Community Post Type: News

With one month to go until the UK’s biggest celebration of African and Caribbean music and culture takes over Liverpool, Africa Oyé have revealed the full line-up of free workshops and activities that are taking place over the festival weekend in Sefton Park.

On 22nd and 23rd June 2024, the festival will host two full days of completely free multi-arts and educational workshops across the festival site.

As part of the workshop offering, Liverpool’s own world dance charity Movema will once again curate the Oyé Active Zone (OAZ), supported by The Granada Foundation. Celebrating 15 years of the OAZ in 2024, expect a range of workshops for the whole family, with people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds having the chance to take part in the eclectic mix of activities ,all led by top local and international companies.

As well as the high energy dance workshops provided by Movema themselves, other activities on offer in the OAZ include yoga, capoeira, and traditional drumming circles.Plus, ahead of a main stage set from international star, Vox Sambou, the Haitian MC’s own choreographer, Warda Brédy, will lead a traditional Haitian dance workshop.

In addition to the OAZ, Katumba Drumming and Movement will be leading a parade across the park on the festival Sunday, bringing a melting pot of UK big beat, Caribbean calypso and the carnivals of North East Brazil to create an explosion of rhythmic revelry.

Free workshops also feature elsewhere in the OAZ and around the festival site, with the LFC Foundation offering free sporting activities for children and families; Mr Silky Skills teaching some football freestyle; ‘bath bomb’ making with ethical and fresh cosmetics producers LUSH; arts meeting science with the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine; we welcome LIPA to the festival; plus ‘Echoes from the Islands’ – an outdoor exhibition highlighting and celebrating the important role of the Windrush Generation on British music; and we welcome back Plastic Tactics, where festival-goers can shred their drinks cup into flakes, melt them in the molding machine, and ‘pull the lever of the future’.

Those interested in learning British Sign Language can also head to the Oyé Access Tent for free BSL classes across the weekend.

Artistic Director, Paul Duhaney said:”The workshop offering at Oyé, both in the Active Zone and elsewhere on the festival site, continues to be one of the most exciting and varied aspects of the whole weekend.

It’s a testament to Movema and our partnerships team that people could spend both days taking part in activities across the site and not even venture to the main stage. We want to be able to keep offering these workshop for free all weekend so please donate whatever you can afford on the day or via our website at africaoye.com.”

The Africa Oyé Festival takes place on 22nd and 23rd of June 2024 from 12:30pm to 9:30pm both days at Sefton Park in Liverpool.

If you have a passion for creativity and want to join a group of like-minded people, pop down to ‘Art For All’ every Monday from 1pm for just £2 per session!

No experience needed, just bring down your chosen materials and get creative.

All profits from this event will be reinvested into their charitable work at Lister Steps, helping to strengthen and support the community.

If you would like to support them, please donate here: https://www.justgiving.com/listerstepshub

Collective Encounters, a local arts charity specialising in Theatre for Social Change, have been awarded £48,765 by The National Lottery Heritage Fund for Radical Retrospectives, a landmark project to celebrate its 20th anniversary.

Since its establishment in 2004, Collective Encounters has been working across Liverpool City Region and beyond to centre the unheard stories of the communities who shape the region’s grassroots culture, through a time of huge political and social change, tackling local, national, and international concerns through creative expression.

The Radical Retrospectives project, made possible thanks to National Lottery players, aims to document and contextualise the stories of marginalised individuals and communities within the Liverpool City Region. The project will provide a platform for people with experience of homelessness, complex needs, long-term unemployment, migration, the care system, dementia, mental and/or physical ill health and poverty to tell their story and highlight the creativity of those often overlooked by mainstream media.

Aidan Jolly, Co-Artistic Director and project lead, said “We’re delighted that the award will allow the communities we work with to tell their stories, and document the changes they have witnessed in the amazing social and cultural environment of Merseyside”

The project will engage stakeholders through a series of activities, including community-led research, archival initiatives, and the production of a podcast series. By involving participants in the development of the digital archive and podcast episodes, Radical Retrospectives seeks to empower individuals to shape the narrative of their own experiences and contribute to the broader discourse on social change.

Helen Featherstone, Director, England, North at The National Lottery Heritage Fund said: “We are proud to award this grant to Collective Encounters for an important project that will work with local people to explore the history of social change. Thanks to National Lottery players, the stories of marginalised communities will be preserved, ensuring that their voices and memories can be heard for generations to come.”

Whether you’re a current or former participant, a collaborator, a partner organisation, or simply an advocate for radical culture, Collective Encounters invites you to join in shaping this visionary project.

To kickstart the project, Collective Encounters will host a hybrid launch event, welcoming both local stakeholders and a national audience of arts for social change practitioners. The event will provide attendees with insights into the project’s objectives and opportunities for involvement.

For more information about Radical Retrospectives and upcoming events, visit the Collective Encounters website or contact cearchive@collective-encounters.org.uk.

In-Person Event:

Date: June 10th, 2024

Time: 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM

Bluecoat, School Lane, Liverpool, L1 3BX

Online Event:

Date: June 10th, 2024

Time: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Over a hundred people turned up for the unveiling of a colourful new mural co-created by Stockbridge-born, Liverpool-based artist Cherie Grist, local residents and schoolchildren.

Produced by community arts organisation Heart of Glass and commissioned by social housing landlord ForHousing, the mural called “Home” occupies a vast gable end on Stockbridge Village’s main row of shops and was developed through a series of workshops with more than 250 people.

As well as being a space to get creative, each workshop offered a space for local people to share their stories and suggestions about what Stockbridge means to them.

Cherie brought together the designs to create a mural that celebrates Stockbridge Village. As well as the mural, the designs were used in a series of shopping / tote bags that have been distributed to those involved, and a colouring book that will be made freely available to local residents and schoolchildren.

Funded by Arts Council England, the mural was commissioned by ForHousing and produced by Heart of Glass following consultation with the community, as part of its Arts Council England Creative People and Places programme.

Groups involved were: Flourish and Succeed and the Mens Hive group, Littlewoods of Stockbridge Association, the Junior Rangers, Meadow Park Community Orchard, Phoenix Social Group, Safari Kids Club, SCIP (Stockbridge Community Intergenerational Project), St Brigid’s Catholic Primary School, Stockbridge Library Colouring Group, Stockbridge Village Primary School and Young People from Skills Centre.

Cherie Grist is an artist from Stockbridge, based in Liverpool and works across fine art, digital art and fashion.

Cherie Grist, mural artist said: “I am thrilled to be able to work on this project in my hometown, with my community. I hope that the finished mural reflects residents’ thoughts and feelings about living here.”

Local resident said:

“This is the first time I have seen something like this in this community and it is fantastic. My kids have been talking about it. I came here every day to see the development, it has been wonderful. I think that it tells what the community stand for; unity, being together, helping ourselves and supporting ourselves.”

Another local resident whose design featured in the artwork said:

“We spent two hours on a Monday evening with the lads getting together, all different backgrounds. We were asked to come up with a design for the mural and luckily enough, mine got chosen which I’m very proud of. It’s about getting those doors opened again for me and just trying to get involved with as much as I can.”

Angy Williams, Head of Creative People and Places at Heart of Glass, said:
“We’re so thrilled to unveil this mural, which is the tenth piece of public art we’ve created in collaboration with communities across St Helens and Knowsley. While each design has been unique to the location and the people and artists involved, they all represent the power of art to bring us together and reimagine our neighbourhoods.”

Toria Buzza, Head of Community and Tenant Involvement said: “This mural is a reflection of the community spirit in Stockbridge. We hope that it helps to regenerate the local area, putting Stockbridge on the map as the wonderful place that it is.”

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, visitors embark on a journey, 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.

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.

One highlight is Symphony, a space where visitors can be part of a responsive artwork and soundscape. Featuring sounds from over 40,000 bees, your 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.

Anne Fahy, head of World Museum, said: “An artwork and a science exhibition, Bees: A Story of Survival will push the boundaries of museum interpretation, educating and fascinating through a unique experience, and helping visitors to understand what we all can do to protect these intricate and resilient creatures.”

Bees: A Story of Survival is on display 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.

May Half Term is just around the corner, and Liverpool ONE has a vibrant lineup of activities for everyone! From an Upside Down House and Heritage Trail, to a basketball tournament and mighty dining experiences, Liverpool ONE offers a week packed full of events for the whole family.

There’s lots to enjoy in their outdoor spaces, from Chavasse Park, to their shopping streets full of brands the kids will love, like LEGO, Kenji and Waterstones. 

Enjoy thrills and spills at Gravity MAX with games for everyone in the family, to escape rooms at Escape Live!, crazy golf at Junkyard Golf Club, or the latest blockbuster at ODEON. 

Whether you are a local resident or visiting from afar, Liverpool ONE is the ultimate family destination for a week filled with excitement, entertainment, and lasting memories for all ages. 

For further information on half term plans including opening times and more visit:

https://www.liverpool-one.com/whats-on/family/ 

 

Upside Down House

From 27 May

Thomas Steers Way, Liverpool ONE

The first Upside Down House in the north is arriving to Liverpool on 27 May.  Whether you are planning a family day out or getting together with friends, let your imagination run wild and try the unique photo experience that defies gravity! 

Be the first to visit the Upside Down House at Liverpool ONE on Thomas Steers Way, next to the Liverpool Sign and opposite John Lewis & Partners. Apart from exploring a house turned upside down, visitors will be able to explore exclusive rooms to Liverpool including the clouds of Candy Land and to play a retro Pac-Man arcade game! 

Find out more: www.liverpool-one.com/leisure/upside-down-house/

LVP 3×3 Basketball Tournament
31 May – 2 June

Chavasse Park, Liverpool ONE

The LVP 3×3 basketball Tournament is back to Chavasse Park once again. Enjoy thrilling basketball matches and witness the future stars of basketball. There are free public sessions for 16-year-olds and under at 10am-12noon on 31 May – 2 June.

For more information visit: https://lvp3x3.com/ 

 

Kids eat for free or less

The best offer is back! With multiple restaurants at Liverpool ONE offering free kids’ meals this May half term including TGI Fridays, Gordon Ramsay’s Bread Street Kitchen, and The Real Greek.

Kids eat for less at GBK, Slim Chickens, Byron, Smoke & Dough, Gordon Ramsay’s Street Pizza, Wagamama, YO!, and Chopstix.

To find out more visit: www.liverpool-one.com/whatson/kids-eat-free/ 

 

The Bus Yard

Chavasse Park, Liverpool ONE

Fancy a summer Picnic? The Bus Yard is bringing summer vibes with its converted vintage Bedford Truck Bar and its al-fresco food and drinks.

For further details visit here

The Heritage Trail at Liverpool ONE
Liverpool ONE
Free

Go on a journey of more than 300 years of Liverpool’s history with The Heritage Trail. Discovering the events, places and people that shaped the Liverpool we know today. 

Both free and fully accessible, the self-guided audio tour takes between 60-90 minutes to complete. To follow The Heritage Trail, download the Liverpool ONE MyONE app or alternatively collect the printed map from the Information Centre on Wall Street. 

For more information visit: www.liverpool-one.com/the-heritage-trail

 

Nature Trail at Liverpool ONE

Chavasse Park, Liverpool ONE
Free

If you are looking for the perfect excuse to go outdoors, connect with nature, and learn all about the vast variety of resident plants and wildlife – then Liverpool ONE’s Nature Trail in Chavasse Park is made for you!

The free trail is self-guided by a map available online or at the Tourist Information Centre on Wall Street and it takes around 60 minutes to complete.

Find out more: www.liverpool-one.com/nature-trail

 

The Old Dock Tour

Curious about Liverpool’s history? The 60-minute Old Dock Tour takes visitors back in time as they discover how a bright mind and creativity shaped the city’s destiny forever. The tour includes a visit to a part of the original Old Dock underneath Liverpool ONE. 

Kids under 5 go free and tickets for kids aged 6-17 are just £3, with adults at £10 (£9 concession).

Book your place here: www.liverpool-one.com/whatson/old-dock-tour/ 

 

Wood Street in Liverpool has played host to some of the city’s most innovative rock and metal music venues, and this summer 2024, it’s getting ready to welcome K1 Metal Club.

This new space, involving a dedicated and talented team which dates back to The Krazyhouse’ early days and until more recent times, will be all about embracing metal and rock music. Fans have made their feelings known and demanded that it was time that they had a place to call their home.

The original Krazyhouse left behind a musical legacy which lives long in the memory of music fans, having played host to some of the nation’s leading bands before they became huge deals, including Korn, Placebo, Oasis, Radiohead and Stone Temple Pilots. It also developed a reputation which attracted partygoers from far and wide too, with its easygoing attitude and ‘anything goes’ vibe.

This new incarnation at K1 Metal Club has involved a conversion of the former Camel Club, also on Wood Street, and previously home to a more relaxed and dance-orientated clientele. However, it will be time to turn the dials up during Liverpool’s most vibrant and busy season, as something far rockier will be taking its place.

A spokesperson for K1 Metal Club comments: “Ever since The Krazyhouse closed down a few years back there hasn’t been a proper metal/rock club left in the city. There are plenty of one-off nights but there’s no singular club doing weekly events. For fans there has been nowhere left where you know that if you turn up there will always be a rock night happening.

A few key people involved in The Krazyhouse from the 90’s through to the 2010’s met up a couple of months ago and started putting plans together for what would become the K1 Metal Club. After looking at what buildings were available to us, we decided straight away that the venue known as the Camel Club made the most sense.

It is all part of the old Krazyhouse/Sloanes/Wilsons/Freewheelers building, so there is an awful lot of rock history in that place and on the same iconic street: there is so much history in those walls and we can’t wait to add to it.

We think there is still a huge appetite for metal music in the city, across so many key demographics. As a team we want to cater to established fans by opening in the afternoon for those who don’t want to be staying out well past midnight. However, we won’t be closing early either! We know we will be hosting events for a wide age-range of audiences in this new venue. We welcome those who first turned up to The Krazyhouse back in the day, to new fans who really want a place where they can indulge their musical passions. We also anticipate being able to support fresh and up-and-coming talent, which our city has such a reputation for. 

To start off with, we are only planning on opening on Saturdays, but we’re hoping it won’t be too long until we can open more often. We are already looking at other nights and working out ideas. We’re even already got options to add more rooms! Most of all, we look forward to providing a really unique space which the legendary Liverpool music scene is crying out for. ”

K1 Metal Club is located at 18 Wood Street Liverpool L1 4AQ.

The launch event is on Saturday 29th June 2024, doors open at 3 pm.

Presale ticket sign up and information can be found here:

https://www.fatsoma.com/k1metalclub/

 

Liverpool-based national charity The Reader has launched its fifth annual Bookshelf 2024/5 and the new theme is ‘Wonder’.

This annual collection of 24 novels, plays, poetry and non-fiction for adults, young people and children is a carefully curated list exploring a different theme each year. It is designed to inspire people to discover a diverse range of literature, old and new, including through Shared Reading.

Highlights of this year’s recommended list include Jonathan Swift’s 18^th century tale of adventure Gulliver’s Travels, The Fat Lady Sings, a story of mental health by black British author Jacqueline Roy and Alive Again, a picture story for ages 3+ exploring philosophical questions about the cycles of life by award-winning Iranian author and poet Ahmadreza Ahmadi.

There is also the aptly named Wonder, an eclectic mix of old and new poems inspired by The Natural History Museum’s collections.

All come recommended for Shared Reading by the charity’s colleagues or volunteer Reader Leaders, who are trained by The Reader to run Shared Reading groups.

Katie Clark, Director of Literature at The Reader, located in Calderstones Park, said: “This energising, hopeful theme goes to the heart of Shared Reading. ‘Wonder’ is about being bold, curious and open, not least in our reading choices. It’s about surprise and encountering other points of view. ‘Wonder’ will remind us to notice the changing seasons and the natural world, as we open the door to new experiences and connections for visitors to Calderstones Park. 

“We’ll also be thinking about what happens when wonder runs to excess, or when it runs out. ‘Wonder’ can be about the very big, or the infinitesimally small; the extraordinary and the unknown.”

Frances Macmillan, The Reader’s Head of Literary Content, said: “Our 2023 Weathering the Storm Bookshelf led to many Reader Leaders and their groups around the UK connecting with literature that was new to them, and the theme resonated with many during a challenging year. 

“The sense of new beginnings, energy and hopefulness is in-built into our new theme of ‘Wonder’ and I hope the new Bookshelf, which mixes tried and tested Shared Reading favourites with new discoveries, will open the door to many more powerful reading experiences.”

See the full list and find out more about The Reader’s new Wonder Bookshelf 2024-25.

Transmission Studio, a new state-of-the-art virtual studio at the city’s Brunswick Dock, hosted the first in a series of ‘On the Docks’ livestream sessions on Wednesday 1 May. The virtual gig featured a carefully curated line-up of talented local musicians including The Kowloons, Fiona Lennon, Harry McKenny, Paul Askew, Tasha Carlee and Nat Kelly.

The ‘On the Docks’ acoustic sessions, which are designed to provide a virtual stage for emerging artists to showcase their music to a global audience, are broadcast from Transmission Studio by local livestreaming and virtual events specialists, Virtuopo. The company’s professional camera crew and experienced production team will deliver a broadcast quality livestream to TikTok, where viewers can watch the virtual gig free of charge.

Shining a spotlight on six up-and-coming musicians, ‘On the Docks’ featured 15 minute sets from each artist as they performed live in the virtual studio. There were also short interviews taking place between performances to allow viewers to learn more about the artists on the bill.

Speaking on the launch of ‘On the Docks’, Founder of Transmission Studio and Virtuopo, Chris Holmes, said: “Our ‘On the Docks’ livestream sessions will give emerging artists a chance to reach a huge global audience as they perform in a professional studio setting. We’re excited to be supporting local musicians by providing a virtual stage at Transmission Studio, as well as a skilled production crew to deliver a high quality livestream and a viewing experience that will be on a par with a TV broadcast.

“It’s a brilliant line-up for the first session and we’re looking forward to livestreaming regular virtual gigs throughout the year. I would encourage anyone who is passionate about new music to tune in to discover our pick of talented emerging artists and to hear some exceptional performances.”

Ant Ng, who regularly plays at music venues across the city with his band, The Kowloons, said: “As a young band, this is an incredible opportunity to have our music heard far and wide. Of course, artists can livestream on their own channels using their own equipment, but taking part in ‘On the Docks’ means we have a professional production crew looking after the sound, lighting and cameras, which leaves us to focus on our music.

“We always love playing to a local crowd at the likes of The Jacaranda, The Shipping Forecast and EBGBS, so we hope our followers will support us and the rest of the artists involved in ‘On the Docks’. Playing a virtual gig like this is a great way for us to reach a much bigger audience and we can’t wait to be part of it!”

The recently opened Transmission Studio, which is available for corporate hire, hosts a wide range of virtual events and live broadcasts from influencer livestreams and podcasts to conferences and product launches. The virtual studio features broadcast quality lighting, a fixed gallery, remote production facilities, a green room, a dressing room and catering space. It has already been used for a number of exciting projects including a global conference for a Premier League football club.

‘On the Docks’ will be livestreamed on TikTok, in partnership with content production company Eklectics. Talented local musicians who would like to be considered for the next ‘On the Docks’ livestream session are being invited to email info@virtuopo.com.