Community Post Type: News

Street theatre, behind the scenes tours, live music, VIP passes and discount offers have already been unveiled as part of Must-See Month, a celebration of Liverpool’s arts and culture launching this month. Organised by Liverpool BID Company, Must See Month runs from 17 February to 17 March and is designed to encourage people to try something new in the city’s cultural sector this winter.

The first wave of events include;

Explore the history of Liverpool’s theatres with Arts Groupie with a series of special walking tours. Beginning at The Bluecoat and finishing at the Lights Up on Liverpool Theatre Exhibition at Central Library the tour will last around one hour

Experience live music in the stunning setting of Liverpool Cathedral with regular live music performances in the Lady Chapel

An exclusive behind the scenes look and conversation with artist Faith Bebbington as her restored artwork, Flee & Survive is readied for unveiling on Hope Street

Tour Renaissance Recovered at the Walker Art Gallery led by a tour guide who will delve into the stories and history of beloved treasures and masterpieces and the gallery

Two for One tickets at The Beatles Story for VIP Pass Members and a special discount for visitors

25% off for several concerts and events at Liverpool’s Royal Philharmonic Hall including better Man and the Family Concert

Unleash your creativity with Sip & Paint Kahlo at Revoluciòn de Cuba. Create an artwork with a paintbrush in one hand and a glass of prosecco in the other

Step behind the curtain at Liverpool’s Royal Court and enjoy a heritage tour

See the city like a tourist with 20% off City and Beatles tours with Liverpool City Tours

Discover the hidden Liverpool history of the Irish Famine with a guided walking tour

Katie Bentley is Director of Strategic Partnerships and Communications at Liverpool BID Company.

“Liverpool has an incredibly vibrant arts and cultural sector, with visitors reaching 1.8m in 2023 and returning to pre-pandemic levels. There are 27 arts and cultural organisations supported by Liverpool City Council, including major galleries, theatres, and festivals. There is also a wealth of independent arts activity going on with live music, walking tours and more that are part of the fabric of our city. At Liverpool BID we support arts and culture throughout the year with the Arts & Culture Fund, Liverpool Sculpture prize and more because not only is it a crucial part of our visitor economy, but it is also a huge part of our character and life here. For anyone whose New Year’s Resolution was to explore more of the city this year and try something new, then Must-See Month provides the perfect inspiration.”

The full programme will go live on the Liverpool BID’s website and offers can be downloaded now at https://mustseemonth.com/

With 2025 marking one hundred years since the International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts and the birth of Art Deco, the iconic design movement that defined an era and continues to captivate audiences with its elegance and modernity.

To celebrate the Art Deco Society UK is proud to present a unique series of events over the course of a weekend that will honour the glamour, innovation, and enduring legacy of Art Deco.

Taking place mainly at the Crowne Plaza John Lennon Airport, a Grade II* listed Art Deco Hotel, the event will offer a mix of talks, tours, dance classes, vintage automobiles and aircraft, cocktail hour, ball and an afternoon tea.

This venue is of particular interest to Art Deco lovers because this was the site of Speke Airport which offered scheduled flights courtesy of Imperial Airways. An increase in air travel meant that by the 1930s the existing farm and barns which made up the aerodrome were due for replacement.  The magnificent new terminal was designed by Edward Bloomfield and was one of the first buildings to be created specifically for air transport, as such it is a very fitting venue for our celebrations!

Highlights of the Celebrations Include:

• Tours of vintage planes, provided by the Speke Aerodrome Heritage Group and the opportunity to book a 15 minute ‘flight’ in one of the vintage planes in a flight simulator.
• Author event with Simon Pollock, popular Art Deco instagrammer @londonsuburbia and author of the recently published I Love Suburbia and Fiona Veitch Smith, author of Golden Age inspired mysteries series
• An illustrated talk on Port Sunlight by local guide Peter Coyler
• City tours of Liverpool locations including the Municipal Hotel, Adelphi Hotel and Masonic Lodge
• Cocktail Hour and a Centenary Ball with a delicious three course meal and entertainment provided by local chanteuse Hattie Bee and the magnificent Brandyn Shaw and his Rhythm Makers
• Attendees in full period outfits, displays of vintage planes and cars, vintage DJs and 1930s dance lessons,

Quotes:
Lucy Jane Santos, Chair of the ADSUK “We cannot wait to showcase and celebrate the timeless allure of Art Deco. Whether you’re a devoted enthusiast or simply curious about this iconic period, we welcome everyone with an eye for the style to join us. Our goal is to encourage people to delve deeper into the UK’s rich Art Deco heritage and we cannot think of anywhere better to do that than in Liverpool.”

Hattie Bee, vintage singer “Liverpool as a city has such a rich history, it’s a busy city, but when you look up at the buildings around you, you see the art deco splendour, be it the Bullring, The Philharmonic, even waking down Bold Street you see glimmers of that beautiful past. You can see why films such as Florence Foster Jenkins and Fantastic Beasts were filmed in our city, because of the beautiful Art Deco Architecture.  I’m so proud to be bringing the premier ADSUK Art Deco Centenary Celebrations to Liverpool and can’t wait to show everyone what our beautiful city has to offer.”

Event Details:

• What: ADSUK Art Deco Centenary Celebrations
• When: 29^th and 30^th March 2025
• Where: Multiple locations, but mainly at Crowne Plaza Liverpool John Lennon Airport, Speke Aerodrome, Liverpool, L24 8QD
• Tickets/Registration: Tickets can be purchased from Ticketsource https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/art-deco-society-uk Hotel accommodation is not included and would need to be booked separately

Liverpool Theatre School is joining forces with Middlesex University to deliver a dance degree, which will be taught by industry professionals in both Liverpool and London. The new BA Hons degree programme starts with Liverpool Theatre School’s Level 5 or Level 6 Diploma in Dance before students go to Middlesex University in London for a final year of training to gain the BA Hons degree.

As part of the collaboration, Liverpool Theatre School students who gain a Diploma in Dance Level 5, or Level 6, will automatically be accepted for degree study on the Dance programme at Middlesex University, with their professional training counting towards BA (hons). The dance degree is open to new students applying for Liverpool Theatre School, as well as those who are currently training at the centre of excellence.

The degree programme at Middlesex University, which is designed to improve opportunities for talented young performers to enter the industry, will complement the range of specialist dance and musical theatre training courses already provided at Liverpool Theatre School, with auditions taking place in the coming months.

“The unique delivery model of this new dance degree means young performers can begin full-time professional training at Liverpool Theatre School from the age of 16, and potentially graduate with BA (hons) in dance from Middlesex University by the time they are 19 years old. A head start like this could be a huge advantage for anyone who is serious about a career in dance,” said Maxine Ellis, Principal at Liverpool Theatre School.

She added: “We’re incredibly excited to be joining forces with Middlesex University as we work together to help make undergraduate dance programmes, as well as opportunities to train in London, more accessible to young performers with talent, particularly those facing barriers of cost and location. I’m confident our degree students will welcome the seamless transition from Liverpool Theatre School to Middlesex University as they reap the benefits of training in two thriving creative cities.”

Claire Farmer, Interim Director of Programmes – Dance, at Middlesex University, said: “We are excited to embark on this partnership with Liverpool Theatre School and welcome diploma students into our thriving creative industries community. With a strong focus on industry and collaboration, Middlesex aims to develop dance artists for a wide range of roles in the creative industries. We look forward to seeing where their training at Liverpool Theatre School will take them as they further develop their creative identity and exciting future prospects with us.”

Liverpool Theatre School, whose patrons include Wayne Sleep OBE and Anita Dobson, is committed to improving access to high level professional training for all talented young performers, including those from working class and marginalised backgrounds. The performing arts school offers a range of scholarships and bursaries, such as the Dance and Drama Awards (DaDAs) and the Sir Ken Dodd Scholarship, to help support students facing financial barriers. The Liverpool-based college became the first to axe audition fees in 2018 in a bid to encourage a more diverse range of students to apply, with many drama schools following suit.

Liverpool Theatre School’s former students and graduates have gone on to enjoy successful careers in the industry, whether dancing professionally, working as choreographers or performing in hit shows such as Mamma Mia!, Frozen, SIX, Starlight Express, Blood Brothers and Wicked. Middlesex Dance graduates have gone on to JV2, Boy Blue Entertainment, established their own dance companies, produce award winning dance films and to further postgraduate study in choreography, physiotherapy, dance science and creative practice.

Follow Liverpool Theatre School on Instagram and Facebook and Middlesex Dance on Instagram to keep up with the latest news.

To find out more about the new degree course and for details on how to apply, please visit liverpooltheatreschool.co.uk.

The historic Liverpool Olympia, one of the city’s live music cultural cornerstones of the community proudly celebrates its 120th anniversary on Saturday, 26th April.

This monumental milestone marks over a century of world-class performances, cherished memories and culturally significant events. In its time, The Beatles, Paul Weller, New Order, Little Richard, and illusionist and stunt performer Harry Houdini wowed audiences.  

In recent years, Teddy Swims, The Gossip, Jamie Webster, Elvis Costello and Manic Street Preachers have taken to the venue’s iconic stage.

To celebrate its illustrious history, iconic British rock-band Embrace will be headlining the venue’s birthday show. The multi-platinum-selling band behind hits like “Gravity”  “Ashes” and “All You Good People”, are set to deliver an outstanding performance. 

Following on from their Leeds, Kirkstall Abbey show in front of a crowd of 6,000, fans of the indie rockers can expect an amazing night of live music since the band last appeared at the venue in 2016. 

Britpop icons The Bluetones will appear as special guests. They first came to prominence in 1995, when their debut release “Are You Blue Or Are You Blind” broke into the Top 40. The single proved to be the launching pad leading to “Expecting to Fly” becoming a number one UK album, and a career spanning 14 hit singles and six albums. 

The Real People play the venue for the first time, these pioneers of the Britpop Movement and Liverpool legends were instrumental in Oasis’s catastrophic rise to superstardom. 

Continuing to represent Liverpool’s music scene, Rats’ raucous energy, swagger and charisma promise to get the birthday show off to a flying start. Rats’ singles have over a million listeners on Spotify, with their debut album due for imminent release.

Chris Zorba, owner of the Liverpool Olympia, said: “I am proud to take this iconic venue into its 120th year and celebrate its magnificent history. We will celebrate the year from 24th April with an eclectic mix of outstanding music, comedy and sporting events befitting to the Olympia’s rich history.”

Opening in April 1905, the prestigious Grade II-listed building was designed by renowned architect Frank Matcham and was taken over by the Zorba family in 1990. The independently owned venue has been revitalised by its current owners, who made sure to retain its original features. Thanks to the Zorba family the venue has remained engrained in Liverpool’s cultural fabric and has been given a new lease of life with new seats in the lower balcony, a redressed stage and enhanced backstage facilities. 

The anniversary show will honour the venue’s cultural heritage and the legendary acts that have walked through its doors. Tickets for the birthday show are available for:

Pre sale at 10am on Monday 3rd February: https://bit.ly/embracepresale

General sale 10am Wednesday 5th February: https://bit.ly/embracegeneral

Fans are encouraged to secure tickets early, as this historic event is anticipated to sell out quickly. 

The spirit of the Olympia, like that of the city’s community, has always been to celebrate independence, embrace change and be at the forefront of culture and entertainment in the city providing artists with a unique backdrop to create a once in a lifetime experience for their fans. 

Over decades, the venue has evolved to meet the ever-changing tastes of audiences, becoming a beloved landmark for locals and visitors alike. Join them as they honour the legacy of the Liverpool Olympia and celebrate 120 years of music history in the heart of the city. 

 

A new month-long celebration of Liverpool’s arts, culture and visitor attractions will see exclusive offers, special events and an opportunity to experience the city’s world-beating offer. Must-See Month is organised by Liverpool BID Company and will run from 17th February to 17 March.

Starting at half term holiday and running until St Patrick’s Day, Liverpool’s cultural organisations are signing up to provide a month-long programme of offers and events. The Must-See VIP Pass will invite people to collect three stamps from participating venues to unlock exclusive perks, including early access to future activities and a variety of offers.

Offers include:

• 25% off The Beatles Story
• Exclusive guided tours at some of Liverpool’s best loved venues such at St George’s Hall and Royal Court Theatre
• 20% off M&S Bank Arena shows*
• 25% off City Tours
• 25% off Liverpool Philharmonic shows*
• Guide backstage tours at the Royal Court
• 20% off Liverpool Wheel tickets
• FACT Exhibitions and opening event
• Use exclusive codes to unlock free drinks, ticket discounts and children go free at the British Music Experience
• Free street theatre tours with ArtsGroupie
• Family activities at Tate
• Tours and collection focus at the Walker Art Gallery, Museum of Liverpool and World Museum

Plus, visitors who get three stamps on their VIP Pass, can unlock even more offers and events (like 241 tickets and more!). Visitors can grab a pass from any partaking venue.

Katie Bentley is Director of Strategic Partnerships and Communications at Liverpool BID Company.

“After the success of Restaurant Week in 2024, we wanted to explore how we can celebrate the vibrant cultural offer in Liverpool and shine a spotlight on activity taking place. Liverpool’s major museums, theatres and cultural attractions sit within a BID area, which means we have this opportunity to showcase the theatre, visual art, performance, music and more that happens in the heart of the city. There will be a programme of offers and events, all designed to encourage people to try something new or to visit a place they might not have experienced before”.

See the list of offers here www.mustseemonth.com

Liverpool-based The Reader is welcoming back dual-heritage author Jacqueline Roy to talk about two of her groundbreaking novels exploring issues of mental health and identity affecting black, British-born women post-Windrush.

The Manchester-based writer (The Gosling Girl) will be In Conversation at the home of national Shared Reading charity in Calderstones Park on Saturday 8 February, 2pm – 4pm, to discuss The Fat Lady Sings and her latest novel, In Memory of Us, published in 2024.

A tender and deeply moving depiction of mental health, The Fat Lady Sings is a striking portrait of two black women – one in their 20s; the other in her 50s – as they navigate life on a London psychiatric ward.

It was one of 13 novels relaunched as part of the Black Britain: Writing Back series curated by Booker-winning author Bernardine Evaristo to address the ‘historical bias in publishing’ working with Hamish Hamilton at Penguin Random House.

Jacqueline, who was a guest speaker at The Reader’s Gravity literary festival in 2022, said: “It’s been such an important project to be part of, and I’ve particularly enjoyed sharing a platform with some of the other writers in the series – especially Judith Bryan and Nicola Williams. We’ve had such interesting discussions.

“The re-publication of The Fat Lady Sings was a form of validation too, which has been great for my confidence as a writer. It was very unexpected. Once a book goes out of print, you tend to think it’s over and done with, so it was very exciting to revisit it and to think it would be read once more.”

The novel was also picked by staff and volunteers as part of The Reader Bookshelf 2024/25, a curated annual collection of books for adults and children based on a different theme. This year’s theme is Wonder.

Jacqueline said: “I love visiting The Reader. It’s such a warm, inviting place and books and reading are really valued here so it feels special.

“I feel very honoured that The Fat Lady Sings has been selected. Big thanks to all involved. Wonder has more than one meaning. To wonder is to question, and in The Fat Lady Sings, Gloria, one of two central characters, constantly questions the way she is treated.

“She questions authority and challenges the people who dehumanize her and the other patients on the psychiatric ward.”

Jacqueline revealed that she first wanted to tell this story after attending a black writers’ conference in the 1990s.

She said: “One of the speakers, who was roughly my age, said that he didn’t know a single black person of his generation who hadn’t either been in prison or in a psychiatric hospital. He asked where the books were that spoke of those experiences.

“As I had spent time in a psychiatric hospital myself, I thought I was well placed to write such a book, and The Fat Lady Sings became my first novel for adults.

“Because it was very much a work of fiction rather than an autobiographical novel, it wasn’t too difficult for me to write it. The main thing I grappled with was wanting to present the characters in a way that was respectful and restored humanity to the experience of being categorised as a psychiatric patient.

“It seemed very important to show the dignity, the resilience and the fortitude of people who find themselves in such circumstances, so it felt like a big responsibility.”

Jacqueline, a former lecturer in English at Manchester Metropolitan University specialising in black literature and creative writing, left to concentrate on writing fiction and has also written several children’s books.

Her latest novel In Memory of Us has been well-received by UK literary critics and offers an insight into life as a black Briton post-Windrush.

She said: “The Black Britain: Writing Back series was created through the recognition that it was very difficult for black people of my generation to be published and when we were, the books didn’t stay in print for long.

“This has meant that experiences of being black and British-born, growing up in the 1950s and 60s, haven’t been explored in fiction very much at all.

“I wanted to produce a novel that addressed this, so I wrote In Memory of Us, which is about twin sisters, who are part of the post-Windrush generation. It spans 70 years and looks at some of the changes that have taken place in that time.”

Jamie Barton, Bookshop and Literary Activity Manager at The Reader, said: “It’s the brilliant Jacqueline Roy’s second visit to The Reader and we can’t wait to talk to her about The Fat Lady Sings – a wonderful and much loved title from our Wonder bookshelf – and hear all about her latest book, In Memory of Us.”

In Conversation with Jacqueline Roy at Calderstones Park, Liverpool, will take place on Saturday 8 February at 2pm. Running time: two hours. Tickets are £9 for members and £10 full price. To book visit here.

A free Shared Reading workshop on The Fat Lady Sings will be held at 1pm before the event. To book visit here

The first acts to be announced for Radio 1’s Big Weekend 2025 are headliner Sam Fender, plus Myles Smith, Wet Leg, Blossoms and Lola Young (following her debut UK #1 with ‘Messy’ as announced on Radio 1’s Official Chart).

Over the course of the weekend, around 100 acts will take to the stage, from the biggest artists in the world to exciting new and emerging artists, performing across four stages: Radio 1 Main Stage, Radio 1 New Music Stage, Radio 1 Dance and BBC Introducing. With over 100,000 music fans expected to attend, the event promises to be an unforgettable music spectacular.

Radio 1’s Big Weekend, the station’s flagship live music event, kicks off the UK’s festival season by bringing some of the biggest UK and international artists to cities that may not otherwise host such a large scale event. From Taylor Swift in Norwich, Miley Cyrus in Middlesbrough, Stormzy in Exeter, Lana Del Rey in Hull, Ed Sheeran in Coventry, Bruno Mars in Derry/Londonderry, The 1975 in Dundee, and Sabrina Carpenter in Luton, music fans around the UK have seen superstar acts perform on their doorsteps.

Further information about Radio 1’s Big Weekend 2025, including headliners and full line-up and ticketing details will be announced on Radio 1 in the coming months.

Event Date: Friday 23 May 2025 – Sunday 25 May 2025

Location: Sefton Park, Liverpool L17

Are you concerned about someone who is at risk of radicalisation?

If so, get in touch with the council’s Prevent Safeguarding Team to discuss your concerns. They can support vulnerable people and prevent them from being drawn into extremism or terrorism as part of the UK Government Counter-Terrorism Strategy.

They will contact you to discuss your concerns within three days. This might involve them completing a referral to enable them to share information with their partners and start the safeguarding process. This will ensure they provide the most appropriate help and support.

Prevent resources are available to all here: https://liverpool.gov.uk/communities-and-safety/crime-and-safety/prevent/

 

CHAMPS have launched new Kind to Your Mind website, built exclusively to support people living and working in Cheshire and Merseyside with a range of services and resources on offer.

Designed to support people of all ages with their mental health and wellbeing, the Kind to Your Mind website gives access to a range of mental health and wellbeing services and resources including tips, advice, apps and online courses.

The site is now live and can be accessed via www.kindtoyourmind.org

This exciting partnership will feature a redisplay of the Nahua Codex, Amoxtli Tezcatlipoca Codex (Codex Fejérváry Mayer), a rare pre-colonial Mexican manuscript and one of fewer than 15 surviving pre-colonial codices from Mexico.

National Museums Liverpool was one of several successful awardees for the recent round of Esmée Fairbairn Collections Funding, which will facilitate “Cuerpos del Tiempo (Bodies of Time)”, a partnership project with Luma Creations to work with the Latin American communities in the North West with the aim to reshape the interpretation of the Latin American collections at World Museum for display in 2025-26.

Based in Liverpool, Luma Creations are the leading Latin American and diversity arts and culture organisation in the North of England. Luma will lead on reaching out and engaging these diverse communities through a program of varied events, in addition to assisting the Global Cultures team at World Museum to ensure the stories that communities want to see are represented in their gallery and collections.

Francisco Carrasco, CEO and Creative Director at LUMA Creations:

“As the leading Latin American arts and culture organisation in the North, we at Luma Creations have a responsibility to aim high and challenge ourselves to create a platform for our local and regional communities, championing and promoting them in the most positive and supportive way possible.

We always aim to push the boundaries and present work that represents the rich diversity of Latin America, continuously respecting the many cultures and identities of the continent.

This fundamentally important collaboration with the World Museum will enable us to reach out, and bring forward the many voices of Latin American communities engaged with the project, enabling us to work alongside the Global Cultures team to ensure that when we re-imagine the exhibition, we change the narrative so there is a real sense of ownership, accompanied with personal stories, understanding and a true sense of being valued and heard.”

This co-produced project will feature a redisplay of the Amoxtli Tezcatlipoca Codex (Codex Fejérváry Mayer) (M12014), meaning “The Book of the Smoking Mirror” in Nahuatl, one of fewer than 15 surviving pre-colonial codices from Mexico and is rarely displayed due to its fragility.

On display at World Museum late 2025, this artefact dating back from before 1521, stands as a powerful symbol of cultural endurance and indigenous heritage.

Meghan Backhouse, Lead Curator of Global Cultures at World Museum:

“The Global Cultures team is thrilled to be partnering with Luma Creations on Cuerpos del Tiempo. In addition to their deep connections to the diverse Latin American communities of the north west and their vast experience in community engagement using the arts, they have huge enthusiasm for unleashing the stories held within the World Museum collections. And they are not afraid of challenging us, both professionally and institutionally, to see things from different perspectives and work in different ways.

The displays of material cultural heritage from South and Central America are not only out-of-date but lack any sense of the vitality or diversity of the many cultures found in those regions – or in diaspora in the UK. We are so excited to have this opportunity to hand the reigns over, and to highlight more of Liverpool’s incredible cultural diversity.”

This exciting partnership kicks off with a free celebration launch open to all at World Museum on Saturday 15^th February. Expect a lively day filled with inspiring talks, electrifying dance and live music performances, hands-on craft workshops, and opportunities to connect directly with the curators of the Global Collections and the amazing team from Luma Creations.

On Saturday 15^th March visitors can experience a stunning showcase of Indigenous clothing and costume from across all regions of Mexico with ‘Hilvanando Culturas (Weaving Cultures)’. The show will be narrated in Spanish by collector Magaly Flores. Live English translation will be provided by Francisco Carrasco of Luma Creations.

Don’t miss this celebrating culture and community!

Further information about both events can be found below:

Launch of ‘Cuerpos del Tiempo’ (Bodies of Time) | National Museums Liverpool.

ECFC Event: Hilvanando Culturas (Weaving Cultures) | National Museums Liverpool