Community Post Type: News

A huge mural, which brings together more than 60 Liverpool musicians, Sam Ryder and reigning Eurovision champions Kalush Orchestra, has been unveiled by MerseyMade as part of an artistic collaboration between Liverpool and Ukrainian artists.

The striking artwork is set to hit the right note with music fans during Eurovision week after being installed at SP Energy Networks’ substation on Paradise Street, which leads to M&S Bank Arena.

Inspired by Peter Blake’s legendary Sgt Pepper album cover, the mural features a collage by Liverpool artist Susannah-Rachel Gorman, which depicts some of the city’s most influential musicians from The Beatles, Gerry Marsden and Cilla Black to Echo and The Bunnymen, The Christians and The Lightning Seeds. Bursting with vibrant colours, the artwork also features some of Liverpool’s best known pop stars including Eurovision icon Sonia, Atomic Kitten and Rebecca Ferguson, as well as up and coming local indie bands such as The Cheap Thrills, The Mysterines, Banners, Zuzu and King Hannah.

Ukrainian artist Aileen River created a portrait of Kalush Orchestra especially for the mural, while fellow Ukrainians Victoria Ustymenko and Maria Maksym painted nightingales and sunflowers to represent their country alongside poppies as a symbol of remembrance and hope. The work of two MerseyMade artists is also featured in the dazzling mural; an illustration of the iconic Liver Buildings by Grace Emily and a portrait of Sam Ryder by Laleh Kamalian. Joining together the city’s home-grown musicians with Eurovision stars, the artwork is in keeping with the ‘United by Music’ theme of this year’s event.

Mike McCartney visited MerseyMade as the mural was unveiled this morning. He said: “It’s lovely and pictures the old and new Liverpool – a nice idea. It’s the highlights of Liverpool. MerseyMade asked me for a picture of Scaffold and I gave a picture that’s been incorporated. It’s full of wonderful Liverpool stars and it’s an honour to be among them – on a wall in Liverpool in Eurovision!”

Speaking on the uplifting artwork, MerseyMade Founder, Vicky Gawith, said: “The mural looks fantastic and it’s  been wonderful to work with such a talented group of artists from Liverpool and Ukraine to create this special artwork for the city. We’re extremely grateful to SP Energy Networks for supporting this project and allowing us to use the Paradise Street substation as part of our Eurovision celebrations.

“This year’s Eurovision Song Contest is particularly important for my family as my step-mum Galina, who has lived in Liverpool for many years, is Ukrainian. When the war broke out, her sister Luda took the difficult decision to leave her home and head to Liverpool for safety. She has been given a very warm welcome by the city and the team at MerseyMade, where she has become a valued member of staff at our Scribble café. We now also have a very talented Ukrainian baker called Nataliia working with us after she fled to Liverpool to escape the conflict. It’s a real privilege for Liverpool to host Eurovision on behalf of Ukraine and we’re all very much looking forward to joining the festivities.”

In addition, the venue is showcasing the work of Ukrainian artists during Eurovision week and hosting a yellow and blue flower crown masterclass with Channel 4’s Gemma Longworth. There will also be free interactive creative sessions, where guests will be invited to paint or colour in a special Samchykivka drawing called ‘Home’, designed by Ukrainian artist Victoria Radochyna.

These special drawings will be taken back to Ukraine and given to people who have fled their homes because of the war, as a way of sending greetings from Liverpool.

MerseyMade, which is brimming with unique creations from local artists and artisans, combines a delightful shop with a charming café, artists’ studios and an intimate events space. Visitors can find a treasure trove of delights at the creative hub, ranging from original paintings, prints and jewellery to homeware, organic skincare, craft gins, gifts and cards.

There are also special souvenirs available by MerseyMade artists including Sophie Green, Grace Emily, Jenny Dunlop, Clare Watson and David Nopov, which have been created to mark Eurovision and Liverpool’s unique partnership with Ukraine.

MerseyMade is open from 9am to 6pm Monday to Saturday and 10am to 5pm on Sundays. Visit merseymade.uk to find out more and follow MerseyMade on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook to keep up to date with the latest news.

The National Lottery is announcing the largest legacy initiative announced so far for Eurovision 2023. Providing vital support to live music, The National Lottery’s United By Music Tour will see charity Music Venue Trust stage 150 gigs at 130 venues across the UK.

Artists such as Cat Burns, Blossoms and Metronomy amongst others are due to appear at gigs from mid-June to highlight the importance of supporting grassroots music venues.

The announcement takes The National Lottery contribution to grassroots venues through the United By Music Tour to £1.5m and comes at a crucial time when many venues are still suffering the fallout from the pandemic and the impact of the cost of living crisis.

Tickets for The National Lottery’s United by Music Tour will be live on May 15 2023  at 10am. See www.unitedbymusic.live for tickets. 

In the coming days, the Museum of Liverpool will be transforming its steps and terraces, along with its iconic façade, to transport passers-by into fantastical, undiscovered worlds and immerse themselves in the musical spirit of Eurovision.

From Monday 8 May, the magnificent south end of the museum, looking towards the city’s Royal Albert Dock and waterfront, will be brought to life through interactive piano keys, encouraging musical play, as people move up and down the building’s steps.

In addition, the Eurovision Walk of Fame experience will invite people to explore, see and hear iconic Eurovision moments from years past, through Augmented Reality (AR) technology. A selection of the steps outside the museum will feature interactive scannable elements, compatible with social media platform Instagram, giving people the chance to relive some iconic moments from Eurovision’s past. This project is a collaboration between National Museums Liverpool, Ukrainian national Veronika Yasnska, and leading Ukrainian AR/VR creative agency ADVIN.

Also from Monday 8 until Saturday 13 May, passers-by will be immersed in showstopping artistic interventions being projected directly on to the façade of the Museum from 8.30pm each evening.

Windows to New Worlds (with its Ukrainian translation of Вікна в нові світи), is an incredible co-production between National Museums Liverpool and Crucial FX, creative specialists in digital, interactive and immersive technology for live events based in Ellesmere Port. The experience has been commissioned by Liverpool City Council’s Culture Liverpool and is part of the city-wide EuroFestival, bringing memorable cultural experiences to Liverpool as the city hosts the Eurovision Song Contest 2023.

The project is a key part of National Museums Liverpool’s Eurovision celebrations, which also includes two special Eurovision Xtra events on both semi-final nights, 9 and 11 May, hosted by Liverpool drag legend Danny Beard and Radio City star Leanne Campbell.

The ADVIN team says of the collaboration: “We wanted to give visitors an immersive experience for them to dive into the history of Eurovision and listen to songs from years past which continue to dominate the world music charts. These interactive stairs use augmented reality to help visitors feel like they are a part of the Eurovision world.

“The interactive steps not only feature the top 12 streamed Eurovision tracks of the past decade, but also feature and pay tribute to Sam Ryder, who represented the United Kingdom in 2022. Kalush Orchestra, our Ukrainian band who won last year’s contest, are also featured. We are so pleased to contribute a part of us and Ukraine.”

Explore more digital content, full events listings and more on their website at liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/eurovision

Physical Fest 2023 – Liverpool’s pioneering international physical theatre festival – will launch with SealSkin, a show combining highly skilled physicality, Scottish folklore, and live music, running at the Everyman Theatre from 29th June – 1st July. 

Music from the production will be performed by North West acoustic folk duo, Me + Deboe. Blending rhythmic folk musings with delicately woven harmonies, Me + Deboe’s energetic and intricate compositions have captivated audiences across the UK, Europe and the USA.

More information about the festival can be found here 

Following tickets for the United By Music Tour of Liverpool selling out in less than four minutes, The National Lottery and leading UK charity Music Venue Trust has announced an additional gig taking place the week of Eurovision.  

Lightning Seeds, Girls Don’t Sync, Miles Kane and Michael Aldag will all take to the stage at a special gig at the Eurovision Village in Liverpool on Wednesday 10^th May to celebrate the city’s hosting of the world’s biggest music event. It forms part of The National Lottery’s United by Music Tour. 

Entry to Wednesday’s gig is FREE and has a capacity of 15,000, however tickets will not be sold in advance so fans need to head down quickly as spaces will be given on a first come, first served basis. Gates for the Eurovision Village at Liverpool’s Pier Head opens at 12.00 noon.  There will be a range of performances in the build up to the evening show including appearances from some of the acts competing in Eurovision 2023. The National Lottery’s United by Music gig will start at 18.30 until approx 22.00. 

The National Lottery’s United By Music Tour of Liverpool sees over 20 gigs at 20 music venues across Liverpool to showcase the city’s iconic music scene and to support the grassroots music venues that remain the lifeblood of UK music. Taking place in the week of Eurovision (May 8-12) the gigs will see a diverse range of headline artists from Liverpool, in iconic music venues across the city, including The Coral, Jamie Webster, the CRAWLERS and The Mysterines as well as Lightning Seeds and Miles Kane. Tickets for the Liverpool gigs sold out within four minutes but fans still have a chance to join the event being staged at the fan village on 10th May. 

This is the third year The National Lottery has partnered with Music Venue Trust, underwriting the full touring and production costs of artists participating, as part of their ongoing commitment to the grassroots music sector.  

The United by Music Tour of Liverpool is another way for The National Lottery to say thank you to the £330M players have contributed to over 3,600 music and cultural projects in Liverpool alone. 

Mark Dayvd, CEO of Music Venue Trust said, “We were completely blown away by the fantastic response to the announcement of The National Lottery’s United by Music Liverpool events. Liverpool is still the home of live music and we simply couldn’t meet the demand from local audiences to be part of a celebration of everything the city has to offer. So we have spoken with some of the key artists taking part and found a way to bring even more music to Liverpool, with a fantastic free entry event. Please get down early to secure your place!” 

Ian Broudie, lead singer of Lightning Seeds said: “We are delighted to be supporting a campaign that is backing so many music venues across Liverpool, one of the world’s leading cities for music. To play a part in providing Liverpool with a whole week of music is incredible and we’re thankful for The National Lottery and the Music Venue Trust for making it possible.”  

For more information on The National Lottery’s United By Music Tour of Liverpool, please visit: unitedbymusic.live 

The Patio at Formby Hall is open daily for bookings and walk-ins (food until 6pm, drinks until 10pm), with a chic canopy, cozy chairs, sofas, tables, fire pits and blankets for when the sun goes down. The Patio will play host to live music from local musicians every Thursday evening from 7pm.

It’s the perfect timing for Mediterranean-style outdoor dining on The Patio; the Met Office has this week indicated a mini heatwave is on its way, the evenings are getting lighter and there’s plenty of bank holidays on the horizon.

Overlooking the 18^th hole of Formby Hall’s championship golf course, guests can enjoy a daytime menu of tapas plates and wood-baked pizzas. The small plates menu, designed for sharing includes Red Pepper Hummus with Pita Bread, Feta & Pomegranate Salad and Red Wine Marinated Chorizo, together with Spiced Calamari & Paprika Mayonnaise and Meatballs in Spicy Tomato Sauce. All small plates are £7.50 each or 3 for £19.50.

Pizzas are freshly prepared and cooked al fresco in a wood-burning oven with classics like Margherita, Americano and Ham & Pineapple joining Olive & Caramelised Onion and Duck, Hoisin & Spring Onion.Pizzas are available from £15.95.

For a refreshing beverage, guests can sample soft drinks, beers, wines and spirits, including Formby Gin and a variety of tonics, as well as a summer cocktail menu.

For more information and to book (walk-ins also welcome), visit the website.

Keep an eye on Facebook and Instagram for the latest news and Patio events.

The first wave of cast members has been announced for the much anticipated By The Waters Of Liverpool Autumn 2023 UK Tour, after the inaugural tour closed just two weeks into a three-month nationwide tour due to the Covid pandemic.

The new stage production is based on the book of the same name by the acclaimed author Helen Forrester. Her enigmatic and touching portrayal of her life story continues to win her fans worldwide through four best-selling volumes of autobiography Twopence To Cross The Mersey, Liverpool Miss, By The Waters of Liverpool, and Lime Street At Two.

In just five months, By The Waters Of Liverpool Autumn 2023 UK Tour finally ventures out across the UK after its premiere run was cut short in March 2020. After a number of years in the planning, the production was just two weeks into a 17-venue tour spanning three months when the country went into a national lockdown.

Now the production team and cast are crossing off the weeks until the tour opens with a 10-date run at Liverpool’s Epstein Theatre from 6 September 2023. The eight-week tour will visit 12 venues across the country.

The creative team have this week announced the first wave of cast members, which includes familiar faces who have told Helen’s story through the plays in recent years.

Helen’s Mother will be played by Lynn Francis, she will be joined by Daniel Taylor, Lynne Fitzgerald, Roy Carruthers, Samantha Alton, and Joe Owens.

The lead roles of Helen Forrester, John Forrester (Helen’s Father), and Harry O’Dwyer (Helen’s love interest) will be announced soon.

The creative team are producers Rob Fennah and Lynn McDermott for Pulse Records Limited and Bill Elms. The show is directed by Gareth Tudor Price.

The City of Liverpool College, a leader in providing high-quality skills education, is proud to announce a series of exciting Eurovision events, in collaboration with the Ukrainian community, ahead of the grand event taking place in May 2023.

The College will be hosting various events to celebrate Eurovision, Liverpool and Ukraine. The events will showcase the talents of the College’s students across its 5 main campuses, with support from their tutors, in various fields such as media and photography, hospitality, fashion and the arts.

Students can also find more about The City of Liverpool College’s Open Days which are happening towards the end of the month, here. Students will have the chance to speak to their friendly tutors and support teams, meet the current students and have a go at some exciting interactive activities.

Find out more at www.liv-coll.ac.uk

The final wave of more than 9,000 tickets for ‘The National Lottery’s Big Eurovision Welcome’ will be released on Tuesday 25 April at 12.00 noon.

Comedian and TV personality Joel Dommett will join AJ Odudu on stage at the event outside St George’s Hall, Liverpool on Sunday 7^th May, alongside the first performers for the 90-minute outdoor spectacle which have today been announced.

The first acts to perform have been announced, including Liverpool’s iconic Lightning Seeds will perform at the welcome event, as well as other local favourites including Atomic Kitten and The Real Thing. The line-up will also include Ukrainian music legend and Eurovision winner Jamala and Eurovision superstar Conchita Wurst.

In addition cameos and contributions from TV favourite Shirley Ballas, Liverpool royalty Ricky Tomlinson and Drag Race UK winner The Vivienne are amongst those contributing on the night.

The last few thousand tickets for National Lottery players to attend the show are free* and will be available from bigeurovisionwelcome.co.uk on a first-come, first-served basis from April 25^th at 12:00, serve as a thank you to the National Lottery players for the £330M they have contributed to over 3,600 music and cultural projects in Liverpool alone.

Those booking tickets will be required to confirm they have a National Lottery ticket that they can present on the day of the event.