Community Post Type: News

One of Liverpool’s most exciting visitor attractions, Strawberry Field, has unveiled its summer calendar of family-fun activities.

Imagine Summer runs from July to 25th August, and offers families the opportunity to play croquet, enjoy picnics in the iconic gardens, and enjoy the renowned exhibition inspired by John Lennon’s musical legacy. And, children under the age of 16, with a paying adult, go free to the exhibition! 

Owned and operated by The Salvation Army, every ticket sale or donation made at the Strawberry Field attraction goes toward its Steps to Work mission – to provide sustainable employment opportunities for young people with learning difficulties and other barriers to employment, through training skills and valuable work placements.

As part of the summer activities, families can also enjoy local artist Sean Webster’s graffiti artwork which is recognised for its funky, colourful and positive message. The 2m x 5m art installation is located in the Strawberry Field gardens, and has been designed in such a way that allows visitors to interact and immerse themselves in the work. 

Every Thursday until the end of August, children are also welcome to take part in the attraction’s Get Back to Play arts and craft workshops with its artists Catherine and Bev. Take part in creating patterns with gel plates, make your own garden creature or a colourful pinwheel to take home. Activities vary throughout the summer and are suitable for primary school age children.

Separate to the exhibition, Get Back to Play tickets cost £5 per child and need to be booked in advance here.

Strawberry Field, which was recently recognised by TripAdvisor as a 2022 Travelers’ Choice award winner for Attractions, is located at the iconic site immortalised by John Lennon in The Beatles’ hit, ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’.

Strawberry Field is home to an interactive visitor exhibition which includes the original red gates, the Steinway piano on which John wrote and  recorded ‘Imagine’ alongside Yoko Ono, which is currently on loan to the attraction from George Michael’s estate, and the magical gardens where John played, climbed trees and dreamed as a child.

For more information about Strawberry Field, visit the website

With two theatre spaces and a bright and light café / bar, Unity Theatre is the perfect place for you to meet at an affordable rate.

Whether you need them for rehearsals, meetings, team building, teaching space, a social gathering, performance or event, they can support your needs now with their unique spaces and friendly service.

They have brand-new WIFI throughout the building and can supply tables, chairs, projection, AV equipment and technician support as well as a range of catering options in our café/bar which will be held exclusively for you.

With ample parking and excellent transport connectivity, they’re ideally located just off the bustling Hope Street, in the heart of Liverpool’s Georgian Quarter.

For more information, bespoke packages and flexible rates, email Unity at gordonmillar@unitytheatre.co.uk

Museum of Liverpool has partnered with The Liverpool Blitz Memorial Trust at St Nicholas’s Church to create a fascinating and moving trail that explores just some of the Liverpool waterfront and city centre locations hit during the Liverpool Blitz.

Photographer and creator of the popular social media account, Liverpool: Then and Now, Keith Jones, visited a selection of the sites featured in Museum of Liverpool’s exhibition, Blitzed: Liverpool Lives. Using the photographs taken by Liverpool City Police to document the terrible bomb damage and rescue missions that took place, Keith places himself as close as he can to the viewpoint of the original photographer to capture the same scene, as it is now, more than 80 years later.

The result is a fascinating pair of images, comparing the devastation the Blitz wrought over Liverpool with the resilience and eventual regrowth of the buildings, businesses and the communities that now inhabit them.

Kay Jones, Lead Curator of Urban and Community History, said: “Keith’s photographs invite us to travel back in time when the streets and buildings we know so well looked very different, and the people who lived and worked in them were facing unimaginable fear and distress.

“Today these images feel particularly poignant while we’ve watched the war in Ukraine unfold and so many people around the world continue to face violence and oppression.

“We hope the trail will help encourage conversation and memories to be shared. This was a terrible period in our city’s history but we can make sure the struggle of the people who experienced it and the city they built back is never forgotten.”

Keith Jones, photographer, said: “My photography explores the many changes the city has seen, but the images of destruction caused by the Blitz bombing, on display at the Museum of Liverpool, are particularly shocking. I was really pleased to be asked to be part of this important project and I hope my photographs show how the city has rebuilt itself since this terrible time. It’s an amazing testimony to the spirit of Liverpool.”

The trail can be picked up at Museum of Liverpool and Saint Nicholas, Liverpool Parish Church.

To accompany the trail National Museums Liverpool have produced an online film to help guide people on how to take care of their own objects and memories related to the Blitz, ensuring they’re preserved for future generations – available here.

There will also be workshops for people to learn from the museum team how to care for their objects and share their stories at the Museum of Liverpool on 10, 11 and 24th September from 1-3pm.

The exhibition, Blitzed: Liverpool Lives, at Museum of Liverpool, reveals the devastation the Blitz brought to the lives and city of Liverpool through more than 60 astonishing photographs taken by Liverpool City Police and the personal accounts of those who lived through it.

Liverpool Blitz

The Liverpool Blitz lasted from 1940 to 1942, with the heaviest period between 1-7 May 1941.

The Port of Liverpool and surrounding areas were key targets for German bombers. In Merseyside, an overwhelming 4,000 civilians were killed, 10,000 homes destroyed and 70,000 people made homeless.

Liverpool itself suffered the second highest number of civilian deaths in air raids in the country and due to censorship, press reports often didn’t tell the whole story.

Liverpool Blitz Memorial Trust

The Trust was established to provide a permanent memorial to those who lost their lives in Liverpool and Bootle in the Blitz of 1940-42.  Designed by sculptor Tom Murphy and unveiled in 2000 by HRH the Duke of Edinburgh, the memorial is located in the gardens of St Nicholas, Liverpool Parish Church. Its base contains a copy, protected in stainless steel cylinders, of the official list of all those who died (reference copies of the list are available in the Parish Office and the Liverpool Central Library).

Writing on the Wall, the Liverpool City Region’s Arts Organisation of the Year 2020, is delighted to be collaborating with Mandela 8 and Culture Liverpool for the Mandela Day Celebrations parade on Monday 18th July.

They have been delivering workshops with school children in and around the L8 area, creating placards and banners
which celebrate the life and message of Nelson Mandela and activism!

They have been working with St Vincent De Paul, Pleasant Street Primary, Kingsley Primary, St Michaels in the Hamlet, Sacred Heart, Everton Free School and The Greenhouse Project. Our creative writing workshops have been educating local children on the life of Mandela, celebrating his legacy here in the city and what they want for the future.

They had the pleasure of working with local writers and artists, Natalie Denny, Blue Saint and Janaya Pickett who visited the schools to support pupils in creating slogans and placards. World renowned banner maker Peter Carney has worked with children from the Green House Project to create banners for the parade.

The children, their families, carers and friends have been invited to take part in the parade and present the fabulous work that they have created on Monday 18th July.

They will assemble behind the Kuumba Imani Millennium Centre from 9:30am. The parade, which will feature Katumba Drummers, will start on Princes Boulevard leading into Princes Park and culminate in a free picnic and other exciting activities including Wildflower walks, recycled plastic flower making workshops with Scouse Flowerhouse and artist Faith Bebbington.

There will also be speeches from The Lord Mayor, MP Kim Johnson, Chair of Mandela 8 Sonia Bassey and Patrons of Mandela 8, Wally Brown & Maria O’Reilly.

This parade is also open to the public so please do head along and join the children in celebrating the life of an iconic activist! It’s going to be a very hot day so please do take care and ensure you’re equipped with sunscreen, hats and keep hydrated!

For further information contact jennifer@writingonthewall.org.uk

Writing on the Wall www.writingonthewall.org.uk Tel 0151 703 0020

The Royal Standard’s annual Summer Fundraiser will be held on Saturday 13th August, 4pm til late, and everyone’s invited!

They’ll be hosting an auction to help raise funds for The Royal Standard, featuring work that’s been kindly donated by some really great artists. They’ll also be hosting a raffle, with the chance of winning prizes by some amazing local businesses. There’ll be some refreshments and a BBQ also available on the day, and some good tunes and good vibes

All profits raised from the fundraiser will go to support The Royal Standard in its mission to provide affordable studios to artists, support artistic development, and deliver an exciting programme of exhibitions and events.

Keep your eyes peeled for more event details and announcements coming soon!

You can RSVP to the event and keep up to date with more fundraiser news on Facebook: https://fb.me/e/1utr3oQZp 

A 21-foot-high, working windmill is an impressive artistic addition to Liverpool’s William Brown Street.

Winds of Change is a self-sufficient, electricity-producing windmill which is a symbolic celebration of the past, present and future of the St George’s Quarter. It opens on the same day as Liverpool MakeFest which is taking place in Liverpool Central Library and is part of the programme to kickstart summer in the city.

The structure’s façade is inspired by classic pottery design in homage to Shaw’s Brow, the original name for William Brown Street, which was the heart of pottery production in the city in the 18th century. At the time, a number of windmills lined the street to pump the water needed to create the product.

St George’s Quarter CIC was commissioned by Culture Liverpool to deliver this project along with a series of workshops, events and activities that will take place in and around the area to celebrate the artwork’s arrival.

These include heritage walking tours from ArtsGroupie CIC exploring the rich history of the area; windmill-making workshops by Simon Armstrong and a tie-in with MakeFest at Liverpool Central Library.

The artwork has been designed by Simon Armstrong of Liverpool-based Design Laser Play and visual artist Laura Pullig and has been built in workshops provided by the Royal Court.

The work was commissioned by Culture Liverpool and supported by Arts Council England.

Liverpool’s Cabinet Member for Culture and Visitor Economy, Councillor Harry Doyle, said:

“Without doubt, this is going to be a stunning spectacle.

“Home to some of the most beautiful buildings in the city, visitors to the St Georges Quarter will find it even more visually striking thanks to this beautiful installation. The installation will be complemented by a programme of family-friendly events which will make this area a must-visit destination.”

Gillian Miller, Chair of St George’s Quarter said:

“This exciting Culture Liverpool initiative is a great project for the 15 businesses and attractions that make up the St George’s Quarter CIC. The giant windmill will create yet another good reason for people to visit this historic part of Liverpool city centre already famous for its theatres, museums, library, magnificent St George’s Hall and St John’s Gardens.

“The area is transforming with major pedestrianisation to enable more events and activities like Winds of Change to take place in and around some of Liverpool’s most iconic buildings. We are sure you will be blown away not just by the windmill but the many other attractions on offer in St George’s Quarter.”

To see the full programme of events, visit www.stgeorgesquarter.org/winds-of-change.

In 2021 Liverpool Irish Festival secured funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to begin work on regenerating the Liverpool Irish Famine Trail and today they have announced the the release of their new #LiverpoolIrishFamineTrail print-at-home map.

The Liverpool Irish Famine Trail was originally researched and built by Liverpool’s Great Hunger Commemoration Committee in the late 1990s. Like many things from the late 90s, some of the Liverpool Irish Famine Trail sites have seen better days. Given the advances we have made in the last 25+ years -including internet connectivity, accessibility recognition and mapping systems- it is fair to say the Trail benefits from a refresh.

To find out more about the on-going project and to download the map visit www.liverpoolirishfestival.com/engage/liverpool-irish-famine-trail/

Liverpool Independent Art School (LIAS) have an exciting new programme of summer school events coming up.

Summer School on Sundays – July and August at Smithdown Social – culminating in an art auction.

There will be some full-day events and some shorter sessions with painting, print-making, life drawing, felt-making, and Collage/typography.

Places can be booked directly through Smithdown Social or through LIAS.

Paul Life Painting from the model – developing life drawing into paint Sunday 17th July 10-4.00 £50

Toc Building the figure from mixed media – sculptural experiment and maquettes Friday 22nd July- 10- 4 £50

Toc Penny Lane sketch and Etch- Dry point printmaking from Urban Sketching Friday 29th July 10-4 £50

Paul Handmade Sketchbook – book binding and building your own sketchbook Saturday 30th July £50

Elsa Felt making – Three short workshops in making felt and it’s textile art possibilities 3 Wednesday mornings 3rd/10th and 17th August £20 per session

Karen Typography and Collage – A design workshop in visual communication 26th August 10-4 £50

Hilbre Island Adventure – booking via eventbrite

LIAS Hilbre Island Adventure Sunday 24th July 10-4 £40. Book here.

Contact: lias90736@gmail.com

See the LIAS Facebook page here

Candice Breitz considers global scale of the refugee crisis and whose voices we are willing to listen to in Love Story at Tate Liverpool.

From 11 July, Tate Liverpool will present Candice Breitz’s Love Story 2016 for the first time in the UK. Her highly topical, thought-provoking, seven-channel installation considers whose voices we are willing to listen to in a media-saturated world. Does our need to be entertained harm our ability to pay attention? How does the manner in which a story is told encourage or reduce our ability to feel empathy?

Evoking the global scale of the refugee crisis, Love Story is based on interviews with six people from different parts of the world who have been forced to flee unbearable circumstances in their home countries.

In a first room, actors Alec Baldwin and Julianne Moore re-perform fragments from these interviews in a fast-paced montage on a large cinema-sized screen. Breitz’s edit intertwines the six renditions, plotting the diverse socio-political circumstances and personal experiences that prompted the interviewees to leave their countries. These performances are followed in a second space by the original full-length interviews, presented on six individual screens, as each of the refugees share their lived experiences.

Love Story reflects on a media environment that prioritises celebrity over the real-life experiences of people facing adversity. Blockbuster films or celebrity-led charity campaigns may move audiences, but those most affected are seldom given the opportunity to tell their own stories.

The interviews were conducted in Berlin, New York and Cape Town, where each person was seeking or had recently been granted asylum. They feature Sarah Ezzat Mardini, who escaped war-torn Syria; José Maria João, a former child soldier from Angola; Mamy Maloba Langa, who fled sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo; Shabeena Francis Saveri, an Indian transgender activist; Luis Ernesto Nava Molero, a political dissident from Venezuela; and Farah Abdi Mohammed, a young atheist from Somalia.

One of the most talked-about works at the 2017 Venice Biennale, this is the first time that Love Story has been shown in the UK since being acquired for Tate’s collection.

Born in in Johannesburg, Candice Breitz (b.1972) is a Berlin-based artist whose moving image installations have been shown internationally. Solo exhibitions of Breitz’s work have been held at Fondazione Modena Arti Visive, Modena; Kunstmuseum, Stuttgart; National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa; San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Palais de Tokyo, Paris; Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art, Gateshead; and the South African National Gallery, Cape Town.

For more information visit https://www.tate.org.uk/visit/tate-liverpool