Community Post Type: News

To get the New Year off to a flyer, National Museums Liverpool has announced a discount for residents of Liverpool City Region across weekdays in January for Bees: A Story of Survival – an exhibition at World Museum that plunges visitors into the world of bees.

Anyone with a postcode from a Liverpool City Region borough – Liverpool, Sefton, Knowsley, St Helens, Wirral or Halton – is  eligible to access this offer on National Museums Liverpool’s website.

Residents can receive a 25% discount on tickets from Tuesday to Friday for Bees: A Story of Survival at www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk.

Using the code LCR25 when purchasing a ticket, visitors simply need to provide proof of their postcode, such as a letter, to receive a discount… and kids also go free!

World Museum, Liverpool and the award-winning artist Wolfgang Buttress have partnered to create Bees: A Story of Survival, which runs from now until 5 May 2025.

Using cutting-edge audio-visual technology, the exhibition explores the lives of bees from across the globe, transporting audiences into their world – including a stunning soundscape featuring 40,000 bees.

Led by changing soundscapes, visitors embark on a journey through eight immersive rooms. On a path through spaces inspired and shaped by the architecture of the bee hive, audiences will engage with bees, through a live stream directly into the heart of a living colony. Using sounds and scents, visitors follow a trail from trees to digital wildflower meadows, highlighting the impact of bees as pollinators of the natural world.

A fusion of art, science, technology and incorporating film from the international scientific community Bees: A Story of Survival brings to life what it is like to see and hear like a bee. The exhibition imagines and dramatically highlights the devastating impact of a world without these fascinating and essential creatures, but ultimately presents a message of hope for the future.

Wolfgang Buttress, said: “Bees can be seen as sentinels of the earth. They have been around for over 120 million years and are exquisitely tuned to the environment. Their health and wellbeing mirror the health of the Earth and they are dying in unprecedented numbers. Their existential challenges reflect our own – they die and suffer, we die and suffer.

“This exhibition was imagined to be like no other. The intention was to create an emotionally engaging and sensory stimulating experience to express the wonder and diversity of bees. I want the audience to feel empathy as well as an understanding and appreciation of these incredible creatures. If we love and respect bees a little bit more after seeing this exhibition, then we may well make the earth a better place for them and us to live in.”

Bridging the gap between sculpture, sound and science, Bees: A Story of Survival draws upon a decade of collaboration between artist Wolfgang Buttress and specialist in bee communication, Professor Martin Bencsik. Taking inspiration from his immensely popular 2015 installation The Hive at Kew Gardens, Buttress delves deep into the world of bees to create an emotional experience that will resonate long after audiences leave.

Throughout the exhibition an ethereal soundscape brings each room to life.  The audio has been created in collaboration with members of Spiritualized under the production collective known as The Kármán Line.

Symphony, is a space where visitors can be part of a responsive artwork and soundscape, and features sounds from over 40,000 bees. Movement is captured live in the space and expressed as ‘light’ shadows resembling stardust or pollen.

World Museum’s extensive entomology collection and specialist curators have played a key role in the development of Bees: A Story of Survival. With over 30,000 specimens of bees – including the UK’s rarest bee, Osmia xanthomelana, found only on a single site in North Wales – the museum’s natural history collections are used to support national and international research on the impact of environmental change on plant and animal populations.

Bees: A Story of Survival runs at World Museum, part of National Museums Liverpool, until Saturday 5 May 2025. The exhibition is sponsored by lead partner Radisson RED Liverpool and premieres at World Museum, before embarking on a global tour.

For more information visit: www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/bees.

Florrie Coffee is Now Open!

The team are so excited to welcome you to their brand-new coffee shop, serving fresh, delicious coffee in their beautifully refurbished café!

⏰ Opening Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM–2 PM
📍 Location: Inside The Florrie

Whether you want to sit in and relax or grab a takeaway on the go, Florrie Coffee is there for you. And the best part? Every single cup you buy helps keep The Florrie thriving as a hub for their community! 💛

Visit their website here

Happy New Year! Milap are making a positive start to 2025 with their brand new Spring season of Indian Arts & Culture, taking place across Liverpool from February.

Following a fantastic Autumn season, Milap are once again showcasing some of India’s most acclaimed Hindustani and Carnatic musicians as part of their special 40th Anniversary, alongside both established and emerging talent from the UK.

The opening show sees Milap head to The Tung Auditorium for a lunchtime concert, to present rising star Aparna Raguraman with her enchanting expression of Carnatic violin.

Awarded Milap’s National Youth Fellowship in 2020 and 2021, among many other accolades from prestigious national music competitions in her early career, Aparna Raguraman has quickly made her mark as a young female artist.

Praised for her emotional depth and technical precision, Aparna has shared stages with the world’s leading musicians and collaborated with world-renowned sitar virtuoso, Anoushka Shankar, further cementing her status as a promising young artist in Indian classical music.

Joining Aparna on stage are two powerhouse percussionists: Bangalore Prakash on mridangam and Prathap Ramachandra on the ghatam. This dynamic collective promise an afternoon of rich, intricate soundscapes, honouring the depth and beauty of Carnatic music.

The first evening concert of the season features the world-renowned, multi GRAMMY-winner, Rakesh Chaurasia on the bansuri. Rakesh – nephew and disciple of flute legend Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia – is celebrated worldwide for his expressive and technically masterful playing.

Carrying forward his family’s rich musical legacy, Rakesh brings a contemporary touch to the ancient art of bansuri. His mastery and dextrous technique has resonated deeply with audiences across the globe for decades – with him notably concluding the twenty-four hour live music BBC broadcast to a worldwide audience, celebrating Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth’s Silver Jubilee.

Accompanied by tabla maestro, Shahbaz Hussain – whose rhythmic precision and sensitivity is admired internationally – expect an evening of legendary musicianship that showcases the timeless appeal and emotional depth of Hindustani classical music.

2025 sees Milap return to Liverpool International Jazz Festival for another year, to present the extraordinary talents of Rekesh Chauhan at The Capstone Theatre.

Rekesh – a multi-award-winning British pianist and composer – is celebrated for his versatility in both Indian and Western classical traditions. Collaborating with many legendary artists – Pt. Birju Maharaj, MOBO award-winning jazz pianist Zoe Rahman and Mercury Prize-winner, Talvin Singh – Rekesh is recognised for his seamless amalgamation of eastern and western styles.

In this special festival appearance, Rekesh will be joined by internationally renowned tabla maestro Kousic Sen. Together, they will explore the dynamic intersection of Indian classical music and jazz, blending tradition with contemporary innovation. With Rekesh’s evocative piano melodies and Kousic’s virtuosic rhythms, this collaboration promises to offer a fresh perspective on the blending of genres.

To bring the season to a close, Milap return to The Tung Auditorium for another free lunchtime concert, this time spotlighting the rich, melodious sounds of acclaimed sitarist Mehboob Nadeem.

A celebrated and widely respected musician, Mehboob’s mastery over the sitar is unparalleled. Bringing decades of artistry to the stage from around the globe, his performances have been renowned for their virtuosity and intensity. Accompanied by the dynamic tabla maestro, Kousic Sen, the pair are set to deliver a serene and immersive experience – perfect for a midday escape.

Visit the Milap website for full details: milap.co.uk

In December 2024, West Derby’s Chris McCausland won the 22nd series of BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing, partnered with professional dancer Diane Buswell. He was the first blind contestant to appear on the show.

Chris, who suffers from retinitis pigmentosa, was crowned the winner not only because of his performances on the dance floor each week but also because he tackled complex dance routines with considerable wit during the series with his professional dance partner Dianne Buswell.

He was also one of the principal characters in the CBeebies series Me Too! playing Rudi the market trader. Filmed in 2006, it aired on CBeebies and internationally until 2016. Additionally, in 2018, Chris appeared in BBC’s Eastenders.

Professional singer, Sarah Mellor, also blind and from West Derby said ‘I would like to offer a big hearty congratulations from myself and my husband Andrew who is also blind.  Not only has he become a fantastic role model for other blind  people like me trying to make a break in to the performing arts industry, but he has taken up something new and won the competition’.

To book Sarah, please call: 0793 6335640

Or email: Sarah_mellor@btinternet.com

 

Staff, visitors and community members will come together at the International Slavery Museum on Sunday 5 January 2025 from 3.30 to join a traditional libation ceremony, marking a significant moment in the museum’s history.

Later the same day both the International Slavery Museum and Maritime Museum will close their doors to make way for essential repairs and maintenance works ahead of a major redevelopment project, subject to funding.

A libation ceremony (the ritual pouring of a liquid as an offering or in memory of ancestors) will welcome the next phase of the museum, which will see it expand in size and gain its own identity and prominence on Liverpool’s historic waterfront.

The libation will be led by community elders and spiritual leaders and include a multilingual blessing to reflect the global reach of the transatlantic slave trade. There will also be a collective moment of silence to reflect on the lives lost and the resilience of those who endured.

Michelle Charters, Head of International Slavery Museum said: “A libation, steeped in symbolism and meaning is a fitting way to mark this point for the International Slavery Museum.

“This simple but meaningful act will give visitors a last chance to say goodbye to the galleries for a short while, thank all of those who have supported our work and got us this far, and most importantly, find a moment of connection, remembrance and respect to the ancestors whose story we tell.”

FURTHER INFORMATION

In 1994 the Merseyside Maritime Museum launched a new gallery in its basement – The Transatlantic Slavery gallery. This marked a major moment for Liverpool in addressing its past, but it also galvanised members of Liverpool’s Black community, as well as the staff and board at the museum, to understand the work had only just begun.

In 2007 the International Slavery Museum opened on the third floor of the Maritime Museum. For almost 20 years the museum has explored the impact and legacies of transatlantic slavery. It has welcomed guests and experts from across the world and created and hosted meaningful dialogue around many contemporary issues.

The redevelopment of International Slavery Museum and Maritime Museum is a major part of National Museums Liverpool’s Waterfront Transformation Project.

Both museums are due to reopen 2028.

Read more on the traditions and meanings behind libation here.

Since opening in March 2022, The Tung Auditorium is heading into 2025 announcing its biggest half-season to date. Following acclaim for its previous seasons, Liverpool’s state-of-the-art concert hall will continue it’s dynamic and eclectic approach to programming.

The upcoming programme is packed with a spectacular array of genres and exceptional live performers, ranging through classical, chamber, contemporary, jazz, folk, and experimental music. From January – July 2025, the venue will showcase a fantastic mix of both new artists and returning favourites for its highly anticipated season of live music.

“We’re always delighted to unveil our forthcoming programme, and this time it’s a bumper crop of shows highlighting so much of what we do best. There is some great partnership work to produce the season, which features some high profile artists alongside emerging talent. Pick up a brochure or visit our website to see the full range of what’s on offer.”
– Richard Hartwell, Artistic Director of The Tung Auditorium

As The Tung Auditorium embarks on its fourth year as a world class venue, it is no surprise that this season brings to Liverpool many artists with an international profile, including world-renowned Indian flautist Rakesh Chaurasia, in partnership with Milap. Highly acclaimed American songwriter Joan As Police Woman also joins us on her European tour in April, performing key songs from throughout her career alongside new music from her latest album. Then in July, the season finishes with the Antwerp Philharmonic Orchestra’s tribute to The Beatles, bridging classical and popular music traditions.One of the leading pianists of his generation, Paul Lewis, will be returning to play the Steinway that he selected especially for the venue, this time presenting a trilogy of Schubert’s late piano sonatas.

Ensemble 10:10 was founded by members of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and is now in residence at The Tung Auditorium. The ensemble will be presenting three concerts showcasing new music, conducted by Domingo Hindoyan in January, with baritone Benjamin Appl in March and celebrating Apollo Saxophone Quartet’s 40th Anniversary in April.

This season also sees the return of three much loved local ensembles covering an incredible range of masterpieces from Baroque to 20th century and beyond; Liverpool Mozart Orchestra present three concerts including JC Bach, Tchaikovsky, Schubert, Beethoven, Dvořák, Rachmaninov and Brahms, Liverpool Welsh Choral celebrate their 125th anniversary with a concert including full orchestra and new work by Keith Orrell commissioned for the occasion, and Orchestra dell’Arte will be back for two concerts, including work by Zoltán Kodály, Grieg, Peter Lange-Müller, Elgar and Poulenc.This Spring – Summer, The Tung Auditorium invites you to get closer to incredible live performances by contemporary artists including Belle Chen who, along with her band and a small string section, weave classical influences with modern soundscapes, and Thea Gilmore who is regarded as one of the most distinctive, strident and bold singer songwriters of her generation.

The venue are also delighted to be welcoming back Manchester Collective, who are returning with SERENITY 2.0, a programme ranging from ethereal calm to furious amplified sound, culminating with a reimagining of Eric Prydz’s colossal house anthem Opus.The start of the season sees the return of the ever popular free Lunchtime Concert Series. If you’re unaware of the artists, programme or even the genre, The Tung Auditorium invite you to take a risk and explore new live music that you might not have ever considered going to before.

Frequently cited as the highlight of the week for Tung audiences, this season’s roster appears to live up to its reputation with a broad variety of genres including classical, contemporary, jazz, folk, Indian Carnatic music, choral ensembles and more. Music connects us and offers life-affirming experiences, especially when experienced live. This is shown in folk music’s longtime alliance with social activism, championing the commonality between us. Offering modern protest songs this season, Grace Petrie crosses the brilliant boundaries of folk, punk, protest and LGBTQ+ activism. Meanwhile one of the best-loved duos on the English folk scene, Spiers and Boden, are original members of the extraordinarily successful folk big band Bellowhead.

More debut appearances this season come from US acapella folk quartet Windborne, whose music spans many different continents but remains rooted in American folk singing traditions and – from much closer to home in the North East – The Young’uns, who will be singing life-affirming songs of social conscience in immaculate three-part harmony. Saltlines is embedded in the landscape, musical and social traditions of the coast of the South West, with a prose and musical collaboration featuring some of the most celebrated names of the British folk scene.

All internationally celebrated musicians start somewhere, and as ever The Tung Auditorium is proud to play a part in nurturing future musical talent. The Tung’s unique place as part of the University of Liverpool allows the venue to present a brilliant array of student musicians on a professional standard stage this season.

The Department of Music will present a special showcase of the very best musicians, student performers will also join members of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Solem Quartet will perform student composers’ work. The weekend of 3-4 May will also see both the Liverpool University Music Society Ensembles and the University of Liverpool Symphony Orchestra summer concerts, who have recently received standing ovations from sold-out audiences.

To book tickets and for more information, visit here

Created with and for older people living in care.

That Theatre Group presents a joy filled show about winters past. Memories of 100 care home residents provide the soundtrack to this multi-sensory extravaganza of striking visuals, enchanting characters, delightful puppets and sing-a-long Christmas classics.

That Theatre Group CIC produces work with and for older people living with dementia, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and other neuro-degenerative diseases. It tours to care homes, providing meaningful therapeutic engagement through theatre. The group’s Executive Producer is Peter Ward, founder of COoL (Creative Organisations of Liverpool), who led the collective for its first 7 years, and was also Director of Hope Street Ltd.

Winter Wonderland is created by the team that produced Spring into Summer and Songs for Europe, originally produced by Nwoko Arts. The company is currently piloting a model of a ‘theatre company in residence’, where a team of creatives are delivering regular activities with residents, their loved ones and staff. The impact of this programme is being researched by LJMU Faculty of Health & Adult Care.

For tickets, visit here

Held at Unity Theatre, 13 December, 5pm

Are you among the 54% of people who use subtitles while watching TV or online content?

If so, you’ll be pleased to know that The Atkinson, in collaboration with Stagetext, is hosting a captioned performance of their Sleeping Beauty pantomime on Tuesday 17th December, at 7pm. This traditional family panto stars CBBC’s magical Joel M and will captivate audiences of all ages. Oh yes it will!

“At The Atkinson, we are committed to making theatre accessible and enjoyable for everyone. Working with the def led charity Stagetext allows us to provide high quality captioning to give everyone a complete and equal experience of the pantomime.” – Marie Kenny, Programme Manager, The Atkinson

Captioned performances are designed to make theatre accessible to everyone, especially for those who are deaf, hard of hearing, or simply prefer to read along. The captions, which function like subtitles on TV or film, are displayed on large screens at the front of the theatre. This ensures every word spoken on stage is captured, so everyone can fully enjoy the show.

“Going to the theatre was something I had given up—a huge blow to someone like me who has always loved the theatre. I stumbled across a Stagetext captioned performance some years ago, and it was a complete revelation.” – Sue, Caption User (stagetext.org)

If you are planning to attend the captioned performance of Sleeping Beauty, it’s recommended that caption users and their friends/family sit in rows J–X for the best view of the captions, which will be displayed on screens mounted on either side of the stage. Captions will appear in a single colour but include character names to help distinguish dialogue throughout the show.

Sleeping Beauty – Christmas Pantomime
Captioned Performance
Tuesday 17 December, 7pm
£80 Family of 4 (min 1 adult) / £24 Full Price / £22 Concession

Book tickets: https://theatkinson.ticketsolve.com/ticketbooth/shows/873660364/events/129544201/seats?zone=Auditorium

Sleeping Beauty continues at The Atkinson 6-31 December. Times vary. Prices vary.

https://www.theatkinson.co.uk/events/sleeping-beauty-panto/

Disabled Liverpool musician Joshua Henderson has secured a deal with HMV Liverpool to stock his debut album for Disability History Month.

Joshua Henderson, who is a learning-disabled artist, officially launched his debut album Songs of Liverpool for Friends with a special performance at the Bluecoat in June of this year to coincide with this year’s Learning Disability Awareness Week.

Upon release of the album Josh was hoping to reach a target of 500 streams of his album online but has smashed this target receiving over 2,500 streams of his songs in less than 6 months. Now, to kick off Disability History Month, Josh is again receiving recognition for his work by having music giants HMV agree to stock CDs of his album at a local store.

The album of original songs was recorded at the city’s The Cabin studio with the support of innovative Liverpool disability arts organisation DaDa and with the assistance of a grant from the Youth Music, using public funding from the National Lottery through Arts Council England. The Youth Music Next Gen Funds aim to help young creatives across the UK realise their dreams.

Josh first became involved with DaDa through the DaDa Young Ensemble project more than a decade ago, which works with young disabled musicians to compose and perform original music. The organisation has continued to work with Josh to nurture his talent, and source the funding to produce his debut album.

‘Songs of Liverpool for Friends’ is a love letter from Josh to the city he grew up in and features artwork created by Josh with support from Blue Room of his favourite Liverpool Landmarks.

The former Redbridge High School and Notre Dame Catholic College student, from Walton village, started playing the guitar at the age of nine, inspired by his musical dad. All the songs on the album have been written and arranged by Josh who performs vocals, electric guitar and piano.

The singer-songwriter is joined on the album by Mollie Parkinson on bass and Tyler Sherwood on drums who have also come through the DaDa Young Ensemble Project, with additional vocals, piano and keyboards from producer Jon Hering, with fellow producer David Kelly providing vocals and rhythm guitar. The track Capital of Culture 08 features a special performance by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra’s Georgina Aasgaard.

Josh speaking passionately about his inspiration behind his album explained: “Liverpool is my home city. Liverpool is my favourite place. It’s where I do my art and I like the buildings, they make me calm. I like to go down on a sunny day and get on the ferry; I love feeling the breeze and looking over at the city.”

Liz Henderson, Josh’s mum told us the whole family are delighted with Josh’s album success saying “Josh is absolutely thrilled about his CD going in HMV and looking forward to meeting people. I am incredibly happy and pleased for him, he is very excited about it all.”

Executive Producer at DaDa Rachel Rogers said: “It has been a privilege for the DaDa team to work with Joshua Henderson and see his development across the last decade. We are thrilled for Josh that HMV are now stocking his CD’s off the back of his successful launch. 

Josh is an incredibly talented and credible artist, and his success shows just how powerful funding grassroots disabled music projects can be in beginning to nurture artists to grow and develop.

DaDa celebrates 40 years of supporting disabled artists this year, promoting ‘Equity and Excellence in the Cultural landscape’. We work to provide artists with opportunities to try, develop and become successful in their own right.

Josh is a determined and hard-working young man, and this album really showcases his passion and ability to write and produce quality music. Through our ensemble project and the investment from Youth Music, Josh has been able to develop and become the artist he is today.”

A spokesperson from HMV Liverpool said “Our Live & Local programme is in place for exactly this type of thing: To help showcase un-signed and up & coming artists and bands from each store’s local area and provide them with a platform to have their music heard by a wider audience.

“Josh’s passion and love for music and Liverpool shine through on his album, so it is with pleasure that we are stocking copies in-store for our customers to purchase. 

“We have come to know Josh through his frequent visits to our store and we are delighted to be able to provide this opportunity to him and hope it may inspire other disabled musicians to contact us (or their local HMV store) to do something similar.”

Josh would love to have his song ‘Christmas Wishes’ all about the lights in Liverpool over the festive season bringing others the joy that he has felt through seeing the lights himself.

‘Songs of Liverpool for Friends ‘by Joshua Henderson is now available in HMV Liverpool to pick up with exclusive CD copies for just £9.99.