Community Post Type: News

The wait is finally over! dot-art is back with a variety of Creative Courses ranging from Portrait Painting, Encounters with Artists’ Books, Analogue Photography and plenty more.

Creativity can promote positive mental health, bring people together and help develop new skills. Pick from their selection of courses with the expert help of our Artist Tutors. They offer courses across Liverpool including spaces like The Bluecoat, FACT, Baltic Creative, Liverpool Arts Bar, BOLD Place and the dot-art Darkroom.

All their courses are suitable for beginners, as well as those looking to develop or brush up on creative skills! Plus they all take place at evenings and weekend, to work around your schedule.

As well as their regular venues the Bluecoat, FACT, Baltic Creative and Liverpool Arts Bar, they are delighted to be teaming up with Bold Place to run a series of classes in their beautiful space, including Portrait Painting and Introduction to Chinese Painting.

Don’t forget the dot-art Darkroom, where you can learn from scratch how to take, develop and print analogue photographs! For experienced photographers and those who have completed one of these courses, they have also offer Darkroom Membership. Members have unlimited access to the space via our online booking system for just £195 per year or £25 per month.

New courses for this term include Encounters with Artists Books, where you can earn how to design and make your first artists’ books with professional artist Brigitte Watkinson, and Introduction to Monoprint, which will introduce you to the print methods and materials used, to create a series of monoprints that you can takes home.

Of course, they also have all your favourite classes including Life Drawing, Landscape Painting and Abstract Painting.

And if you really can’t decide or would like to give a loved one a choice of courses, they also have art class gift vouchers available, online and through the dot-art Gallery.

Full details, prices and booking information can be found here: dot-art.co.uk/art-classes.

These courses often sell out, so don’t delay!

The Gods Are All Here, The Mighty Goddess and Mara are set to grace the international arts venue over the coming months with each promising to deliver a powerful and captivating evening of spoken word.

Sparked by the discovery of a series of letters from his father in Nigeria to his mother in Wales, The Gods Are All Here is a moving, funny and warm-hearted, one-man performance from acclaimed storyteller, Phil Okwedy.

This captivating show beautifully weaves myth, song, folktales and legends of the African diaspora with an astonishing personal story that uncovers Phil’s experiences of growing up as a child of dual heritage in 1960s & 70s Wales. Exploring equality, freedom, racism and family, the show – presented by Adverse Camber – will take place on Wednesday 25th October.

An evening of stories drawn from Sally Pomme Clayton’s latest book The Mighty Goddess (The History Press 2023) – a collection of 52 incredible goddess myths – will also head to the venue on Wednesday 8th November, following high praise from the likes of The Guardian and The Londonist.

Characters the audience will meet during the performance include Vesta, the fiery virgin warrior; Cybele, the mother goddess who fathered a child; and Ishtar, Goddess of love and war, who journeys to the Land of the Dead.

In the third of this trio of storytelling showcases, Mara is a whodunnit deep dive into the dreamscape of Swedish folklore, a delve into our oldest forests, a journey through our tortuous relationship with sleep and an exploration of what it might mean to be really awake.

The show from Dominic Kelly on Thursday 23rd November has been described as ‘a magical and mystical storytelling experience’ with praise from the likes of The Times already garnered during its tour.

The performances are all part of a diverse and fascinating programme of entertainment for the Autumn/Winter season at The Capstone Theatre. With an exciting schedule featuring dance, electronic music, flamenco, classical music, jazz and more, there’s something for everyone at the Liverpool Hope University venue.

Tickets for all three shows are available now via The Capstone Theatre website.

Fifteen years after TRAINSPOTTING, what has become of Renton, Sickboy, Begbie & Spud? Disturbing, shocking & extremely funny. Contains swearing, sexual language, debauchery, drug use and even more swearing. As if you’d expect anything else…

Irvine Welsh’s PORNO is a full-length stage adaptation of the novel by the same name, which sold out one of the largest Pleasance venues for a month long run at Edinburgh Fringe in 2022, earning rave reviews from audiences and critics alike.

After a three-show run at the King’s Theatre in Glasgow, the production visits three Northwest venues this autumn, Liverpool Olympia on 5th October, Crewe Lyceum on 6th October and Sale Waterside (Manchester) on 7th October, forming part of a UK tour. The producer has also just announced a transfer to London’s West End, playing for a season at the Arts Theatre from 29th October 2023.

Mark Renton hasn’t been back to Leith since… well, since he robbed his pals and f*cked off to Amsterdam. Life has been… good? But there’s always been something missing. How will SICKBOY, BEGBIE & SPUD react to the return of RENTON? Have they all settled down and become respectable members of society? Did they CHOOSE LIFE? Of course, they f*cking didn’t!

With an acclaimed cast of Scott Kyle (Outlander, Kilo Two Bravo, The Angel’s Share) as Renton, James McAnerney (Outlander, NEDs, Taggart, Rebus, Nightsleeper) as Sickboy, Jasmine Main (The Nest, Scot Squad, BAFTA Scotland Award Nominee) as Lizzie, Chris Gavin (Days That Shook The World, Starcaster) as Begbie, Kevin Murphy as Spud and Jim Brown as Knox.

PORNO is written and produced by the award-winning Davie Carswell and directed by Jonty Cameron.

A young performer from Southport is one step closer to achieving his dream of becoming a professional musical theatre star after being awarded the Sir Ken Dodd scholarship at Liverpool Theatre School.

Nathan Power (16) impressed an audition panel with his singing, dancing and acting talent, which earned him the prestigious musical theatre bursary for a three-year diploma course at the elite performing arts school.

The former Meols Cop High School pupil, who trained with Julie Ann Carr, Southport Dance Academy and King’s School of Dance, was up against hundreds of talented young people auditioning for the coveted scholarship, funded by The Ken Dodd Charitable Foundation.

A gifted performer with a promising future ahead, Nathan has appeared in a number of shows at local theatres and is also a member of BOS Musical Theatre Company. He now has his sights set on a career in the West End, joining the ranks of Liverpool Theatre School alumni who can be seen in smash-hit shows such as SIX, Blood Brothers, Wicked and the West End adaptation of Frozen.

Liverpool Theatre School’s Norah Button said: “Nathan has real natural talent and an obvious passion for musical theatre. His audition performance was exceptional and he is very well deserving of this special scholarship, which honours the legacy of one of the greatest entertainers of our time.

“Sir Ken Dodd was a dear friend and as a patron of Liverpool Theatre School he was always eager to support emerging local talent. We’re incredibly grateful to the Ken Dodd Foundation for this scholarship and we’re looking forward to welcoming Nathan to Liverpool Theatre School.”

Lady Anne Dodd, wife of Sir Ken Dodd, added: “It’s been wonderful to meet Nathan, who is clearly a very talented young man and a worthy recipient of this scholarship. We’re very pleased to be able to support him on his musical theatre journey as he begins training at the fabulous Liverpool Theatre School. Congratulations Nathan!”

Speaking on his achievement, Nathan said: “I was so excited to find out I’d been given the Sir Ken Dodd scholarship. I saw my first show, Carousel, at Southport Little Theatre at the age of four and then landed my first role in Whistle Down the Wind with BOS musical theatre company a year later. I’ve been performing ever since. Having the chance to train professionally is like a dream come true. I’d love to perform in the West End one day. I can’t wait to start training at Liverpool Theatre School, I’m really lucky to have such an amazing opportunity.”

Accepting only the most gifted students, the Ofsted ‘outstanding’ rated Liverpool Theatre School provides industry recognised Trinity and BTEC qualifications in dance, musical theatre and acting, all designed to prepare young people for life as professional performers.

Liverpool Theatre School regularly stages shows at local theatres with final year students having the opportunity to perform in front of an audience of industry influencers in the heart of London’s West End. The performing arts school provides a number of fully funded places and bursaries to help make professional training more accessible.

Liverpool Theatre School also welcomes budding young performers, between the ages of 6-16, to evening and weekend classes at its Junior Academy.

Sir Ken Dodd, who was a patron of Liverpool Theatre School, inspired generations of entertainers and a new scholarship in his name was announced earlier this year. Throughout his career, the late comedian regularly worked with Liverpool Theatre School, whose Junior Academy students appeared as the famous Diddymen during his live shows. Performers from Liverpool Theatre School’s Junior Academy will make their next appearance as the Diddymen in September at the launch a new exhibition called Happiness, which celebrates Sir Ken Dodd at the Museum of Liverpool.

Liverpool Theatre School is located at Liverpool Central Studios, 35 Sefton Street, Liverpool, L8 5SL. To find out more about Liverpool Theatre School, please visit liverpoolcentralstudios.com.

Liverpool city centre’s oldest building will hold a talk on the artist, plus a series of behind the scenes building tours and open studios.

This September the Bluecoat will celebrate Heritage Open Days, England’s largest festival of history and culture, with a talk on the arts centre’s long relationship with iconic artist Yoko Ono.

A leading figure in conceptual and performance art, experiemental film and music, Ono first visited the Bluecoat in 1967, when she presented an event, Music of the Mind and the world premiere of The Fog Machine, to a packed hall. Featuring audience interaction, it included people being invited to wrap her in bandages. Returning to the venue in 2008 during Liverpool’s European Capital of Culture celebrations, she referenced this previous event by asking the audience to this time unwrap her.

Responding to this year’s Heritage Open Days theme of ‘Unwrapping Creativity’, the Bluecoat’s Director of Cultural Legacies, Bryan Biggs, will explore both these events in a fascinating free talk. This will be illustrated by archival material including some relating to other events at the arts centre associated with Ono, such as Bed-In at the Bluecoat, 2010.

Bryan Biggs says “The events by Yoko Ono are key moments in the Bluecoat’s history, and an important part of our cultural legacy. We are delighted to be able to take the opportunity of Heritage Open Days to revisit them, and bring them to the attention of people who may not have been able to visit at the time.”

Heritage Open Days also sees two tours of the Bluecoat’s Grade I listed building take place, when its 300 year history and transformation from charity school to arts centre will be revealed. There will be a particular emphasis on the last century of creativity that has included a wide-ranging cast of characters who visited or presented their work at the Bluecoat including Picasso, Matisse and Stravinsky, through to contemporary artists like Sonia Boyce, Jeremy Deller and John Akomfrah.

The work of the Bluecoat’s studio artists will also be ‘unwrapped’ during Heritage Open Days, as they open their doors to the public. This will be a great opportunity to meet some of our creative community and find out about their practices, which range from painting and photography to jewellery and illustration. Our printmaking studios will also be open for demonstrations.

The full schedule of events is as follows:

Yoko Ono, Unwrapped, Friday 8 September, 7pm.

Heritage building tours, Saturday 9 September and Sunday 10 December, 2pm.

Intaglio studio tour, Saturday 9 September, 12-3pm.

Open Studios drop-in, Saturday 9 September, 12-4pm

Etching Demonstrations, Saturday 9 September, running on the hour at 12pm, 1pm and 2pm

For full details of all events, and to book, visit the Bluecoat’s website thebluecoat.org.uk

A regional autism charity is bringing its very own Comic Con event to Wirral this month, with a special guest straight from Star Wars!

Staff at Autism Together created the event to be autism-friendly and give people the opportunity to attend a Comic Con without having to head to a large, bustling, noisy conference centre.

Comic Con events celebrate comic book culture, collectibles, superheroes, sci-fi, cosplay, gaming and much more. This event is designed to be a scaled-down version of the big events which happen across the country each year.

The event will take place in Bromborough Pool Village – where Autism Together has a hub of buildings – on Sunday, August 27th, 10am to 3pm.

The main special guest is Wirral-born Arie Dekker, best known as Chewbacca’s stunt double in the movies ‘Solo’ and ‘Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker’, along with working on ‘The Flash’, ‘The Kings Man’, ‘Eternals’ and more.

Other guests and artists booked for the event include cosplay specialists The Merseyside Ghostbusters; fantasy concept artist Emily Megan Art; Ash Loftus from the Welsh Warhammer 40k Team; neurodivergent artist Rushie Rush; plus Wirral-based autistic artist Alex Baldwin. A full list of guests is available at the event webpage.

From its base in Bromborough, Autism Together supports autistic people of all ages, with around 800 staff providing residential, supported living and day services to over 400 autistic adults, and support to many more families across the region.

The Comic Con event has been planned and put together by the team at Bromborough Pool Garden Centre, which is run by Autism Together staff and people they support.

Emma Turner, manager at Bromborough Pool Garden Centre, said:

“We can’t wait to open our doors and welcome guests to Autism Together’s very first Comic Con!

“For many of the individuals we support, the big Comic Cons can be too overwhelming to visit, so they miss out on meeting the amazing artists, actors, and sellers that attend.

“Our Comic Con will be spread across Autism Together’s suite of buildings in Bromborough Pool Village. Tickets are limited to avoid overcrowding, and the event will be as inclusive as possible for those with sensory issues.

“Our café area will also be open throughout the event serving food and refreshments. Parking is available on nearby Dock Road South, and the 38A bus from New Ferry runs an hourly service, stopping close to the village.

“And, if anyone would like to take part in the event, there is still time for guests, stall holders and artists to register via the event webpage.”

Entry tickets for the event are £10 per person. The entry ticket includes access to all areas, though there is an extra cost for autographs and photos with our special guest Arie Dekker.

To find out more or to buy a ticket for the event, please follow the link to the Comic Con webpage: www.autismtogether.co.uk/comiccon2023/

Up Next Festival is back for 2023 for our annual celebration of Merseyside artists, and this year it’s bigger than ever.

This October, join us for an extended two-week arts festival featuring brand-new shows from Merseyside’s most exciting artists and companies.

This year’s festival includes newly commissioned works across a range of artforms including world premiere plays, poetry, cabaret, sound installations and music.

As well as the packed theatre programme, this mega line-up also includes the first ever Up Next Comedy Night, a brand-new exhibition, DJs, panel discussions, creative events and more.

The line-up of artists, selected through Unity Open Call 2023, includes:

Andrew McKay / Filla Crack
Daniel Foxsmith & Moncef Mansur
Helen Jeffery
Jess Green
Natalie Denny & Skywrites LTD
Olayemi Z. Ade
Sasha Georgette
Sonic Mutiny
The Barry Brian and Bean Company
Tip Tray Theatre

+ live comedy from Sian Davies, Alex Stringer & Niki Rooney and a brand-new exhibition from Hellen Songa.

All theatre shows are available to book now, with the full line-up of music and special events announced in September. Scroll for full event listings…

Booking Tickets:

Single Tickets: Individual tickets for all events are £8 / £6 Creative’Pool. See individual line-up here

Double Tickets: Book for two shows on the same day for just £14 (£2 saving) Book on individual show booking page

Festival Pass Wristband: After selling out in 2022, our limited-edition Festival Pass Wristbands return for this year’s festival. The Festival Pass is just £25 per week and gives you access to all events in your chosen week (saving you £23). What’s more, you’ll get an exclusive Up Next Festival Wristband to gain entry into all shows and 10% off at the Unity Bar. View the Week 1 and 2 Pass options and book here

 

Liverpool based writer and musician Asa Murphy has penned a brand-new musical play which is set to premiere in the city next month, New Generations is a production that covers the importance of love and support within family life.

The play will perform at Liverpool’s Hope Street Theatre on Friday 22 and Saturday 23 September, for 3 performances only.

The play follows the journey a mother and daughter share when the news of a new baby is announced.  They both have exciting expectations about how the new arrival will affect everyone’s lives, but expectations don’t always match and see eye-to-eye. Both mother and daughter learn valuable lessons about compromise and forgiveness but most of all the importance of family and love.

New Generations stars Pauline Donovan, Clare Cambell and Nathan Murphy and features beautiful songs throughout performed live by the cast and with Asa Murphy on acoustic guitar.

The play started life as a pilot production, being selected to perform at Little LTF (Liverpool Theatre Festival Of New Work) in 2022, the original title being Grandmother. The production has now been extended into a two-act production with new songs added and is now ready for its Liverpool premiere. The play also had a test run in London last month to great success.

Liverpool-born Asa has been a successful entertainer for 20 years. He has performed all over the world singing Big Band swing music and his own self-penned songs, fulfilling many of his dreams as a performer along the way including selling out London’s Ronnie Scott’s, topping the bill at the famous Liverpool Empire, and cruising and singing on the most beautiful liners in the world.

Website: www.asamurphyproductions.com

National Museums Liverpool’s award-winning dementia programme House of Memories will work with Brighton and Hove LGBT+ Switchboard to create an app to support people living with dementia in the LGBTQ+ community.

Funded by Alzheimer Research UK’s Inspire Fund, House of Memories will work with Switchboard – a ‘by and for’ charity that supports the LGBTQ+ communities – to collect a digital archive of audio, video, objects and photography, stored in the My House of Memories app.

The app will feature real life memories and experiences from the LGBTQ+ community, which people living with dementia and their loved ones can explore, to create their own bespoke set of memories. Users can also add their own media to further personalise the app.

Through the House of Memories app, Switchboard will showcase important landmarks, social spaces, club nights and cafés, alongside drag acts, trans heroes and role models from LGBTQ+ history for users to browse.

The app will also tackle other subjects including PRIDE, queer art and film and living through the HIV/Aids epidemic.

John Hammond, bereavement, older people’s and dementia (BOLD) project manager at Switchboard, said: “This is an extremely exciting initiative and we are delighted to be funded by Alzheimer’s Research UK and to be working in partnership with House of Memories.

“Many LGBTQ+ people living with dementia share both painful and uplifting life stories and this app will capture memories and experiences that are equal parts poignant and fabulous!”

Carol Rogers, director of House of Memories, said: “Creating an app to support members of the LGBTQ+ community living with dementia and their carers, is something we’re really excited about.

“We’d like to thank Switchboard for giving us this great opportunity to collect memories from LGBTQ+ communities that will help spark conversations and improve the lives of people living with dementia.”

Switchboard and House of Memories are now in the process of bringing together memories and moments to include in the app. If you would like to contribute, email: info@switchboard.org.uk.

Discover the full story of House of Memories and download the My House of Memories app here: www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/house-of-memories

 

MerseyMade has opened a brand new shop in Wirral, which is set to support local artists, artisans and makers by bringing their work to the heart of West Kirby. The inviting MerseyMade shop, located on Banks Road, is the much-loved independent’s first Wirral venture and its second store opening since launching in Liverpool city centre in 2019.

A treasure trove of original artworks, ceramics, jewellery, candles, gifts and cards, MerseyMade showcases and sells the work of over 100 of the region’s most talented creatives, with the addition of a further 30 Wirral-based independents being signed up as part of the recent expansion. MerseyMade’s West Kirby hub will predominantly focus on the work of Wirral artists, artisans and makers, which will be showcased alongside a collection of beautiful handmade creations from the wider region.

Reflecting its coastal location, the new MerseyMade venue features original artworks capturing familiar local views including West Kirby Marine Lake, Hoylake Beach and Hilbre Island. Among the local artists whose work can be found at MerseyMade’s Wirral hub is Hoylake-based Beth Sheldrake, who is known for her paintings of the peninsula’s dramatic seascapes.

Visitors can also discover distinctive ceramics inspired by the colours, textures and motion of the seas, which are hand-crafted by Lonn Landis at his Neston home, using locally foraged clay and glazing made from mussel shells from Red Rocks Beach.

The delightful new shop is brimming with unique creations including a collection of handmade jewellery from Soul Seeker Healing, designed to promote balance, harmony and wellbeing. Combining beautiful design with the healing properties of crystals, each meaningful piece is crafted using ethically sourced materials, infused with positive energy.

Speaking on the opening of MerseyMade in West Kirby, Founder Vicky Gawith, who lives in the area with her husband and four children, said: “Bringing the MerseyMade concept to the Wirral has long been an ambition of mine and I am thrilled to have found the perfect location in West Kirby. As an independent creative hub, we’re looking forward to enriching the local community and supporting Wirral’s talented artists, artisans and makers, particularly those who tend to work from home or in small studios.

“Our aim is to source original artworks and unique pieces that have been created right here on our doorstep and bring them all together for people to uncover at MerseyMade. Opening a second shop in West Kirby allows us to strengthen our connection with Wirral-based creative businesses as we champion their achievements and provide a new setting for their work to be discovered and enjoyed.”

Kara King, Manager of MerseyMade in West Kirby, is also well-known in the local community having set up and run Staacks Art Gallery for over 12 years. She said: “There’s been lots of excitement about the opening of MerseyMade in West Kirby and the local support has been incredible. Anyone who has visited MerseyMade in Liverpool city centre will be familiar with some of the pieces in the collection at our new West Kirby shop and there is plenty more to discover as we are now working with more Wirral based creatives than ever.

“Our coastal location is very much reflected in the work we have chosen to showcase in West Kirby, which is  predominantly centred around Wirral creators and pieces inspired by the local area. I would describe our West Kirby shop as the little sister of MerseyMade’s main hub and I would encourage anyone who enjoys picking up unique gifts and original artworks to pop in to find out what’s in store.”

MerseyMade has attracted a loyal following since it opened almost four years ago and the award-winning business has been invited to run several successful pop-ups at Liverpool ONE, just a stone’s throw away from its main hub at the historic Chancery Building in Liverpool city centre. A real hidden gem, the vibrant Liverpool venue features the popular Scribble café, a shop, artists’ studios and an events space, where regular workshops take place in everything from calligraphy and upcycling to wine tasting.

MerseyMade’s West Kirby shop, which is open between 10am – 5.30pm from Monday to Saturday and 12 – 4pm on Sundays, is located at 126 Banks Road, West Kirby, Wirral, CH48 0RF. The new location is also a pick up point for orders placed through MerseyMade’s online shop. Find out more about MerseyMade or explore the online collection at merseymade.uk.