Community Post Type: News

We’re sharing this information because it might be helpful for the wider arts & culture sector to know about the services that the Windrush Help Team can provide. Many of us work with diverse communities in the city region, which may include individuals eligible for the schemes.

If you’ve had problems because you couldn’t prove your legal right to live in the UK, you could be eligible for compensation.

If you’ve suffered – whether in a big or small way – because you couldn’t prove your legal right to live in the UK you could be eligible for compensation.

Compensation is available to people of all ages and nationalities including those from African, Asian and Caribbean backgrounds. And it’s now easier to apply.

The Windrush Help Team promotes Windrush, whether in relation to documentation or compensation, working with different stakeholders in the community, to reach people from different backgrounds. Most people think about Windrush in terms of just the Caribbean but the schemes are open to many other people facing problems concerning how they arrived in the UK.

The Windrush Help Team can offer information presentations, Q&A sessions, information stands, consultation, and advocacy training.

Find out more about the Windrush Help Team.

View/Download the Windrush Eligibility Handout Flyer

View/Download the Windush Compensation Flyer

Culture Knowsley are THRILLED to announce the return of the Knowsley Music Festival this November and have they got a line up for you!

Catch China Crisis, Pete Wylie and the Mighty Wah! and Deaf School at three fantastic Knowsley venues!

Knowsley Music Festival began in 2022 as part of celebrations for Knowsley’s year as the Liverpool City region Borough of Culture. The annual festival and the smaller Knowsley Music Festival ‘Extra’ have welcomed artists and performers such as Craig Charles, The Lightning Seeds, Space, John Power, The Christians, Mick Head, and the Red Elastic Band, plus many more up-and-coming artists from across the Liverpool City Region.

As well as the main festival, the Knowsley Fringe Music Festival is an opportunity for local artists and venues to host music events of their own at locations throughout the Borough. You can find out more about the Fringe Festival here: Knowsley Fringe Music Festival 2024: Be part of it!

Knowsley Music Festival runs from the 7– 22 November 2024.

More details at: https://orlo.uk/DOCfA

Tickets on sale soon… 👀

Wonder Boy is a heartwarming story of a 12-year-old boy’s journey to overcome a stammer. Winner of Writers’ Guild Award for Best Play 2023, written by Ross Willis (Wolfie) and directed by the Olivier-award winning Sally Cookson (A Monster Calls) is coming to Liverpool Playhouse from Wednesday 25 September to Saturday 28 September.

Wonder Boy is an inspiring story about the power of communication told through the experiences of 12-year-old Sonny who stammers and has to find his way in a world ruled by vicious vowels, confusing consonants and the biggest beast of them all – small talk.

LAMDA graduates Hilson Agbangbe who plays Sonny, and Naia Elliott-Spence, who plays Roshi are making their professional theatre debut. Ciaran O’Breen (Lord of The Flies, Leeds Playhouse/Belgrade Theatre Coventry/Rose Theatre Kingston and Can Bears Ski?, Deafinitely Theatre/Pied Piper Theatre) plays Captain Chatter, joined by Eva Scott (Fool Me Once, Netflix; EastEnders, BBC; Work It Out, HOME Manchester and Betty!: A Sort of Musical, Royal Exchange Theatre) as Wainwright, and Jessica Murrain (As You Like It, Globe Theatre and King Lear, West End) as Sonny’s Mum/Fish, along with understudies Samir Mahat, Matt Lim, Hannah Balogun and Meg Matthews.

This production is packed with playful humour, dazzling visuals by set and costume designer Katie Sykes, and thrilling original music by composer Benji Bower. All performances include live creative captioning on stage throughout, designed by Tom Newell of the award-winning Limbic Cinema.Sally Cookson, the director of Wonder Boy said:“The play is about what happens when a person communicates differently and the challenges they face when fluent speech is the expected societal norm. It felt entirely natural to include Creative Captions as part of the overall design of the show to tap into the major theme of communication. Creative Captioning involves incorporating the entire text into the world of the play. We don’t just display the words on a small digital strip positioned either to the left or right of the stage, we ensure that all the words spoken are visually central to the piece.”

Catherine Woolley, Children and Families Programme Lead from STAMMA (the largest UK charity and membership organisation representing people who stammer) added:

“While the play tackles some complex and at times emotionally challenging concepts, it does so with a masterful blend of light and shade. Wonder Boy will make you laugh. It might make you cry. It will definitely make you think. Most importantly, it highlights that communicating confidently, not being fluent, is the real success.”

Sally Cookson is the co-founder of the Bristol Old Vic Youth theatre. She has received four Olivier nominations for Peter Pan (National Theatre/Bristol Old Vic); Hetty Feather (Kenny Wax Productions); Cinderella a Fairytale (Tobacco Factory Theatre) and A Monster Calls (Old Vic London) which won Best Family and Entertainment in 2019. The creative team also includes Aideen Malone (lighting designer), Jonathan Everett (sound designer), Laila Diallo (movement director), Mary Sutherland (associate director), Claire Llewellyn (fight director), Sophia Khan (costume and wigs supervisor), Annelie Powell (casting director) and BSL consultant David Ellington.

Access performances including BSL, Audio Description and relaxed performances will be available for this show. Creative captioning will be used at all performances.

Tickets priced from £11 to £31 are available at www.everymanplayhouse.com/whats-on/wonder-boy

In response to the recent events, Liverpool City Council have produced community wellbeing toolkits to help residents, services users and staff.

The information is also part of the Liverpool Kind to Your Mind website – difficult or traumatic events page.

They know that everyone reacts differently to tough or traumatic experiences. Seeing or hearing about conflict or violence can be really upsetting, and for some, it can be pretty overwhelming.

The website and toolkit remind us that there are times when its ok to not be ok, provides advice and guidance on ways to start feeling better, when and how to get support if needed and how to support someone you may be worried about. In Liverpool they have a dedicated Reach Out campaign for anyone facing crisis or concerned about someone else.

The Kind to your Mind messages and resources are for all Liverpool organisations and partners to use, with resources in English and translated into other languages.

The Girl in the Mirror: Isobel’s Dream, covers the topic of school bullying, and how schoolchildren should deal with it.

It also touches on subjects of friendship, honesty, loyalty and relationships between young family members and their elders. a collection of children’s fantasy short stories aimed at 9–11 year olds, showing the importance of empathy toward disabled people.

Isobel, the young disabled girl in the story idolises Paralympian Hannah Cockroft, and the story centres around her friends trying to raise enough money to buy Isobel a racing wheelchair.

Author James Walker is based in Liverpool and has set this book there. He is keen to promote in the local area.

The Girl in the Mirror: Isobel’s Dream is due to be published on the 28^th September 2024.

Further information on The Girl in the Mirror: Isobel’s Dream is available from Troubador, at: https://troubador.co.uk/bookshop/young-children/the-girl-in-the-mirror-isobel-s-dream

Comedian and Author Ian Stone will start a full UK tour in September, including a performance in Liverpool on 14 September at Liverpool’s Hot Water Comedy Club.

Ian will embark on his first UK national tour -“… about time” – with a brand new show, ‘Ian Stone is Keeping it Together’. Kicking off in Leicester at Firebug on 15 September, touching London’s Comedy Store on 18 November and ending in Birmingham at The Glee Club on 29 November. For UK Tour Tickets visit – www.ianstonecomedian.co.uk

Ian IS keeping it together but only just. Yes, he has all his own hair and teeth and keeps tight control over his between-meal snacking, but what does it matter when the Tories are still in power, there’s war in the middle East, and Donald Trump could be allowed back (back!!) into the White House? How can there be such terrible pain and suffering in the world even though Ian always rates his WhatsApp calls, package delivery and parking experience? And what happens to all the pens he buys? These and other questions will get the answers they deserve.

Ian Stone is “A masterful exponent of self-mocking Jewish humour” according to The Times. He has been ranked as “one of the top ten comedians in the UK” by The Independent and The Guardian has described him as “Seriously funny”. His show at the 2023 Edinburgh Fringe, ‘Ian Stone will Make it Better’, played to packed houses and won a Spirit of The Fringe award.

Ian is also a prolific broadcaster and author, known for his appearances on satirical, political, and sports TV and radio shows. Currently hosts the “Handbrake Off”, the Athletic’s Arsenal podcast, where he talks about his favourite team, Arsenal FC. Their first live show recording in November was a sold-out success at the Leicester Square Theatre in London.

As an author he wrote the book, “To Be Someone”, part auto-biography, part social history and part love letter to Paul Weller and The Jam. Ian has written for various publications, his op-ed for Chortle entitled “Why is there so little political comedy at the Edinburgh Fringe?”, published last year – was cited by The Observer and The Guardian in an article about how “standup has taken a sharp turn towards inner trauma in recent years”. Ian also had guest columns published in Men’s Fitness, and a monthly column in The Arsenal Magazine.

Ian Stone is Keeping it Together UK Tour 2024

13 September – Leicester, Firebug
14 September – Liverpool, Hot Water Comedy Club
19 September – Grantham, Guildhall Theatre
21 September – Milton Keynes, The Stables
17 October – Brighton, The Forge
18 October – Southampton, The Attic
19 October – Leeds, The Wardrobe
23 October – Aldershot, The West End Centre
24 October – Biggleswade, Bigg Theatre
6 November – Maidenhead, Nordern Farm
7 November – Lyme Regis, Marine Theatre
8 November – Bristol, Hen And Chickens
9 November – Bordon, Phoenix Arts
15 November – Guildford, Electric Theatre
16 November – Newcastle, The Stand
17 November – Glasgow, The Stand
18 November – London, The Comedy Store
22 November – Tring, Dembe Theatre (formerly The Court Theatre)
23 November – Cambridge, The Junction
28 November – Luton, The Hat Factory
29 November – Birmingham, The Glee Club

The annual YEP Directors Festival takes place at Liverpool Everyman from Friday 27 September to Saturday 12 October, 2024.

Following the festival, on Friday 25 and Saturday 26 October, the YEP Writers Showcase will present new works by nine YEP writers. With five directors collaborating with YEP Producers and YEP Technicians, this year’s festival highlights the new talents emerging from the award-winning Young Everyman & Playhouse [YEP] programme.

The first show of the festival is Play House by Martin Crimp. It tells the story of a young couple, Simon and Katrina, played by Reice Carmichael and Sophie Wolstenholme, as they attempt to make a home across thirteen brief scenes, covering work, pregnancy, parents, and weird neighbours. The play is directed by Eira Murphy, produced by Natalia Szumiec, and runs on Friday 27 and Saturday 28 September.

Ruckus by Jenna Fincken is a one-woman thriller inspired by true stories of women’s experiences. It delves into the issue of coercive control, a problem that tragically claims the lives of up to three women a week in the UK. Olivia Parsons plays Louise, with her partner Ryan voiced offstage by Francis J. Brack. Directed by Kate Thornhill and produced by Jay Branigan, it runs on Tuesday 1 and Wednesday 2 October.

Bull by Mike Bartlett, directed by Dominic Quinn and produced by Libby Laycock will be on stage from Friday 4 to Saturday 5 October. An exploration of the blurred lines between office politics and playground bullying. Three young, highly ambitious employees Tony, Thomas and Isobel are played by Reiss Barber, Adam Gannon and Lizzie Wilde, and the manager Carter is played by Cellan Scott.

Middle by David Eldridge, directed by Olivia Byrne and produced by Ellie Luke, delves into the relationship between Maggie and Gary, played by Heather Tomlinson and Cellan Scott, as it reaches a crossroads. This sharp drama offers a poignant portrayal of middle-aged, middle-class marriage runs on Tuesday 8 and Wednesday 9 October.

Burying Your Brother in the Pavement by Jack Thorne is a play specially written for young people, telling a story of sibling grief with emotional honesty and imaginative flair. Tom is played by Alfie Ross, Joel Cousins as Luke, and Molly Rosa Hannah plays their sister Courtney. Sam Kelly portrays Luke’s friend, Tight and features Jemma Iveson in various roles. This play, directed by Tyler Kane and produced by Caitlin Henry, runs on Friday 11 and Saturday 12 October. This year’s Festival Producer is Kathryn McEvilly.

Hayley Lindley-Thornhill, Head of Young People & Community of the Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse theatres said:

“YEP Directors Festival is a very special event as it marks the end of our training programme for 18-25 year old Directors. Since February, they have been developing and learning their skills and directing their first full-length show in our studio space. Each Director is supported by one of our YEP Producers with a team of technicians from our YEP Technicians programme. It enables our YEP company to collaborate with each other and really takeover our spaces.”

Following the YEP Directors Festival, the YEP Writers Showcase will take place on Friday 25 and Saturday 26 October. The event will spotlight new work by this year’s YEP Writers, including Sam Cooper, Anais Paul, Libby Raby, Hope Tsuma, Ro Lewis, Erin Eynon-Daly, Liana Khonje, Evyn Seaton-Mooney, and Beattie. There will be an open casting call for four paid acting opportunities for the Showcase. Details will be shared on our website on Friday 23 August.

Tommo Fowler, New Works Associate of the theatres added:

“Over the past year, a group of young poets, screen-writers, essayists and artists have come together to read, watch, analyse and disagree about plays – and now the time has come for them to write one! 

This incisive and hilarious group of emerging playwrights will be showcasing ten-minute scenes, putting all they’ve learned into practice to create a constellation of pieces that are sure to entertain, move and inspire.“

YEP offers training in directing, creative writing, and technical theatre for 18-25 year olds. The Directors Festival and Writers Showcase are supported by the Everyman & Playhouse Theatres, which have been igniting creative sparks and fostering talent development for decades.

Tickets are priced at £5. For more information and tickets visit www.everymanplayhouse.com/yep-directors-festival-2024 .

The historic site of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Stuart Sutcliffe and Pete Best’s first performance as The Beatles is set to be honoured with a commemorative plaque from World Origin Site.

In August 1960 at The Jacaranda on Slater Street in Liverpool John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison played alongside Stuart Sutcliffe and Pete Best for their first performance under the name that was to make musical history, The Beatles.

The location of this historic performance has long been acknowledged by dedicated fans and music historians, yet it remains relatively unknown to the wider fan base. However, this is about to change. Tourists in Liverpool and visitors to Slater Street will soon be able to take a photo in front of the place where The Beatles truly began.

World Origin Site places plaques at pivotal locations where groundbreaking events shaped the modern world. Among its accredited sites are landmarks such as the first rocket launch, the Wright brothers’ inaugural powered flight, and the discovery of penicillin. The plaque at The Jacaranda marking The Beatles’ first performance will proudly join this esteemed company.

“The Jacaranda exemplifies everything Music Venue Trust and the community of grassroots music venues across the country have been telling the government and the music industry for ten years. It’s a space with an incredible history that is still playing a key role in supporting and nurturing news and developing artists. It’s fantastic to see this important plaque recognise its historic role, and just as important that the new government works with the live music industry to ensure that its vital role in the future of UK music is equally respected and appreciated.” Mark Davyd, CRO Music Venue Trust

Dave McCabe, Frontman of The Zutons: “Grassroots music venues like The Jacaranda are so important because without them there’s no growth, there’s no education and there’s no real experience. They give you a chance to learn about what it is you love about music and find an answer as to why you wanted to do it in the first place.”

Martin Wilkie, Director of World Origin Site “We are here to help venues, museums and companies focus on the people, places and moments that have helped to make our modern world. We started by highlighting the laboratory in which Fleming discovered Penicillin, Kitty Hawk where the Wright Brothers proved man could fly and even The Isle of Wight where Marconi built the world’s first radio station. Without these discoveries and inventions the world might not have ever had The Beatles!’

Graham Stanley, Director of The Jacaranda – “We have always been proud of our Beatles heritage, but we haven’t had a clear way to explain it until now. Being awarded World Origin Site status is an amazing privilege for us. It probably wasn’t a big gig for the band; their name and reputation were really made during the Hamburg tour which began just days later. But our venue is where they adopted the most famous band name in history.”

Diane Glover, Marketing Manager at The Beatles Story – “Liverpool’s leading Beatles’ attraction, The Beatles Story are thrilled that the birthplace of Merseybeat, the legendary Jacaranda, is getting its due recognition with a green plaque. This hidden gem was where the band cut their teeth, and this award cements its place as a cornerstone of Liverpool’s musical heritage.”

While still embracing its Beatles heritage, The Jacaranda now thrives as more than a simple tourist spot. It hosts live music every night, serving as a vital hub for grassroots performances and sustaining Liverpool’s musical heritage and future.

The British Science Association (BSA), Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) and the University of Liverpool are pleased to announce that the British Science Festival for 2025 will take place in Liverpool across five days next September.

The Festival will be held between Wednesday 10 and Sunday 14 September 2025, with events due to take place in venues across the city. The programme will feature roughly 100 free events, exhibitions, performances and installations that celebrate the people, stories and ideas at the heart of science.

Art and science are often thought to fall on opposite sides of the left-right brain divide, but history has proven time and again that many of the brightest minds are polymaths.

Leonardo da Vinci, the greatest of all the artist-scientists, once wrote, “To develop a complete mind: Study the science of art; Study the art of science. Learn how to see. Realise that everything connects to everything else.”

His suggestion is being taken even today, with many medical schools requiring soon-to-be doctors to take art and art history classes, while contemporary artists including Trevor Paglen, Anicka Yi, and Neri Oxman find influences in astronomy, biology, and geology.

Celebrating the 194th anniversary of the Festival, and working in partnership with the two co-hosting universities, the BSA will bring its flagship event to the city of Liverpool for the first time since 2008.

Hannah Russell, Chief Executive of the British Science Association, says:

We’re delighted to be bringing the British Science Festival to the city of Liverpool in 2025. The vibrant and diverse culture of Liverpool make it the ideal setting for our Festival, and I know that as a result the programme will be spectacular. It is a real honour for the BSA to be working alongside not just one, but two, world-leading research institutions in 2025, and I feel confident that we will achieve our shared goals of showcasing the transformative research and innovation taking place at Liverpool John Moores University and University of Liverpool.

The British Science Festival is one of Europe’s longest-established science festivals, which travels to a different part of the UK each year. It brings science to the wider public in the form of installations, exhibitions, talks, panel discussions, performances and more.

For more information about the British Science Festival 2025 and to stay up-to-date with events as they’re announced, visit the British Science Festival website or follow the Festival on Twitter/X and Facebook.

If you are an academic, local venue or regional business looking to get involved in the Festival, please contact the British Science Festival team on festival@britishscienceassociation.org.