin Quarter, which became a springboard to a 40-year career.

The conversation will be followed by an audience Q&A.

Book tickets here

Tate Liverpool + RIBA North Easter holiday ’25 programme of events

Bring your family to Tate Liverpool + RIBA North this Easter holiday! 🍃🐣🌷 Enjoy:

🐞 Bugs Are Us: Family Workshops, 5-21 April
🐛 From creepy crawlies to slimy snails, create your own creatures inspired by artworks from the Tate collection.

🎨 Art Games, every day
🖌️ Pick up a free activity booklet and try the challenges and games

🔍 Mildred’s Albert Dock Art Trail, every day
👣 Find artworks displayed around the Albert Dock

Make Huyton Village special showcase, held 23 – 31 May ’25

Join the team in celebrating the incredible creative talent of Make Huyton Village with a special showcase at Make on the Corner (22 Derby Road, Huyton)! 🎨✨

📅 Exhibition Dates: Friday 23rd May – Saturday 31st May
⏰ Opening Hours: Monday–Saturday, 11am–4pm

Explore a vibrant collection of art, craft, and design from their talented resident makers, artists, and creatives. Over the coming weeks, they’ll be introducing the participating artists—stay tuned! 👀

Local pupils unveil The Book of Knowsley for 2025 — a children’s guide to the borough at celebratory event

Community arts organisation Heart of Glass is thrilled to announce the successful launch of The Book of Knowsley, a unique guidebook created by 220 children from seven primary schools across the borough.

Over 250 people including all the children and teachers involved, parents, the Mayor and Cabinet Member for Culture Cllr Shelley Powell attended the event on Wednesday, March 26th, 2025, at St Chad’s Church in Kirkby, which was a wonderful celebration of the creativity and vision of Knowsley’s youngest residents.

The book, co-created by the children with internationally renowned artists Andy Field and Beckie Darlington, showcases Knowsley through the eyes of the children who live there. Supported through funding from Arts Council England, the guidebook highlights local places the children love, areas they’d like to improve, and their hopes for the future of their community. It’s part of the artists’ The Book of Your Town project, which has inspired children around the world to create guidebooks reflecting their own hometowns.

Featuring readings from the children, and audience participation led by the children, the event provided a unique opportunity for attendees to hear directly from the children who edited the book. Guests were able to explore the finished guidebook and take home signed copies signed by the book editors.

Heart of Glass is proud to have worked with students from seven local primary schools: Cronton Church of England Primary, Holy Family Catholic Primary, Knowsley Village Primary, St Leo’s and Southmead, St Luke’s Catholic Primary, St Marie’s Catholic Primary, and Willow Tree Primary. The illustrations for the book were created by Liverpool illustrator Rosa Kusabbi, with design by Will Brady.

Event

Nat Hughes, Producer at Heart of Glass said:

“This project has been such a fantastic celebration of the creativity and curiosity of these amazing young people. Every step of the way, the children have led the way—shaping the ideas, making decisions, and bringing everything to life. The artists Andy and Beckie were brilliant to work with, as always. They have a real gift for helping children’s ideas shine, making sure their voices are at the heart of it all.”

Mrs Davey, Holy Family Catholic Primary School said:

“Phoebe and Scarlett (book editors) have absolutely loved these afternoon sessions. As well as having fun, it has really built their confidence too. It’s been a real positive experience. “

Artist Andy Field said:

“We have loved the experience of working with so many schools in so many different parts of Knowsley to create this book. It has felt like a true celebration of the breadth and diversity of the area and the myriad connections that bind it together. Seeing all the hundreds of children that wrote the book come together for the launch will remain one of our favourite memories of the entire Book of Your Town project.”

The Book of Knowsley is the latest project in Heart of Glass’s Children and Young People’s programme and forms part of artists’ international The Book of Your Town project. The organisation has previously collaborated with Andy Field and Beckie Darlington on projects such as The Book of St Helens and Lookout and continues to work with them on Project Parr.

Copies will be made available through local venues and libraries. To find out more and get your hands on a copy visit https://www.heartofglass.org.uk/projects-and-events/projects/the-book-of-knowsley

WoWFest birthday celebrations for 2025

Join WoWFest’s birthday celebrations as they welcome old friends and first-time guests for a fantastic festival throughout May 2025.

Ft. Irvine Welsh * Frank Cottrell Boyce * The Singh Twins * Armando Iannucci Michael Rosen * Jackie Kay * Jordan Stephens * Prof. Phil Scraton * Simon O’Brien * Mike Berners-Lee Kit De Waal * Gary Younge * Brian Bilston * Henry Normal * Yusuf Aliamal * Basma Ghalayini Skinnyman * Anaxagorou * lisa luxx * Paddy Hillyard * John Finucane – More announcements coming soon

Events include: Family Friendly 25th Birthday Party at the Palm House, Public Inquiries, A Climate of Lies, Exploring Diversity in Modern Ireland, Liverpool Rising Against Racism, Absurdageddon, Addressing Palestine.

“For our 25th anniversary year our accomplishments are also a powerful reminder of the work still to be done. Together, we continue to write, we continue to fight, and we continue to build a better world. We are, once again, proud to present our festival programme to launch our year of celebrations. Here’s to the next 25 years of Writing on the Wall.”

– Madeline Heneghan and Mike Morris – Co-Directors, Writing on the Wall

Event Tickets and Details here

Smithdown Festival announce first wave of acts for 10th birthday celebration in 2025

The festival will be taking over venues along Smithdown Road and Penny Lane from 2nd to 5th May 2025 for a weekend of free live music, DJs and family friendly fun – all in support of the Whitechapel centre.

Organiser (and owner of Handymans) Kev McArthur says “We’re thrilled to be putting on the biggest festival we’ve done since pre-covid times. There’s so much here to help us celebrate our tenth birthday. What’s on that weekend can get the whole community involved in some way.”

Organiser Andy Scott (and owner of Black Cat) says “After ten years, we’ve seen this area change so much for the better and we’re proud to have made it to this landmark year. This year promises to be one of the most ambitious events we’ve done, with so much happening around the area from a warehouse party to a crochet workshop and everything in between!”

Free Live Music

Up on Smithdown Road, brewery taproom Handymans will host scouse synth pop trio Stealing Sheep DJs, African beats from Mamadou and The Lekette, plus up and coming talent from Ellis Murphy and Clockwork Gibbons.

Popular student haunt Black Cat has live music all weekend from the likes of indie rockers Mexican Dogs and Gen and The Degenerates, non-binary DJ collective SISU, and the Big Bank Holiday Hangover Quiz – event festival organiser Andy will be jumping onstage for a gig with his punk outfit Snakes Everywhere! Nomad have a DJ takeover from Everybody Dance and Juicebox. Franks Bar will be bringing old school dance with InDemand Radio DJs including Chris Cee.

Further down the road towards Penny Lane, coffee shop Bean There has a synth night from local promoters Skylark, whilst Penny Lane Wine Bar, Leaf and The Tavern are hosting a raft of local live talent.

Community

As part of the celebrations we’ve put together a broader programme of activities for the community too. Including our first Alcohol Free outdoor stage, held at Quaker Community Garden. There will be walking tours of Toxteth cemetery, while Smithdown Litfest will be hosting a book talk from musician turned author R. Peter Davies at Smithdown Social Arts Hub.

The Arts Hub will also host a 24 hour fundraising Art-A-Thon, with local artists creating art to auction. We will also be working with local community group Liverpool Together, an organisation that tackles loneliness amongst older people with a program of activities such as Pub Quiz and crochet workshop.

The Big Clean will be a huge volunteer led litter pick throughout Wavertree taking place before, during and after the festival – sponsored by Handymans and Black Cat. Big Clean Volunteers will be rewarded for an hour of their time with drinks tokens to use over the weekend – to get involved with The Big Clean please email smithdownfestival@gmail.com

Family friendly

For the families, we have teamed up with Penny Lane Development Trust for a two day outdoor family area including live music from the Rock Project music school, Atomic Wrestling, face painting, arts and crafts, market stalls and a picnic area.

Along with this the Wavertree Coffee House will have a fun afternoon of outdoor live music, inflatables and bbq. Smithdown Social Arts Hub will also be hosting a ‘zine making workshop.

History

Smithdown Festival is a non profit community organisation, with the aim of improving community cohesion whilst promoting grassroots music and arts in Wavertree. Over the past ten years we’ve been lucky enough to have acts on including Craig Charles, Space, Krafty Kuts, Idles, Stone, John Power, The Mysterines, Dave McCabe, Beardyman, Katy McGrath.

Warehouse After Party

For the first time ever, they will also be hosting a ticketed afterparty to be held at Wellington Yard featuring DJ sets from Girls Don’t Sync members G33 and Hannah Lynch, fast-rising multi genre DJ Amber Rose and many many others across two warehouse spaces. All proceeds from ticket sales go towards keeping the festival free. There are limited early bird tickets available from skiddle.com

For more information and up to date line up head to SmithdownFestival.com where more listings will be added over the coming weeks.

Unity Theatre Awarded Heritage Lottery Grant to Celebrate Its Cultural and Political Legacy

Unity Theatre Awarded Heritage Lottery Grant

Unity Theatre is delighted to announce that they have received a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund to embark on a year-long project exploring our rich cultural and political heritage. This exciting initiative will not only honour Unity’s past but also shape its future, reinforcing our role as a vital hub for radical and inclusive theatre in Liverpool.

Through a multi-faceted heritage project, we will celebrate our building’s unique history—first as a synagogue and later as a home for political and grassroots theatre. Key elements of the project include:

  • A theatre project celebrating Unity’s incredible history, as well as a new ‘Young Radical Theatre Makers’ group, empowering the next generation of artists to create bold, socially engaged theatre.
  • The cataloguing and digitalization of our archives by Liverpool John Moores University Library, ensuring our history is preserved for future generations, with an exhibition of key items
  • Oral history recordings of people connected with Unity and talks featuring prominent local radical figures, shedding light on Liverpool’s activist past.
  • The installation of original stained-glass features within our building, reconnecting us to our synagogue origins.

Unity Theatre’s home on Hope Place has been a place of gathering, worship, and artistic expression for over 160 years. Built in 1857 as Liverpool’s first synagogue for the New Hebrew Congregation, it later became Hope Place Synagogue in 1937, serving the city’s Liberal Jewish community until 1962.

By the late 20th century, the space transformed into a theatre, continuing its legacy as a place for community, discussion, and social change. Our roots trace back to the 1930s, when the Workers’ Theatre Movement used performance to amplify the voices of the working class. Originally known as the Merseyside Left Theatre, the company staged performances on street corners, in pubs, and in community halls, tackling issues such as workers’ rights, unemployment, and the rise of fascism.

In 1944, the company merged with London Unity Theatre, becoming part of a national movement dedicated to radical, politically engaged theatre. Ever since, Unity Theatre has championed bold, thought-provoking work that challenges the status quo and speaks to those often excluded from mainstream theatre.

At a time when the world faces increasing uncertainty and inequality, Unity Theatre’s history as a platform for resistance and storytelling has never felt more relevant. This project, initiated by our new Artistic Director, reflects a deep commitment to honouring our legacy while creating innovative new theatre that amplifies diverse voices, re-engages local communities, and fosters activism through the arts.

‘This has been a passion project of mine since I started at the Unity, our heritage isn’t present in our building and the vast archive is just sitting in boxes. I’m so excited to explore the history, create work and celebrate our heritage.

Unity is one of the few remaining theatres connected to the Workers’ Theatre Movement serving as a reminder of the powerful connection between art and activism. This seems particularly relevant with the state of the world today’

Elinor Randle- Artistic Director

‘LJMU Library are delighted to work with the Unity Theatre on this project. The Unity’s archives are a rich resource for the history of theatre, and for social and cultural history more broadly. The funding from HLF will allow LJMU to enhance online and physical access to this material and to engage with new audiences.’

Susannah Waters, Head of Academic Services, LJMU Library

Independents Biennial returns for 2025

Liverpool Independents Biennial 2025

Independents Biennial 2025 will return to Liverpool City Region with 22 new artistic commissions, 64 artists and new work appearing across Liverpool, Sefton, Knowsley, Wirral and St Helens.

The artist-led festival, which runs concurrently to Liverpool Biennial, is created to showcase the vibrant art and art scene of the city-region.

The Independents Biennial has been showcasing the work of grassroots artists since 1999 and has been known by various names including Tracey, Biennial Fringe and Liverpool Independents. It is managed by Art in Liverpool but programmed at venues and locations across the city-region by artists, artist groups, art studios and artist networks.

In 2025, art will be exhibited at over 120 locations, some of which are traditional art spaces, others which are empty or unused high street or retail units. This year’s venues include Bidston Observatory, Hilbre Island, Dibbinsdale Nature Reserve, Bluecoat, The Atkinson, Huyton Village, The World of Glass, Crown Building Studios, Liverpool ONE, Mersey Ferries, Hamilton Square, Victoria Road in New Brighton and Fort Perch Rock.

The artists who are commissioned as part of Independents Biennial live and work in one of Liverpool city-region’s boroughs.

Those commissioned artists are Claire Beerjeraz, CBS Gallery, Rebecca Chesney, Jon Davies & the Sound Art Network, Alan Dunn, Ellis Eyo Thompson, Amy Flynn, Freddy Franke & Rat Shack, George Grace Gibson & Gee Collins, Ellie Hoskins, Anna Jane Houghton & Abbie Bradshaw, Noel Jones & 24 Hope Street, Brigitte Jurack, Dongni Laing, Georgina Tyson & The Royal Standard, Sufea Mohamad Noor, Daniel O’Dempsey, Tom Stockley & Ruaíri Valentine, The Drawing Paper (Show), Stephanie Trujillo, Jacques Verkade & Callan Waldron Hall, and Les Weston.

Patrick Kirk Smith is Director of Art in Liverpool and Lead producer of Independents Biennial:

“2025 has been twenty-six years in the making. The festival responds to the needs of Merseyside’s artist networks as things stand, by promoting, supporting and creating new gallery provisions, actively commissioning artists at every stage of their career, and continuing to support artists regardless of cash funds, because the Independents isn’t about making what’s possible, or what’s allowed, or supported. It’s always been about what’s not possible, and what goes unsupported. So we’re here, trying our best to support where we can, and that looks different for every artist.

This summer, that makes Merseyside look different for everybody, whether you’re wandering around a nature reserve or squished into a single car garage for a DJ set.”

The print magazine Art in Liverpool will act as a programme for the festival, alongside digital platforms, allowing people to find out what’s on and read more about the art and artists in the newspaper.

Visit their website here.