Community Post Type: News

Feedback Global is pleased to announce a £237,522 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to explore and record the food and farming heritage of Knowsley and secure it for future generations with a permanent home at the Knowsley Archives in Kirkby.

They want to create a better food future in Knowsley by using inspiration from the past. They will engage diverse resident groups about the area’s food and farming heritage using education, participation, research and activities. They want to celebrate the area’s distinct farming and food heritage from 50+ years ago. This heritage is at risk of disappearing, so preserving it and bringing it to life for residents of all ages will enable everyone to access it in the future.

Volunteers, local groups, college students and schools will be able to take part in the project through creative, celebratory and investigative activities and events led by expert practitioners, allowing people from across Knowsley to enjoy and play a part in recording the farming heritage.

They will be actively recruiting for volunteers to work with them, please go to their website www.alchemickitchen.org for more details and to connect with their community team

Liverpool based arts organisation DaDa returns to the Museum of Liverpool next month to present its annual Edward Rushton Social Justice Lecture.

Award-winning theatre maker, activist and writer Kaite O’Reilly will deliver the lecture at the waterfront landmark on Tuesday, 3 December from 1-3pm. It will also be available to watch online.

The annual event, held on the United National International Day for People with Disabilities, is named after the blind Liverpool poet, bookseller, activist, abolitionist and disabled man.

Kaite O’Reilly will speak about ableism and audism in ‘RAGE ON: The Uses of Anger’ which connects her talk to DaDa’s 40^th birthday celebrations in 2025 which have the core theme Rage.

She describes ableism and audism as the discrimination of and social prejudice against people based on the belief that other bodies, senses and neurology are superior, thereby giving the right to dominate, patronise and try to ‘fix’. The assumption that disabled, Deaf and neurodivergent people are lesser, require medicalisation and normalisation, or be made to disappear.

DaDaFest International 40 will run from 8-31 March 2025, with an official launch event revealing the programme set to take place at the Unity Theatre on 29 November.

Free tickets for the Edward Rushton Social Justice Lecture can be booked via the website on www.dadafest.co.uk

Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse Theatres have announced new productions for 2025, the first season by new Creative Director Nathan Powell, confirming its position at the forefront of new writing, and reaffirming its commitment to creative collaboration, diversity and inclusion, and artist development.

The first production Takeaway is written by Nathan Powell and will be directed by Amanda Huxtable. A story set in a Liverpool restaurant packed with big laughs, family tensions and pumping tunes, it will play at the Everyman from 26 April to 17 May 2025. Nathan said:

“It’s a story about Liverpool as a whole, how it was built, where it is now, and about the communities that make up the city. I think it feels very ‘Everyman’ in that it asks big questions but there are also lots of laughs, silliness and humour. I’m hoping that stories like Takeaway that are rooted in this place, can also tell a national tale.”

At a time when many theatres are limiting their creative risks, Nathan is keen to give theatre makers the opportunity to test boundaries and push theatrical form. Inspired by real animal encounters from around the world The Walrus Has A Right To Adventure by Wirral playwright  Billie Collins and is at the Everyman from 12 to 21 June 2025. It sweeps three stories from different corners of the globe into a powerful new play about instinct, expectation, identity, and what it means to be truly free.

Giving theatre makers a space to explore classic texts is essential for shedding fresh light on familiar stories, uncovering new insights for existing audiences and inviting new, younger audiences to engage. A new abridged version of the classic love story Romeo and Juliet opens at the Everyman from 13 September to 4 October 2025.  Directed by Ellie Hurt, a graduate of Young Everyman Playhouse [YEP] Directors Programme, it promises to be a powerful, potent production stripped back to its brilliant basics.

For the three new homegrown productions announced, the theatres are committed to keeping ticket prices low; with tickets priced from £11 and 64% available at £21 and under. The hope is to ensure theatre remains accessible and affordable, allowing more people to enjoy live performances, and reduce the risk for audiences seeing new plays.

On announcing plans for 2025, Nathan Powell said:“I am so excited for my first season to be underway.  Liverpool has been home to me for many years and the city, and its broad artistic community are close to my heart.  As a team we at the Everyman and Playhouse will continue our dedication to producing local stories with a national reach and in doing so, championing emerging creative talent, introducing audiences to new forms of storytelling, and breathing a fresh perspective into classic stories.”

2025 at the Everyman begins with a revival of Willy Russell’s Shirley Valentine, originally commissioned by the theatre and finishing its 60th Birthday celebrations; from 1 to 29 March, the production (already on sale) will see Helen Carter in the title role and will be directed by Stephen Fletcher. No Everyman year is complete without the legendary Rock ‘n’ Roll panto, which for 2025 will be Jack and the Beanstalk (15 November to 17 January), written by Liverpool writer Chloe Moss.

Alongside continuing to develop creative projects with Associate Companies, which in 2025 will include a Studio Commission with Talawa as part of their Black Joy Season, the theatres will collaborate with some of the UK’s best touring companies. These include at the Liverpool Playhouse, co-producing with Actors Touring Company on Tambo & Bones (26 to 29 March), Wise Children on North by Northwest (20 to 24 May) and with Royal & Derngate on Breaking the Code (21 to 25 October); as well as welcoming back Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures with The Midnight Bell (16 to 20 September).

Productions already on sale for 2025 at Liverpool Playhouse include The Merchant of Venice 1936 with Tracy-Ann Oberman as Shylock (4 to 8 February); the return of Ghost Stories to the stage where it first premiered (11 to 15 March); George Orwell’s Animal Farm (1 to 5 April); and a stage adaptation of Paula Hawkins’ novel The Girl on a Train (13 to 17 May).

The theatres continue their on-going commitment to welcoming younger children and families with The Baddies (18 to 22 February), The Gruffalo (8 to 12 April) and Pirates Love Underpants (28 to 31 May); as well as Children’s Touring Partnership with Malorie Blackman’s Pig Heart Boy (18 to 22 March).

Comedy nights include Mark Thomas: Gaffa Tapes (23 January), Nina Conti: Whose Face Is It Anyway? (25 January), John Shuttleworth: Raise the Oof (11 February), Adam Kay: Undoctored (12 February), Lou Sanders: No Kissing in the Bingo Hall (1 March), Deirdre O’Kane: Kaning It (8 March), Richard Herring: Can I Have My Ball Back? (17 April), Ellie Taylor: Palavering! (10 May), Jenny Éclair: Jokes Jokes Jokes Live! (7 June) , Suzi Ruffell: The Juggle (13 September) and Sam Avery: Thunderstorm (21 November).

Further information on the Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse Theatres 2025 programme, including details of accessible performances and ticket prices, are available now at www.everymanplayhouse.com or by calling the information line on 0151 709 4776.

A Liverpool man who is facing physical and mental health challenges following a condition that left him as a wheelchair user is launching a Gospel Music project using its “phenomenal power” to make a positive difference in the community.

Gospel Music Against Poverty – GOMAP – is set to be an annual Liverpool-based gospel music event presented by Tigon Music in partnership with Liverpool Ark Discovery Centre (LADC).

The free showcase of gospel music will take place at Love Assembly on Steble Street in L8 and will feature a host of local talent.

The event is the brainchild of Ayotunde “AJ” Falana – a former LIPA student and a volunteer co-founder of Leading Support For Humanity (LSFH) – the parent social enterprise of Tigon Music who have organised this exciting night of Gospel Music with LADC.

LSFH uses projects powered by the arts to tackle multiple deprivation and poverty in Liverpool, the North West and beyond. The main deprivations they focus on tackling are the lack of skills and training in the music industry; terminal illness and children with physical disabilities; homelessness; and child poverty.

The rest of the LSFH team are made up of international evangelist, Pastor Herman Thystre; award-winning fashion designer, Tayameaca Hughes and Operations Director, Jospeh Ngugi.

When AJ was admitted to the Royal Liverpool University Hospital for three months with a condition that left him with serious physical challenges and as a wheelchair user, he thought that ‘he was never going to come out of the hospital alive’. But a timely visit from a pair of Christian evangelists turned his life around.

AJ says: “I was blessed with both a good medical team and mental health team at the Royal and fortunately for me I got out of the hospital alive. The visit from those evangelists came on the night I thought would be my last. After opening my heart to them, I made a covenance with my God that I will set up an event and a project to magnify His name.”

AJ intends to tell the full story of his time in hospital and the visit that changed everything for him at the event on 7th December. He hopes his testimony and the formation of GOMAP will inspire others.

He explained: “Whatever you are doing in life; great stories are made when a man or a woman refuses to give up and continues going on no matter what the situation. Just keep going on. I don’t want my disability to stand in my way of my ability. I want to make a positive difference in my community; it’s a form of escape from me and helps keep my sanity. By touching and changing other people’s lives, that’s where I gain my satisfaction from,  even though I don’t have the strength to do it all year round. My passion is to make a difference.”

One of AJ’s main aims with GOMAP is to take unemployed, poor and disadvantaged youths that have a passion for music away from the potential of joining organised crime groups.

He explained: “GOMAP is designed and developed to transform the GANG concept to “God’s Anointed Next Generation”. Instead of the criminal gang concept, GOMAP uses gospel music to put them on the right track and from the dark side of the road to the bright side of the road. To drop their knives and pick up the mic; to get off the street and in to the studio to discover their hidden talents.

“We’re using the phenomenal power of Gospel music as a Poverty Reduction Strategy. We want GOMAP to be a positive inspirational force to empower youths, especially those who are from disadvantage backgrounds and those facing challenges in our communities to help them reach their full potentials as Gospel music artists.

Gospel music itself transcends genre. It existed before genres in the music industry were created as we know them today. That’s why you can find it in the likes of reggae, jazz, R&B, pop and so on. It encourages unity and creates community togetherness rather than tension. It also promotes inclusion and helps build bridges between different alienated groups of people in the community.”

The concert will be headlined by by Gospel rapper, actor and content creator, Noah Olaoye aka Nunodaman. The scouse star has appeared regularly on the likes of Coronation Street and A League Of Their Own has amassed over 400,000 followers on TikTok through his comedy sketches.

Joining Noah on the line-up is Love Assembly’s Sapphire; singer-songwriter, Beulah; star of The Voice, Daisy Gill; instrumentalist drummer, H-MAN; Pastor Walter & The Sound Of Dominion Church Choirs; and soulful pianist and singer, Afrika Fuentes.

The launch event of GOMAP – Gospel Music Against Poverty will take place on Saturday 7th December 2024, 6:30pm at Love Assembly, Steble Street, L8 6QH. Entrance is free with donations welcome.

Alder Hey Children’s Charity and DaDa Disability and Deaf Arts joined forces to launch an animation developed by young artists to improve their health and wellbeing.

The ‘Alder Experiences’ project has been supporting young patients over the last three years to create an animation film based on a day in the life at Alder Hey, and this week the final cut was launched at a premiere at the hospital.

The project commissioned by disability arts charity DaDa working with Alder Hey offered children receiving care at the hospital opportunity to work with disabled-led Liverpool film company, Twin Vision, to create an animated film. The animation documented realistic features of a child’s experience of visiting the hospital, along with elements of fantasy to allow the young animators an opportunity to get creative. 

Young people worked with the animation company both one on one and in groups to learn different animation techniques and to create characters to feature in the final edit.

Parents of one participant described the impact of the project on their daughter’s mental health saying:

“The art has helped her again with her mental health.  It’s given her that focus, something to focus on when she gets really overwhelmed quite quickly.”

“I think when she did this, that she was really nervous, didn’t really want to do it, wasn’t sure.  But it was the idea of working one to one with an artist that sold it for her. It’s just given her the validation that she was good at something.”

“It’s encouraged her now to the extent where she’s now at college and she’s got a quite sizable group of friends, more like minded artists.  And it really is, it’s amazing.”

“If you’re offered the opportunity for something like this, take it because it is amazing. And you can see the vast difference. It’s just a different child.”

The partnership between DaDa and Alder Hey began as a three year social prescribing project back in 2018 connecting artists with young outpatients to offer 1:1 sessions supporting artist development, and has continued to grow from there.

Thanks to funding from Liverpool City Council, Arts Council England backed DaDa were able to work with Alder Hey to expand on the partnership and support more young people to improve their mental health and wellbeing through creative practice. 

At a public screening in Alder Hey waiting rooms and streaming on patient televisions, the Alder Experiences animation was launched this week showcasing the brilliant art produced by the young people.

DaDa Executive Producer Rachel Rogers said:

“Our ongoing partnership with Alder Hey is something we are immensely proud of. DaDa is about creating equity within the arts, particularly empowering disabled artists to explore creativity, develop their practice and produce quality art, and this project has provided space for us to work with young people who wouldn’t have opportunities to develop their craft in this way.

Through Alder Experiences we have seen young people start to see themselves as credible artists which has in turn begun to improve their mental wellbeing.

Through working with Twin Vision, the Alder Hey team and Producer Katie O’Callaghan who have a shared understanding of creating accessible art projects, we have been able to develop an inclusive project that has culminated in the production of a brilliant piece of animation.”

“We are delighted to have once again collaborated with DaDa on this innovative and patient-led programme. This programme has reached long term patients, who have to spend many weeks in hospital, as well young people accessing our mental health services. We have confidence and self-esteem improve through participation, as well as young people having the opportunity to develop animation and film making skills for the first time. This has provided much needed distraction for medical treatment and been a positive step in the young people’s recovery.”

Vicky Charnock, Arts for Health Manager, Alder Hey

Through the project over 20 young people have taken part in workshops and one to one training. 

The animation along with an interview with one of the participants and their family can be viewed over on the DaDa website:

www.dadafest.co.uk

 

 

Liverpool International Jazz Festival has announced the dates and line-up for its 12th annual celebration in 2025.

The four-day extravaganza of music and film at The Capstone Theatre will take place from Thursday 20th February through until Sunday 23rd February and will once again feature some of the world’s most talented artists in the genre.

On Thursday 20th February at 7:30pm, the son of legendary jazz musician and composer Dave Brubeck, Darius Brubeck will lead the London-based Darius Brubeck Quartet, which has been together for 15 years and tours internationally.

The group features saxophonist Dave O’Higgins, who has been described by The Jazz Guide as “A stunning player in the neo-bop vein, with an apparently effortless flow of coherent ideas, beautiful time and a highly developed harmonic sense”; bassist Matt Ridley, a graduate of Trinity College of Music London and a well-known sideman and band leader on the UK Jazz scene; and South African drummer, educator and composer Wesley Gibbens.

The following afternoon on Friday at 1pm will see a screening of Playing the Changes – Tracking Darius Brubeck, a film about what it is like to grow up as a jazz musician in a turbulent time of racial segregation in the US and political tension during the Cold War, and about applying these experiences to living and teaching in segregated South Africa. The feature examines how jazz had such a transformative role in different societies like (post-)Soviet Poland and Nelson Mandela’s South Africa, where jazz was present, but disowned through apartheid.

Following the screening there’s a Q&A with Darius, his wife Cathy and director Michiel ten Kleij.

The Friday evening will then see a performance from a ‘wild and exhilarating’ blend of top UK musicians from various generations, for whom Swiss drummer and percussionist Florian Arbenz has tailor-made his newest project.

Throughout his nearly 30-year musical career, Arbenz has consistently demonstrated that he’s not only a brilliant drummer but also has a keen sense for unique and gripping combinations of musicians and instruments. In his latest project, he turns his attention to the musical connections he’s formed during his frequent visits to the UK.

From the rising star Immy Churchill to internationally renowned musicians like Percy Pursglove, Jim Hart, and Ivo Neame, and the legendary veteran Christy Doran, five illustrious British musicians contribute to Arbenz’s supergroup.

On the afternoon of Saturday 22nd February at 1pm, the festival joins forces with Liverpool’s South Asian arts company, Milap for a captivating afternoon of music featuring the extraordinary talents of Rekesh Chauhan and Kousic Sen.

Chauhan, a multi-award-winning British pianist and composer, is celebrated for his versatility in both Indian and Western classical traditions. His performances have graced some of the world’s most prestigious stages, and he has collaborated with legendary artists such as Pt. Birju Maharaj and Mercury Prize-winner Talvin Singh.

In Milap’s Beyond Roots, 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.

Then, on Saturday evening, the festival will welcome Neil Cowley Trio onto the Capstone Theatre stage, returning to the scene after a break of 7 years with their new album ‘Entity’.

As a young boy, Cowley studied classical music and by the age of 10 had performed a Shostakovich piano concerto to a full house at London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall. By his mid-teens he had turned his back on his classical career entering the world of old-school R’n’B, soul and funk and working with some of the most successful bands of the day including the Brand New Heavies and Zero 7 alongside his own chill-out production duo, Fragile State.

The trio went on to record six highly acclaimed studio albums – Displaced (2006) winner of the 2007 BBC Jazz Award for Best Album; Loud… Louder… Stop (2008) hailed by Mojo as a ‘modern classic’, Radio Silence (2010), cementing Cowley’s credentials as a brilliant, dazzling composer; The Face of Mount Molehill (2012) with a string ensemble that earned them the 2013 Jazz FM award for Best UK Jazz Act and Touch and Flee (2014), described by Cowley as his ‘concert hall album’.

The Sunday afternoon of the festival will see internationally acclaimed jazz pianist Dorian Ford celebrate the 50th anniversary of Keith Jarrett’s legendary improvised 1975 Köln Concert with a unique performance.

Reaching back through time he blends his passion for Jarrett’s brilliant original with his own improvisations, Ford’s riffs and grooves re-igniting the spark of genius of the young Jarrett. The original live recording is still the best-selling solo piano album in history in both classical and jazz.

Closing the festival on the evening of Sunday 23rd February at 7:30pm will be the award winning young saxophonist and composer, Emma Rawicz.

Rawicz is a bandleader with an astonishing musical maturity. At just 22 years of age, she has achieved a huge amount, including the release of two critically acclaimed albums Incantation and Chroma and extensive headline tours across 15 countries.

She has appeared in high profile festivals and venues including concerts featuring as a soloist with the BBC Concert Orchestra at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, and with the German SWR Radio Big Band at a sold out Berlin Philharmonie. She was the youngest ever Artist in Residence at Cambridge Jazz Festival and has received a number of awards and nominations recognising her achievements.

After a record year in 2024, Liverpool International Jazz Festival is back in 2025 with another exciting line up featuring some of the world’s leading jazz musicians. Individual event tickets start at just £5.50, whereas full festival bundle tickets are just £65.45.

CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS INCLUDING THE FULL FESTIVAL BUNDLE PACKAGE

Smithdown Social Arts Hub, in collaboration with The Athenaeum, is celebrating the success of their ongoing art exhibition, now entering its 7th week.

This unique exhibition, which features rarely-seen works by historic Liverpool artists James Brierley (1783–1814) and William Gawin Herdman (1805–1882) alongside contemporary local artists, such as Amy Davenport and Steve Bayley, has drawn significant public interest, resulting in strong visitor numbers, art sales, and an artist commission.

The exhibition has attracted over 200 visitors since its opening, with many attendees commenting on their appreciation of access to unseen Liverpool artist heritage and celebration by local artists of their artistic interpretations of meaningful Liverpool culture following the exhibition theme, ‘Liverpool Culture’.  Proprietors and visitors have praised the exhibition’s unique curation and the rare opportunity to view artwork from The Athenaeum’s private collections.

“We’ve been overwhelmed by the positive response,” said Brenda Monahan, Director at Smithdown Social Arts Hub. “It’s clear that the exhibition is resonating with people from Liverpool by connecting them to their artistic heritage and giving present day Liverpool artists the opportunity never before had by Liverpool artists. It’s been a truly remarkable experience!”

The exhibition has been a platform not only for showcasing Liverpool’s artistic talent but also for supporting local artists financially. Multiple pieces by the contemporary artists featured in the exhibition have been sold. In a further testament to the exhibition’s success, one of the artists has received a commission to create a piece of original work based on the merit of the work hanging in the exhibition, a development that highlights the positive impact the exhibition is having on Liverpool’s creative economy.

The Athenaeum, which has hosted the exhibition in its historic halls, has also commended the event for its success. The venue has seen a significant increase in footfall, with visitors keen to experience the blend of contemporary art and heritage. The exhibition has also sparked renewed interest in The Athenaeum’s extensive collections, further solidifying its place as one of Liverpool’s cultural landmarks.

‘It is fantastic to partner with Smithdown Social Arts Hub for this important and exciting exhibition,” said Roger Phillips, Chair of The Athenaeum. We are committed to providing access and engagement to the Athenaeum, and to do so with a Smithdown Social Arts Hub has been phenomenal. If you have not seen the exhibition yet it is a must!’

With the exhibition running until 28 November 2024, there is still time for visitors to experience this unique event. Plans are already in motion for visitors to enjoy dining in the historic News Room alongside their visit to the exhibition. (Dates will be announced shortly for this opportunity.)

Exhibition Details

• Dates: Thursdays and/or Fridays until 28th of November 2024
• Location: The Athenaeum, Liverpool
• Featuring: Rarely-seen works by James Brierley (1783–1814), and William Gawin Herdman (1805–1882), alongside contemporary works by 42 local artists

About Smithdown Social Arts Hub

Smithdown Social Arts Hub is a community-focused creative organisation dedicated to supporting local artists and making the arts accessible to everyone. Through innovative exhibitions, workshops, and collaborations, the hub connects Liverpool’s rich artistic past with its vibrant creative present.

About The Athenaeum

Founded in 1797, The Athenaeum remains one of Liverpool’s most esteemed institutions, known for its expansive library and historical collections. The venue continues to play a key role in Liverpool’s cultural and intellectual life, offering a prestigious space for public engagement with the arts.

Smithdown Social Arts Hub
Email: hello@smithdownsocial.co.uk
Website: smithdownsocial.co.uk

 

 

A theatre production created by and for people living in care homes will be spreading joy and goodwill for Christmas ’24.

Winter Wonderland will see That Theatre Group working with residents living with Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and Dementia across Merseyside to produce a show before taking it on tour across care homes in Liverpool, Knowsley, Sefton and Wirral this Christmas.

The show builds on the legacy of Eurovision 2023, following on from Songs for Europe, which was commissioned by Culture Liverpool and supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund as part of the host city’s EuroStreet programme.

Spurred on by the success of Songs for Europe, Peter applied for Arts Council England funding to establish a 10-week theatre company-in-residence in a care home and create a new show, and was awarded £45,565 through its National Lottery Project Grants programme.

Producer Peter Ward, whose work is inspired by his partner who moved into a care home during the pandemic, said: “The company-in-residence programme will take workshops into 10 care homes in Merseyside. Through storytelling, the residents will be encouraged to share their memories of Christmases gone by as well as their hopes for the new year. Their memories will inform the content of the show and their voices will be used as the narrative.

“From their favourite carols they used to sing in church to treasured toys they received as gifts from Father Christmas, we hope to rekindle a bit of Christmas magic. The result will be Winter Wonderland, an uplifting and moving show which will spread joy and goodwill to care homes in the region.”

Emma Hayes, Manager at Green Heys Care Home which will be hosting the residency, added: “We welcomed Songs for Europe as part of Culture Liverpool’s Eurovision 2023 EuroStreet programme, which was a massive hit with our residents. So when Peter approached us to ask if we could host a theatre company-in-residence to help create the next production, we jumped at the chance.

“Reminiscing – whether that’s about past Eurovision Song Contest acts or Christmases gone by – has such a positive effect on our residents, improving their mood and making them feel confident and capable again.”

The project is being welcomed by Parkinson’s UK whose Corporate Partnerships Officer Clare Walsh said: “Taking part in creative activities such as theatre can help people with Parkinson’s improve their quality of life by helping them relax and focus their minds. We know that singing can have major wellbeing benefits and helps to improve speech difficulties, encouraging people to express to their emotions in a positive way and boosting their confidence too.”

As well as supporting older people, the project is helping younger people gain experience in the creative industry by offering with two work placements to Royal Birmingham Conservatoire students, as well as providing a post for an emerging community theatre artist, a recent graduate from the conservatoire. The company-in-residence model will also be the subject of a research project by two Faculty of Health & Applied Care PhD students from Liverpool John Moores University.

Jen Cleary, Director North, Arts Council England said: “We know that taking part in cultural activities can make a huge difference to how people feel and have a positive effect on their lives, so I’m delighted that we are supporting Winter Wonderland to 30 care homes across Merseyside over the Christmas period. I’m sure that the artists and students taking part in the tour will benefit as much as the residents from the show and it’s great to see this activity following on from the Songs for Europe and building on the legacy of Eurovision 2023.”

Producer Peter Ward explains how his work is inspired by the deteriorating health of his long-term partner, Graeme Phillips, renowned for his role as Artistic Director of Unity Theatre in Liverpool for 33 years.

“Following an acceleration of Parkinson’s Disease and Lewy Body Dementia symptoms, Graeme moved into a care home in 2020 during the height of the pandemic.

“He was convinced he was living in a theatre school and all the carers were actors so I wanted to use theatre as a meaningful therapeutic engagement device for him and hundreds of other people living with dementia.

“Earlier this year, I supported him to return to Unity Theatre in a directorial capacity to revive Krapp’s Last Tape. The play has held a special place in his heart since he first came across it as a young boy and it was the last production he put on at Unity 10 years ago, before he retired.

“It was such an emotional experience. When he was rehearsing, he was completely focused. The disease seemed to evaporate. Not once did he hallucinate, he was completely focused. It was staggering for the carers to see him like that.”

He added: “The reason behind the name of the theatre company is wherever we go, the care home residents can’t remember who we are, they just say “that theatre group” so the name stuck.”

Winter Wonderland will tour care homes in Liverpool, Knowsley, Sefton and Wirral from 25 November to 20 December.

While Arts Council England is financially supporting the project, That Theatre Group requires match funding to tour the show and deliver regular activities in care homes. Please support via www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/winterwonderland

Following the success of Leap Dance Festival’s return this year, the team have been nominated for One Dance UK’s People’s Choice Award . The award is decided by public vote and it is simple to cast your vote with just 1 click. Leap Dance Festival are delighted to represent Liverpool City Region and the wider North West dance sector at this years awards.

Leap Dance Festival Director, Paul Doyle said “It is an honour to be nominated alongside the amazing artists and companies in this category and it is great to see that the work we have been doing here in Liverpool is being recognised nationally, particularly at a very turbulent time for the dance sector in this country.”

To cast your vote for Leap Dance Festival go to https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PeoplesChoiceAward24 voting closes 9th November.