Community Post Type: News

Come join the Carbon Literate Communities to talk with like minds, discuss your carbon reduction pledges, what Climate Change action is happening in your community, and get support with your individual and group actions.

This is a drop in event so you can come along anytime and stay as long as you like.

This event will be online via ZOOM details are below:

Topic: Carbon Literate Communities Drop-in session
Time: Thursday 6:00pm – 8:00pm

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86303746692

Meeting ID: 863 0374 6692

 

The Carbon Literate Communities Project provides fully funded Carbon Literacy Training for community groups, charities and social enterprises throughout the Liverpool City Region.

Energy Projects Plus, Faiths4Change and Zero Carbon Liverpool are offering a series of courses to certify 400 community members Carbon Literate through September 2021.

Fully funded training is available for anyone who is a member of a community group, faith group, charity or social enterprise and lives within the Liverpool City Region. which you can find out more about here https://www.epplus.org.uk/carbonliteratecommunities/

A dazzling and heartwarming stage show charting the careers and relationship between Hollywood mother and daughter Judy Garland and Liza Minnelli continues its UK tour into Autumn at venues across the country.

Captivating audiences for a decade, Judy & Liza will embark on a national tour throughout September and October 2021 to mark the show’s landmark 10^th anniversary visiting Lichfield, Radlett, St Helens, London, Chelmsford, Warrington, Halifax, Leamington Spa and Crewe.

The show is thought to have been one of the first shows to tour the UK post lockdown, coinciding with the Government’s roadmap for the easing of lockdown restrictions.

The Judy & Liza UK Tour comes to St Helens Theatre Royal on Wednesday 13 October.

Judy & Liza is produced by Bill Elms Productions and On Song Productions; created and written by West End performer Emma Dears who appears as Liza Minnelli; with Francis Goodhand as musical director.

Emma performs alongside Helen Sheals, who plays Judy Garland. Together they belt out timeless classics with uncanny resemblance of Judy and Liza, bursting with their unrivalled and elusive star quality.

The incredible talents of two of the biggest names in Hollywood showbusiness – mother and daughter Judy Garland and Liza Minnelli – are reunited thanks to this sensational musical experience.  This dazzling production tells the turbulent tale of the stars against the backdrop of their infamous 1964 London Palladium concert. Audiences are taken on an emotional rollercoaster journey as they discover the uncanny parallels between some of Judy and Liza’s most iconic songs and their own personal lives.

The show features performances of iconic songs including Cabaret, Maybe This Time, Over The Rainbow, The Man That Got Away, The Trolley Song, and Together Wherever We Go.

Liverpool-born actress Emma Dears self-penned the musical biopic to critical acclaim. Emma’s acting career began at the age of nine when she toured the UK in the title role of Annie. She later headed to London to join the Italia Conti Academy for Performing Arts, however she left before completing the course as she was offered a part in the tour of Les Miserables performing in Dublin and Edinburgh. Emma’s West End roles have included Les Miserables, Miss Saigon, and Oliver. Television roles include Emmerdale, Nice Guy Eddie, Shameless, Hollyoaks, Brookside, and Second Coming.

Helen is widely known for her roles in Coronation Street and Downton Abbey. However, Helen is no stranger to portraying Judy Garland having previously played the title role in the West End musical Judy! at The Arts Theatre in London. Her extensive theatre roles have included Mistress Quickly in Merry Wives and Goneril in King Lear for Northern Broadsides, directed by Sir Jonathan Miller; Mari Hoff in The Rise and Fall of Little Voice (Hull Truck and UK Tour); and Shirley Valentine. Helen’s TV credits include Brookside, Meterosexuality, Family Affairs, Last Tango in Halifax, Silent Witness, Holby City, Casualty, Doctors, Dalziel and Pascoe, and Mrs Wigan in three seasons of Downton Abbey.

Producer Bill Elms commented: “We are thrilled to announce another leg of the 10^th Anniversary UK tour of Judy & Liza, it’s a show very close to my heart as I worked on the very first run. It is going to be very special tour, for many people, this will be their first show of the year, coming out of lockdown. We can promise audiences a safe and very memorable experience as they rediscover the joy of live entertainment through this captivating show.”

Writer and actress Emma Dears added: “It is with pure excitement that we can take Judy and Liza’s emotional and iconic story on the road. As performers, we crave being in front of a live audience – seeing, hearing and feeling their reactions, it gets no better than that. Whether you’re a fan of Judy or Liza, or both, their story is unique. The show is full of love, heartache, and passion, and Helen and I have worked tirelessly to make sure we get every tiny detail just right. Join us for an evening with the mother and daughter who really did put the ‘show’ into showbiz.”

To find out more visit www.judyandliza.co.uk

Artist Tabitha Jussa has been inspired by the work of renowned mid-20th century Liverpool photographers to create a series of portraits capturing women at the forefront of the city’s arts and culture today.

Agency of Women is a collection of black and white and hand coloured photographic portraits inspired by E. Chambré and Margaret Hardman. Their 1950s home and photographic studio on Liverpool’s Georgian Quarter, now preserved and cared for by the National Trust, is hosting the exhibition until 6 November. 

As the first artist in residence of the Hardmans’ House, former Liverpool Art Prize-winner Jussa was given special access to the vast archive of the Hardmans’ photographs housed at Liverpool Central Library.

“As our first ever artist in residence, it was really exciting to see what Tabitha would make of the huge and varied E. Chambré Hardman Photographic Collection,” says Michelle Yunqué Alvarado, collections and house manager at the National Trust.

“There are so many different aspects to it, from countryside landscapes and photographs of Liverpool’s mid-20th century transformation to portraits of some of the celebrities of the age.”

After delving into the archive, Jussa became particularly drawn to the many glamorous portraits of women, and the style and techniques used by the Hardmans’ studio to reflect the golden age of Hollywood.

“Changes in camera technology make replication of the Hardmans’ distinctive signature portraits virtually impossible,” says Tabitha Jussa. “My access to the archive inspired me to produce works that explored the portrait genre the Hardmans’ used.”

One aspect of this genre Jussa has explored is the way many of the Hardmans’ portraits were painstakingly hand coloured by freelance artists, who were mostly women working at home. Packages of photographic prints were sent out to them, as well as snippets of dress material, lipstick, and hair samples, to accurately match colours.

“I was inspired by these forgotten hand colouring techniques and the highly skilled women who used them, as well as the way the female sitters who were having their portraits taken wanted to be represented,” Jussa says.

“There’s also Margaret Hardman, who was a shrewd businesswoman and vital to the success of their studio. This led me to think about the makers and managers in Liverpool’s cultural scene today who also share these qualities.”

In early 2020, Jussa invited a number of women at the heart of Liverpool’s cultural scene to take part and have their portrait taken in the photographic studio at the Hardmans’ House.

Using a Mamiya RB67 camera and a selection of lenses to create a range of specific effects, Jussa photographed a total of 17 women, including: Claire McColgan (director of Culture Liverpool); Stealing Sheep (musicians); The Singh Twins MBE (artists) and Angela Samata (arts professional and ambassador of Survivors of the Bereaved by Suicide).

Jussa then used a range of the ‘forgotten’ techniques used by the Hardmans’ to bring their portraits to life. Now, the public are being invited to explore these portraits at the Hardmans’ House.

Sarah Fisher, Director of Liverpool’s Open Eye Gallery, says: “The Hardman’s House, as a unique visitor experience, allows us to understand how central photographic studios were to civic life. This intelligent exhibition by an exceptional contemporary talent, Tabitha Jussa, explores portraits of key women who are driving our cultural renaissance – a key factor in Liverpool’s civic and economic model.

“Jussa reflects on the aesthetics and practical processes employed by Hardman to inspiring effect, situating these portraits within the traditions of studio photography.”

The exhibition can be viewed as part of a guided tour of the Hardmans’ House on Fridays and Saturdays between 17 September and 6 November. Spaces are limited so booking is recommended to guarantee a spot on a tour.

Tickets can be booked online at www.nationaltrust.org.uk/hardmans-house or by telephone on 0344 249 1895. Entry is free for National Trust members, but booking is essential.

Agency of Women is supported by Arts Council England and presented in partnership with the National Trust, Open Eye Gallery and University of Chester.

Full list of sitters:

• Angela Samata – Arts Professional and Ambassador of the Survivors of the Bereaved by Suicide.
• Bisakha Sarker MBE – Artistic director of Chaturangan, Artist
• Mary Cloake – Director of Bluecoat, Liverpool
• Charlotte Corrie & Christina Grogan – Founders and Directors of Open Culture
• Claire McColgan – Director of Open Culture
• Doreen Allan – Founder of Planet X Liverpool
• Elaine Clarke – Founder and owner of Baa Bar Ltd
• Emily Speed – Artist
• Stealing Sheep – Musicians
• Madeline Heneghan – Co-director of Writing on the Wall
• Helen Legg – Director of Tate Liverpool
• Michelle Charters – Director of Kuumba Imani Millenium Centre, National Museums Trustee, Community Activist
• Nicola Triscott – Director of FACT, curator, writer and researcher
• The Singh Twins MBE – Artists
• Zilan Liao – Musician and director of Pagoda Arts
• Niki Kand – Musician, singer and songwriter
• Fatoş Üstek – Independent curator, writer and former director of Liverpool Biennial

To honour Batman Day 2021, the iconic Bat-Signal will be appearing on five mystery UK buildings throughout the evening of the 18th September.  The exact locations will not be revealed until the night of the launch but London, Liverpool, and Glasgow have been announced as the chosen cities.

From sundown on Batman Day, the huge and instantly recognisable Bat-Signal will travel up the country, being projected onto four different buildings along the way. Eagle eyed fans who spot the building and follow the Bat-Signal will also be in with the chance of being surprised with Batman themed rewards, as the first ten people on site to approach event organisers and declare “I love Batman” will win prizes.

Starting in London, travelling north to Liverpool and Glasgow, and then returning to Batman’s home… the timings for the evening have been revealed as:

• 8 – 8.30pm – London
• 8.45 – 9.15pm – Liverpool
• 9.30 – 10pm – Glasgow
• 10.15 – 10.45pm – London

The exact locations will be teased on Instagram and Facebook by DC GB Facebook and DCUKComics on the 18th to give Bat-Signal seekers a head start.

Batman Day 2021 will take place on Saturday 18th September.

More than 1,000 eager runners laced up their trainers at the weekend to take part in the biggest road race Liverpool has seen in 18 months.

The 28^th annual BTR Liverpool Skyline Half Marathon is a highlight in the race calendar given its long established roots. The event on Sunday (12 September) also featured the sixth annual 10 Mile Road Race. Both races began together from Pier Head Liverpool on the city’s iconic waterfront.

The race was last staged exactly 18 months ago in March 2020, a week before the Government announced the first national Covid-19 lockdown.

The date for next year’s BTR Liverpool Skyline Half Marathon and 10 Mile Road Race is already confirmed for Sunday 27 March 2021. Entries are open.

Organisers BTR Liverpool say they feel “extremely privileged and relieved” they could once again stage a headline race event to bring the Merseyside running community together following the lifting of pandemic restrictions.

BTR Liverpool is the leading independent organisation for creating, managing and delivering headline race events across Liverpool City Region. All BTR races are organised and delivered in accordance with Covid guidelines.

BTR Liverpool Skyline Half Marathon 2021 was won by Thomas Rogerson from Liverpool Harriers AC in a time of 1 hour 11 minutes 22 seconds. First place female was Fay Hughes from UTS Running Club in 1 hour 24 minutes.

Joseph Turner from Cambridge & Coleridge AC was first place male in the BTR Liverpool Skyline 10 Mile Road Race 2021 in 54 minutes 33 seconds. First female was Amy McKechnie from Queensbury RC in 1 hour 6 minutes 17 seconds.

Last year’s event was rebranded to the BTR Liverpool Skyline Half Marathon to celebrate the host destination’s strong tourism offer. The race route takes in the city’s famous sights including landmarks Liverpool Cathedral, Royal Albert Dock Liverpool, Sefton Park, and Museum Of Liverpool.

Runners enjoyed a grandstand start and finish line area under the gaze of the Liver Birds and the iconic Three Graces – Royal Liver Building, Cunard Building, and Port Of Liverpool Building. There was a slight change to the start of the race to accommodate ongoing roadworks on The Strand.

BTR Race Director Alan Rothwell commented:

“The runners came out, the medals were shining, and there were plenty of smiles from start to finish. We staged the same race exactly 18 months ago just before the first national lockdown, and everyone has been through such a challenging time since. We feel extremely privileged and relieved to bring headline races back to the city.

“We must applaud a brilliant team effort from our volunteers – the official time pacers; 4 Coy Merseyside Army Cadet Force, Dockside Runners, Everton in the Community, Good Gym Liverpool, Liverpool Running Bugs, Penny Lane Striders, and members of the wider Merseyside running community.

“We’re now incredibly excited and counting down the days to five further events in 2021, including the BTR Mersey Tunnel 10K on 26 September and the festive spectacular Appreciate Group Liverpool Santa Dash on 5 December. Races have most definitely returned, let’s get back out there.”

Organisers BTR Liverpool implemented a series of Covid-19 safety measures, encouraging runners to take a Covid-19 lateral flow test and maintain distancing on the day. To minimise personal contact, runners were required to pick up their own water, medals and T-shirts.

Fifty-five-year-old Stephen Symons from Quays Running Club in Manchester has completed every Liverpool Half Marathon, making it his 28^th consecutive year. Stephen completed the race in 2 hours 2 minutes 42 seconds.

Stephen suffered a brain haemorrhage in November 2012, but still completed the next race in March 2013 accompanied by family. He is already looking forward to next year when the race returns to its usual March date – and is excited for a landmark year in 2024 when the race marks its 30^th anniversary.

The day’s most senior male runner was 83-year-old John Courtney from Liverpool. This was his 111^th half marathon and he guided his blind son James during the race.

Southport runner Paul Warrington, 45, took part in the half marathon dressed in full hockey goalkeeper kit to attempt a Guinness World Record. Paul completed the 13.1 miles wearing a helmet, chest protector, elbow protectors, hard pads on both legs, padded shorts, leg guards, hand pads and shoe pads – the kit weighed 12lbs before adding running kit and a water hydration pack.

Paul was accompanied by fellow Southport & Waterloo Athletics Club runner Tracey Barlow. Unfortunately he did not set a new record – but he has smashed his charity target for Cancer Research UK raising more than £1,500. Paul’s father-in-law was diagnosed with lymphoma in Summer 2020, he is now in recovery after six months of chemotherapy – and he used this as the motivation for his challenge. Paul’s donation page is https://bit.ly/3zpMWJE

As travelling restrictions continue to ease, overseas runners from Belgium, Denmark, and Germany took part.

A group of 30 runners from Alive Fitness gym in Crosby took part. Local running clubs represented included BTR Road Runners, Kirkby Milers AC, Liverpool Running Club, Marsh Lane Harriers, and Penny Lane Striders.

Liverpool drumming band Batala Mersey gave runners an uplifting send-off as they started the race. They later welcomed them back, spurring runners along the final home straight near Museum Of Liverpool and towards the finish line.

The Gym at Liverpool ONE offered participants a free one day pass on race day to use the changing facilities.

Next up in the BTR race portfolio is the 15^th BTR Mersey Tunnel 10K on Sunday 26 September. Find out more at www.btrliverpool.com

Liverpool’s newest theatrical space The Hope Street Theatre will officially re-open its doors on 5^th October following its closure on 16^th March 2020 after the Prime Minister’s announcement closing all live entertainment venues. Covid 19 has had a massive effect on venues in the region and thanks to a DCMS Cultural Recovery Fund grant the venue secured its imminent future and enables the work previously started in its opening year to continue.

A varied season of professional and community projects will relaunch the venue for its re-opening Autumn/Winter Season that includes a two-week run of The Musical of Musicals The Musical! (16 – 27 Nov). Directed by West-End performer and Director Sharon Byatt The Musical of Musicals The Musical parodies and pastiches five separate musical theatre composers in five small mini-musicals. Also helping to launch the new season is a stunning new pantomime for the venue from local producers Just Entertainment. Sleeping Beauty (16 – 30 Dec.) stars Liverpool Live Radio’s breakfast show host Aaron Hayes as Dame Dolly alongside an ensemble from LIPA and Performers Theatre School.

Launching the opening season is Sciptshop with their latest showcase of new writing Leaving (5-6 Oct). Twisting and shouting back into the space with several new plays is long-running Beatles themed theatrical festival Ticket To Write (8-9 Oct).  Liverpool favourites Naughty Corner return to the venue with their latest production Sheep (14-16 Oct). Warrington based youth theatre company First Act Drama make their Hope Street Theatre debut with the powerful musical Spring Awakening (28 – 30 Oct). In November professional company Matter of Act present their stunning one man show Rossiter (4-6 Nov) which charts the ups and downs of one of Liverpool’s most prolific exports Leonard Rossiter. Making a welcome return to the venue following a sell-out run in 2020 is Mike Howl’s play This Girl (8 – 14 Nov) which looks at the iconic life of Cynthia Lennon. Wirral based Off The Ground round up the season as they bring their latest comedy drama The Drunks (2 – 4 Dec) to the venue.

General Manager of The Hope Street Theatre Sam Donovan is excited to finally be able to re-open the theatre following the prolonged closure due to the Covid-19 Pandemic “After almost 18 months, we are excited to be able to finally re-open our doors to welcome back new and old companies to the venue The Hope Street Theatre is all about celebrating the wealth of talent on offer in the region from youth theatre, community companies and professional productions and we believe that this re-opening season shouts that from the rooftops.”

All shows can be booked through our website at www.hopestreettheatre.com or via telephone on 0344 561 0622.

Art or history, literature or leadership – Continuing Education’s new programme of online short courses offers a wide-range of choice for students.

The University of Liverpool Continuing Education (CE) team are delighted to announce a new programme of short courses, seminars and workshops, providing accessible high-quality learning for the Merseyside region.

The new courses – taught online in the university’s virtual classroom – ensure students enjoy the benefits of engagement with both tutors and their peers from the comfort of their own home.

Included in the university’s offering are a range of courses across the arts world, such as Sculpture in Liverpool; Writing Novels and Short Stories; Analysing Film: Hitchcock & Mastering Suspense; and Phantasmagoria: Liverpool on Film, 1897-1957.

For those looking to enhance their business acumen, there are also courses on a range of industry topics, such as Beyond rationality: how superstition affects investment decisions; Building Relationships; and Developing Emotional Intelligence and Resilience.

And as the world begins to open up once again, those looking to travel can learn some of the world’s most widely spoken and influential languages through Open Languages – the University’s initiative to increase language learning in the region, with courses on Arabic, Spanish, French, German, Russian, Mandarin and others on offer. The language courses will be taught on campus rather than online.

Participants will also have access to a wide range of the University’s academic support and, on completion, will be awarded with a formal University of Liverpool Certificate of Engagement that acknowledges their professional and personal development.

Dr Glenn Godenho, Academic Director of Continuing Education, said:

“After a successful year for CE, we have decided to continue with online learning for the coming Academic year. Our innovative approach makes use of video conferencing and a sophisticated virtual learning environment to provide students with a high-quality learning experience that is expected from the University of Liverpool.

This year’s programme is as diverse as ever, with a variety of fascinating courses to choose from. Students can learn about our galaxy, the City on film, ancient Rome, the Left in Irish history, film analysis and English and European literature. Or you may want to learn programming or enhance your work skills? With more courses being released in the coming months, there is a lot to choose from.

The courses are open to everyone, and with no prior qualifications needed; people can join for the sheer enjoyment of learning about a subject that they’re interested in.”

If you would like to learn more about the courses on offer, visit the University of Liverpool’s Continuing Education website or follow the Continuing Education team on Twitter and on Facebook.

Liverpool-Irish, openly queer, and non-binary rapper M!key Garland becomes double Semi-Finalist in prestigious UK Songwriting Contest.

M!key Garland released their Arts Council England funded debut rap album Who’s Afraid of M!key Garland? in July of this year. The album explores Garland’s experience of homelessness in the early 2010s, and tackles themes of poverty, addiction, and mental health. The Liverpool-based rapper submitted 10 of the album’s 12 tracks into the first and second rounds of the UK Songwriting Contest to enormous success. All 10 songs ranked highly in the competition with commendation and praise, and two songs, Daydream, and The M.M. Effect (Crown of Thorns) have reached the Semi-Finals. Garland hopes that more songs may reach the Semi-Finals in the third and final round of entries.

Garland has been involved in the performing arts for over 15 years, but like many working-class artists struggled to find opportunities. “Most artists with my background simply don’t have the money to fund their own creative work,” says Garland, “I would never have been able to fund this project on my own, I’m truly grateful to Arts Council England, National Lottery Grants, and to ArtsGroupie CIC [record label] for giving me this opportunity”.

Commenting on their success in the competition Garland adds “Throughout this whole project I thought to myself “Am I deluded? Am I like one of those people who auditions for talents shows but is diabolically bad?” I can’t tell you what it means to be told by industry professionals that I really do have talent and can write songs to a high standard. Especially having been homeless only 9 years ago, I never thought this would happen for me. I’m over the moon.”

Many UKSC Winners, Finalist, and Semi-Finalist go on to find success in the music industry. More info on the competition can be found here.

Who’s Afraid of M!key Garland? is available for streaming and download via most major online music retailers (Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, TIDAL, etc.) https://ampl.ink/Ml5YM

The Bluecoat will be exhibiting three important solo shows focussing on Black identity from Friday 15 October 2021 until 23 January 2022.

A Look Inside, by US based artist Deborah Roberts (Austin, Texas 1962) critiques notions of beauty, the body, race and identity in contemporary society through the lens of Black children in the USA, combining collage with mixed media.

Practice Makes Perfect, by Rosa-Johan Uddoh (1993, Croydon), focuses on the timely subject of childhood education in Britain. The exhibition includes a major new work by Uddoh – a large-scale collage – which investigates the historical figure of Balthazar.

Sumuyya Khader’s Always Black Never Blue reflects on contemporary life in Liverpool and explores people and place through illustration, drawing, print and painting. Khader’s portraits focus on Black subjects and talk to Black lived experience and identity.

For more information on the three exhibitions, see their website here.

After months of being stuck at home, this year’s Homotopia Festival theme is Coming Out.

The theme Coming Out is a call to arms for a queer community to tell their own stories and control their own narrative, as well as a show of support for artists and cultural venues after months of lockdown.

Their programme celebrates LGBTQIA culture and Queer joy, through theatre, performance, spoken word, film, music and more with some of the biggest names the LGBTQIA community has to offer including performances from drag monstrosity Baby Lame, the comedy stylings of Rosie Jones headlining ‘Queer as in funny’ and David Hoyle hosts a one-of-a-kind evening of performing and provocation curated specially for Homotopia Festival 2021 and many more acts!

The Festival also has a digital offer for those who aren’t yet ready to Come Out. Including an on-demand series of LGBTQIA film shorts from around the globe, available to watch for the duration of the festival, Pearl Necklace, a Round the Horne inspired absurdist queer sketch audio production and much more!

The Liverpool based festival is held 28 October – 14 November, various venues.

For more details see here.