Community Post Type: News

ADHD Foundation’s Umbrella Project to be launched in Church Alley

The ADHD Foundation is launching its annual Umbrella Project – a public art installation that is breaking down the stigma associated with neurodiversity – and of course it’ll be a full on spectacle with a choir performance and a 30 piece brass swing band!

This is all part of the Foundation’s biggest campaign launch yet – we’ve got thousands of umbrellas going up from Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales too. Not to mention the celebrity electronic billboard campaign with Clear Channel donating £250K in ad space!

WHEN: Friday 24th June, 12:00

WHERE: Liverpool Church Alley L1 (Next to LUSH & Primark in City Centre)

12:00 A 40 member choir performing Singin’ in the Rain

13:00 The neurodiversity 30 piece swing band performs

JMW Turner with Lamin Fofana: Dark Waters at Tate Liverpool This Autumn

JMW Turner with Lamin Fofana: Dark Waters focuses on the power and politics of the sea. Tate Liverpool’s location on the city’s waterfront, combined with the city’s maritime history, provides the perfect context for us to consider Turner (1775–1851) afresh. Conveying the intensity and diversity of life on the ocean, Turner’s work will be presented for the first time within an immersive sound environment created by artist Lamin Fofana (b.1982).

Almost a third of Turner’s work features the sea; from the paintings that first established his reputation to his late experimental canvases. By the end of his life, Turner had defined an entirely new marine aesthetic in British art and beyond. The exhibition features paintings, sketchbooks, and works on paper by Turner that capture a time of great change in our island’s relationship with its surrounding coast.

The exhibition includes some of Turner’s most celebrated seascapes, works such as Snow Storm – Steam-Boat off a Harbour’s Mouth exhibited 1842, A Disaster at Sea c.1835, and Sunrise with Sea Monsters c.1845, which encapsulate Turner’s ability to convey the jeopardy of life at sea.

As part of Tate’s commitment to open up new perspectives on British art, the exhibition will feature the work of Lamin Fofana, who translates the writing of pioneering black authors into sound. The Sierra Leonean-born artist and musician currently lives in New York, and his work explores questions of movement, migration, alienation and belonging.

Fofana’s Life and Death by Water 2021 is partly based on the writing of pioneering black writer, academic and activist W. E. B. Du Bois, specifically his radical literary work of 1920, Darkwater: Voices from Within the Veil.

Turner’s paintings focus on the dangers of the waters around the British coast, while Fofana’s immersive sound work looks across the Atlantic, uncovering the horrors of the middle passage and, in particular, the infamous massacre aboard the slave ship Zong, when 132 Africans were thrown overboard.

Although creating work centuries apart, both artists convey the power and politics of the ocean, and its relationship to capitalism and colonialism.

JMW Turner with Lamin Fofana: Dark Waters is curated by Laura Bruni, Assistant Curator, Tate Liverpool with Ammarah Saleem, Exhibitions Trainee.

JMW Turner with Lamin Fofana: Dark Waters
27 September 2022 – 4 June 2023
Supported by the JMW Turner with Lamin Fofana: Dark Waters Exhibition Supporters Group with additional support from Mylands and Tate Liverpool Patrons.

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

Afterparties announced for Africa Oyé’s 30th anniversary festival

When Africa Oyé wraps up at Sefton Park this weekend, festival-goers are invited to a host of fantastic events that Liverpool-based promoters and venues have put together to keep everyone dancing into the small hours.

On what is the organisation’s 30th anniversary year, there will be FOUR official after-parties for the Oyé festival, featuring music spanning Afrobeat, High Life, Reggae, Dub, Afro house, Afro funk, jazz, soul and world sounds.

A percentage of proceeds from these parties will also go towards supporting next year’s festival, helping to keep Oyé free and open to all.

African Caribbean Heritage Centre
Saturday 18th June
1 Amberley Street, Liverpool, L8 1YJ
9pm til 3am / TICKETS REQUIRED

Top Afrobeats DJs, MCs, PLUS surprise guests!

District (with Culture Deck)
Saturday 18th June
Jordan Street, Liverpool, L1 0BE
7pm til late / TICKETS REQUIRED

This party before the party will officially kick-off Culture Deck’s 2022 Jamaica Street Carnival Party Programme. Join them for food and entertainment from local DJ’s and reggae star Robbo Ranx.

Disco Africa at Handyman

Saturday 18th June
461 Smithdown Road, L15
8pm til late

World beats, highlife and funk.

Melodic Distraction – In Fine Style! Sessions

Constance Street, L3 8HB
6pm til 11pm

Quality reggae records from Deejays and MCs: Snoodman, Elliot Hutchinson, Slipmat Records, Lion Yute + guests.

The 2022 Africa Oyé festival will take place on 18th and 19th June in Liverpool’s Sefton Park on the Review Field from 12:30pm til 9:30pm both days. Entrance is FREE and you do not need a ticket.

You can keep up with all the latest announcements via the Africa Oyé Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.

For more information on the Africa Oye festival and other events held across the country by Africa Oyé please visit africaoye.com.

Free family workshops all weekend at Africa Oyé in the Oyé Active Zone

With LESS THAN TWO WEEKS to go until the country’s biggest festival of African music and culture returns to Liverpool, Africa Oyé have revealed the line-up of free workshops and activities that are taking place over their festival weekend in Sefton Park.

On 18th and 19th June, in association with Liverpool’s leading world dance charity Movema, the Oyé Active Zone (OAZ) will return to provide a range of dance, song and drumming from the African Diaspora for the whole family. People of all ages, abilities and backgrounds will have the chance to the activities throughout the weekend, all led by top local and international companies.

Ithalia Forel, Co-Founder of the award winning charity Movema, said “Movema are so excited and ready to get Liverpool moving and grooving to celebrate 30 years of Africa Oye! This year Movema bring workshops and performances to bring people together, to connect, dance, drum and sing and have fun! We are so happy to see our favourite festival return, as it offers healing, joy and togetherness, whilst learning and celebrating dance and culture of the African Diaspora.

The programme is free for all to attend, and our partners are amazing local community arts practitioners who offer an annual programme to the community. We are thrilled to have performers from all over the world come to celebrate our 13th birthday through dance, yoga and music.”

As well as the high energy dance workshops provided and curated by Movema, other activities on offer include Capoeira For All, Children’s Yoga, and a special appearance from the Movema Sankofa bird, which will have everyone dancing with Liverpool drumming troupe, Katumba!

Plus, ahead of his main stage appearance as part of Kanda Bongo Man’s band, returning Oyé favourite, Nickens Nkoso will lead a musical workshop that promises to bring the energy and excitement of the Oyé Stage up close and personal on the Sefton Park Review Field.

Katumba will also 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 on the festival site, with the LFC Foundation offering free sporting activities for children and families; Mr Silky Skills teaching some football freestyle; hands-on soap and product making with LUSH; arts meeting science with the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Plastic Tactics, and North West Cancer Research; and Yamm Tree waking up everyone’s ancestral knowledge with a series of special food workshops throughout the weekend.

Artistic Director, Paul Duhaney said: “We’re always looking to remove barriers to entry to Africa Oyé so I’m delighted that we’ve been able to keep all the workshops on-site free of charge once again. Movema have put together a brilliant and varied programme for the OAZ’s return and there’s activities going on all over the festival site on Saturday and Sunday. The whole cultural programme is focused on promoting health and wellbeing, learning and participation”.

The 2022 Africa Oyé festival will take place on 18th and 19th June in Liverpool’s Sefton Park on the Review Field from 12:30pm til 9:30pm both days. Entrance is FREE and you do not need a ticket. You can keep up with all the latest announcements via the Africa Oyé Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.

For more information on the Africa Oye festival and other events held across the country by Africa Oyé please visit africaoye.com.

Britain’s Got Talent winner Jon Courtenay to star in Cinderella at St Helens Theatre Royal

The greatest fairytale of them all will entertain family audiences at St Helens Theatre Royal this Christmas – producers have announced that Britain’s Got Talent 2020 winner Jon Courtenay will appear as Dandini in the spellbinding seasonal spectacular, following his appearance on the show.

Cinderella will make it a magical Christmas at St Helens complete with fairy godmothers, glass slippers, enchanted pumpkins, ugly sisters and a fantastic fairytale finale.

The theatre’s Christmas pantomimes have become a real highlight of the festive season year after year, and this sparkling production of Cinderella will be no exception.

The pantomime will run at St Helens Theatre Royal from Saturday 3 December 2022 to Sunday 8 January 2023. Tickets are on sale now.

Jon Courtenay, who will take on the role of Prince Charming’s right-hand man Dandini, is a comedian and musician who stunned Britain’s Got Talent judges and audiences alike to take the 2020 crown.

He was awarded the Golden Buzzer by Ant and Dec, going on to become the Judges’ Choice in the semi-finals and then winning the entire competition – the first Golden Buzzer act to take the title.

But Jon was a powerhouse live performer for 20 years before his Britain’s Got Talent triumph, with his popular one-man show incorporating comedy, songs, piano and even comedy magic.

Since he became BGT champion in 2020 he has appeared on the Royal Variety Show, Britain’s Got Talent Christmas Special, This Morning, Lorraine and the Michael Ball Show on Radio 2 among others – often performing his witty but touching original songs. And he also composed and performed the opening song for This Morning’s Pantomime.

The rest of the all-star cast will be announced soon.

The magical show from Regal Entertainments Ltd promises a spectacular sprinkling of fairy dust as its heroine battles her two horrible stepsisters to go to the ball and meet her handsome prince. But as the clock chimes midnight, who can make sure true love does conquer all?

Audiences can expect high production values, stunning and colourful costumes, brilliant sets and a fantastic selection of chart hits to sing and dance along to.

The production also features real Shetland ponies on stage.

Theatre Manager Chantelle Nolan says: “Our pantomimes have become one of the real highlights of Christmas for many people.

“After the challenges of the past two years, we’ve been delighted that our audiences have flocked back to the Theatre Royal in huge numbers to enjoy not only our festive family shows but also our Easter and autumn pantomimes too.

“Cinderella remains the greatest fairytale of them all of course. And we’re also absolutely delighted to welcome Jon to the St Helens panto family – he’s an incredible talent and I know he’s going to make a fantastic Dandini this December.”

Cinderella will run at St Helens Theatre Royal from Saturday 3 December 2022 to Sunday 8 January 2023. Tickets are on sale now starting from £18.

Tickets can be booked over the phone or in person at the box office between 10am and 5pm, from Monday to Friday. Tickets can also be purchased online. For more information please visit www.sthelenstheatreroyal.com

 

DJ Edu & Emily Dust head up a packed DJ line-up at Africa Oyé

Africa Oyé are set to welcome back a host of familiar faces as well as some brand new talent to DJ at the festival this June.

Kenyan star DJ Edu (BBC 1Xtra) and UK-based Emily Dust return to the Oyé main stage for their 30th Anniversary.  A host of the region’s finest Afro-centric DJs will showcase their sounds across the wider festival site, with the popular ‘Freetown’ stage back for its’ fourth year, alongside the longstanding ‘Trenchtown’ Stage.

Trenchtown

Established in 2012, Trenchtown was the festival’s inaugural dedicated DJ stage. At the far end of the park, Trenchtown is soundtracked by some of the country’s top Afro-centric DJs as well as home-grown selectors playing music from across the African diaspora; dub, reggae, ska, Afrobeat, house and much more.

Trenchtown also features the original Oyé Inn, their merchandise stall, donation station, and a comfortable seating area ideal for chilling out. For those feeling more active, there will also be plenty of space for dancing the weekend away!

This year at Trenchtown, along with some returning Oye favorites, they welcome a host of new faces, including Lucy Grey, Simma, King Surman Sound, and Audio Farm resident, Silent Selector. An eclectic day of African sounds is planned for Saturday, with a reggae-leaning lineup on Sunday.

Freetown

Now in its third year at Oye, Freetown is back for 2019, soundtracking our second bar. Freetown will be hosting a wealth of DJs playing Afrobeat, reggae, dub, funk, soul, hiphop and jazz. With a  seating area ideal for chilling out and a dancefloor for those feeling more like moving, be sure to pay a visit.

They’re also very happy to be welcoming new acts to Freetown for 2022, with Oye debuts for Papu Raf, Anti Social Jazz Club and SoulfulTiz, along with a host of familiar faces, including No Fakin’, Subcora, Chris McBride, Melodic Distraction and many more.

The 2022 Africa Oyé festival will take place on 18th and 19th June in Liverpool’s Sefton Park on the Review Field from 12:30pm til 9:30pm both days. Entrance is FREE and you do not need a ticket. You can keep up with all the latest announcements via the Africa Oyé Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.

For more information on the Africa Oye festival and other events held across the country by Africa Oyé please visit africaoye.com.

Homotopia’s Queer The City Project take over the Museum of Liverpool in first NML Xtra event

For one night only, Homotopia’s Queer the City project will take over the Museum of Liverpool in their first NML Xtra event. An evening showcasing some of the region’s most exciting LGBTQ+ artists all under one roof, the museum will be brought to life with experiences, encounters and installations embedded around its galleries for guests to discover and enjoy.

Ghetto Fabulous Homotopia & NML
Ghetto Fabulous

With more to be announced the line-up includes:

  • Ghetto Fabulous presents the thrilling Catwalk Extravaganza. Dancers go head-to-head in a dance, fashion, and lip sync competition at this interactive event where the audience decides the winner. Join this fabulous celebration of self-expression and help crown the champ!
  • A night-long immersive reimagining of Virgina Woolf’s Mrs Dalloway (1925), created and performed by Matthew Rawcliffe. Matthew is a dance artist from Manchester who is best known for being a grand finalist in BBC Young Dancer (2019).
  • Spice Boys, Walter Ego, Ryan & Uncle Martin, will drag up your life, serving 90s/00s boyband nostalgia and dance moves.
  • Luna Thee Frenchie and Abbie Morris of QueenswaY, a female, LGBTQ+ and non-binary collective which celebrates artists across the Wirral and Liverpool, come together to supply a range of melodic beats that will have guests on their feet.
  • Live music from singer songwriter, iamkyami, whose neo-soul, RnB, hip hop and indie sound was recently profiled in National Museums Liverpool’s Museum Sessions
  • Hands-on activist art workshops led by local artists, Sophie Green and Leo Welton.
  • Spoken word by Queer Bodies, a north-west based poetry collective. Poems inspired by LGBTQ+ writers and the poetic techniques, voices and style that gives their work character, will make for empowering and inspiring performances.
  • Join a tour of the museum’s LGBTQ+ themes and objects. Discover fascinating local stories of LGBTQ+ lives and loves.

NML Xtra

NML Xtra is a series of events taking over National Museums of Liverpool venues and spaces like never before outside daytime opening hours. Providing sparkling entertainment and delicious food and drink, the NML Xtra series will both reimagine the venues and invite visitors to explore collections in new and creative ways.

To book tickets visit https://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/xtra

‘Little Amal’ to visit Liverpool during World Refugee Week

Little Amal is set to journey through England, visiting Liverpool along the way, during World Refugee Week (19 – 27 June 2022) to meet new friends and share a message of hope.
Little Amal New Steps New Friends - lead image - June 2022 (c) The Walk Productions (c) Justin Sutcliffe
Little Amal New Steps New Friends – June 2022 (c) The Walk Productions (c) Justin Sutcliffe
Following her now celebrated 8,000km journey from the border of Syria and Turkey, Little Amal, a 3.5 metre puppet of a 10-year-old Syrian girl refugee, has become an international symbol of human rights. She has come to represent the millions of refugee children including those who have been separated from their families. One year on from leaving Syria and 5 weeks after her visit to the city of Lviv in Ukraine, she will take part in World Refugee Week by visiting 10 towns and cities across England meeting old friends and making new ones. As always, Amal will be sharing her message of resilience and hope with anyone who has been forced to leave their homes. Starting in Manchester as part of the city’s now iconic Manchester Day parade, Little Amal’s journey includes spending morning at the ancient stones of Stonehenge, walking through the famous docks of Liverpool, exploring the joys that books can bring in Bradford and Leeds, exploring the Old City and Harbour of Bristol, celebrating with the many festivals of Cheltenham, and dancing in Canterbury and in London. Her journey will end in Folkestone, Kent where she arrived in the UK, standing on the shore remembering the life she left behind in Syria and her very first day in her new home. Mark Da Vanzo, CEO at Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse Theatres said: “Liverpool has always opened its arms to embrace migrants and refugees. As we look forward to sharing our city with Amal to explore, we know the footsteps she takes will be familiar to many of the Syrian, El Salvadorian and Afghani refugee families we have worked with over the years. Arts and culture are powerful ways to create connection and understanding, so our hope is that Amal’s visit will build on the work we’ve been doing and that of our cultural partners, including Museum of Liverpool, Tate Liverpool, Unity and SOLA Arts, serving as a reminder to us all to continue to welcome those who seek sanctuary. ” Amir Nizar Zuabi, Artistic Director of The Walk, said: “As the invasion of Ukraine began the whole world, governments and citizens, proved that when we’re willing to respond to the urgent needs of refugees we can accomplish astonishing feats of compassion and generosity. New Steps, New Friends, Amal’s Walk through England in June will remind us that, if we choose, we can welcome and care for all refugees, regardless of their skin colour, their religion or their background.”

Little Amal in Liverpool, Tuesday 21 June: Itinerary 

Becoming a guest of honour for two hours, the visit will see Amal welcomed to Royal Albert Dock with support from Liverpool FC Foundation’s Inclusion team, inviting her to put her football skills to the test outside of the Martin Luther King Jr Building. Liverpool FC Foundation’s Inclusion team deliver a Refugee Football programme weekly, providing four sessions to over 150 refugees across the city.ittle Amal will visit Liverpool on Tuesday 21 June. Following this, Amal will make her way down Hartley Quay, towards Tate Liverpool where she will meet 60 children from Smithdown Primary School who will be taking part in art activities. The children are part of the gallery’s Tackling the Blues project, partnered with Edge Hill University and Everton in the Community, which uses arts-based education to support young people aged 6-16 who are experiencing, or are at risk of developing, mental illness. Little Amal will also visit Ugo Rondinone’s florescent sculpture, Liverpool Mountain, which stands tall at 10 meters in Mermaid Courtyard, making the perfect photo opportunity for Amal to remember her time at Royal Albert Dock. Following this, National Museums Liverpool will encourage Amal to become part of the Museum of Liverpool’s community archaeology team at Piermaster’s Green, investigating the lives of people who lived and worked on the docks, before offering the opportunity to reflect on Liverpool’s long maritime history, as well as its links to the transatlantic slave trade. As a final farewell from her time at the waterfront, Asylum Link, a local choir supporting asylum seekers and refugees in the city, will perform for Amal on the Museum of Liverpool’s steps as the perfect parting gift before she continues her journey with Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse Theatre. Little Amal will finish her visit to Liverpool with a trip to a local primary school where she will join the children playing games and getting creative with art activities. The children include those from families the Everyman and Playhouse have worked in partnership with SOLA Arts to support, as well as those with a refugee background.

Over 1,000 turn out for eighth annual Run For The 97

The eighth annual Run For The 97 5K returned to Stanley Park last weekend for what was a poignant, emotional, and uplifting event (Saturday 21 May).

Just over 1,000 participants donned specially designed yellow T-shirts carrying the number 97 as they walked, jogged and run to remember The 97, completing either a 5K fun run or 1 Mile for youngsters.

The event was last staged in 2019 due to the pandemic, so all involved were delighted to once again come together.

Official charities for the 2022 event are Jamie Carragher’s 23 Foundation, LFC Foundation, Everton in the Community, and Stanley Park junior parkrun – all support the vision of creating a legacy to honour The 97 while ensuring local communities benefit through their work.

First staged in 2015, the community legacy event was created to celebrate and honour the lives of the then 96 Liverpool Football Club fans lost in the Hillsborough tragedy. It also remembers the families and survivors, who have since tirelessly fought for justice with the utmost dignity.

Run For The 97 now also honours Liverpool FC fan Andrew Devine, who sadly passed away in July 2021. Andrew received life-changing injuries at Hillsborough, he died 32 years after the disaster.

Special guests included former Liverpool Football Club players Jamie Carragher, David Fairclough, Chris Kirkland, and Sammy Lee; Hillsborough family members Margaret Aspinall, Sue Roberts and Steve Kelly; Liverpool City Region Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram; and mammoth charity fundraiser Everton fan Speedo Mick real name Michael Cullen.

The event also featured stadium announcers from both sides of Stanley Park. Liverpool FC’s Voice Of Anfield George Sephton has supported Run For The 97 from the very beginning. Stage activity was hosted by Graeme White from Everton FC’s Goodison Park.

Jamie Carragher from the 23 Foundation explained: “Run For The 97 is brilliant. It’s perfectly situated in Stanley Park between our two great football clubs. We’re all out in force to remember The 97, everyone gets involved – Reds and Blues. The calls for a Hillsborough Law are vital, taking the story into schools and educating our young people about what happened and why it happened – it’s just so important our future generations are taught about it.”

Speedo Mick added: “It’s a fantastic event, Everton and Liverpool fans all joining together – that’s what is fantastic about this city. I just love being from Liverpool.”

Dennis Adelsberg was the most senior runner on the day. The 92-year-old from West Lancashire runs for Skelmersdale Boundary Harriers. He took part and ran the 5K route with Speedo Mick.

Overseas runners travelled to the city from Australia, Cyprus, Denmark, Germany, Northern Ireland, Poland, Thailand, and the USA.

Stanley Park is the perfect setting for Run For The 97, being located between Liverpool Football Club’s Anfield Stadium and Everton Football Club’s Goodison Park.

Reds and Blues stood side by side as football club anthems, Liverpool FC’s You’ll Never Walk Alone and Everton FC’s Z Cars were played as runners gathered before the fun, with everyone taking part in a minute’s applause to remember The 97.

The 5K runners crossed the start line to the sound of The Justice Collective’s cover of The Hollies’ classic He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother – the song which unites Liverpool and Everton and shows the solidarity of the Red and Blue sides of the city. Youngsters running in the 1 Mile started to the sound of The Farm’s Altogether Now.

Funds raised through this year’s event – either through runners being sponsored or one-off donations to support the charities – have already surpassed the £4,000 mark.

All monies raised will be split equally between the four official charities to support vital community outreach programmes.

The official Just Giving online donation page can be found at https://justgiving.com/campaign/runforthe97

New Theatre Manager for Liverpool’s Epstein

Liverpool’s Epstein Theatre continues its revival with the appointment of a new venue manager by the new directors. 

The Epstein Theatre is Grade II Listed and located in the heart of Liverpool city centre, it was named after the late legendary Beatles manager and ‘Fifth Beatle’ Brian Epstein. 

Anthony Proctor steps into the exciting role of Theatre Manager, and is the latest appointment taking the venue ahead on an exciting new journey. He takes up the post on 1 July 2022. 

Also new in post is Sara McPhail, the venue’s new Marketing Officer. Sara is already in post. Recruitment is now ongoing for a new Technical Manager. 

In October 2021, a new team took the helm at the historic venue. Epstein Entertainments Ltd is a joint venture between Liverpool producers Bill Elms, Artistic and Communications Director; Chantelle Nolan, Artistic and Operations Director; and Regal Entertainments Ltd Company Director Jane Joseph. Now, Anthony Proctor joins them to run the historic venue on a day-to-day basis. 

Anthony is a popular figure across the entertainment circuit across Liverpool City Region and the wider North West area. He is known for an impressive portfolio which includes performance, teaching, and arts management. 

Liverpool-born Anthony studied performing arts at school in Maghull and launched his acting career straight from school, specialising in performance for children and families. He is currently studying for a Theatre Studies degree at London’s Rose Bruford College. 

Anthony has worked for many of the region’s top arts organisations and diverse festivals including Liverpool’s Empire Theatre, Unity Theatre, Liverpool Pride, Brazilica, Homotopia, Physical Fest, DaDaFest, Liverpool Summer Pops and, most recently, Liverpool Theatre Festival and Little LTF. 

Performance credits include the Sense Of Sound choir; and he has directed sell-out pantomime at Knowsley Leisure and Culture Park, Melton Theatre, and Blackpool North Pier Theatre. Teaching credits include LIPA, Stagecoach Theatre Arts, Empire Theatre Youth Theatre, Christopher Maloney Theatre And Arts Academy, and Complete Works. 

Most recently, Anthony has been the Entertainment, Production and Marketing Manager at Farmer Ted’s Adventure Farm, delivering family entertainment to farm visitors and directing the Farmaggedon team. He was also a member of the very first Farmaggedon cast in 2007.

Anthony has also held board positions at the LCR Pride Foundation and Culture Warrington. He won the Creative Professional Of The Year Award at the Liverpool Lifestyle Awards 2018.

Epstein Theatre Manager Anthony Proctor commented: “It is a huge privilege to have been appointed Theatre Manager and Programmer at the historic Epstein Theatre. Formerly The Neptune, this was the first theatre I ever attended as a child to see a musical version of Robin Hood starring my stepmother’s daughter, actress Emma Bispham. After the curtain came down, I was hooked – that performance led to my life in the theatre. 

“The Epstein is a very special venue with a unique history. There are brilliant plans for its future and I look forward to taking those forward with a very passionate team. I would like to thank Bill, Chantelle and Jane for giving me this amazing opportunity to help to enhance Liverpool’s theatre landscape – and I’m grateful to the city venues where I’ve already worked and had the pleasure of learning the ropes.” 

Bill Elms, Artistic and Communications Director at Epstein Entertainments Ltd, said: “Anthony will play a key role in taking the Epstein Theatre forward with a really exciting bright future. The Epstein has always prided itself on presenting a really diverse programme of entertainment – and we strongly feel that Anthony shares our values in building, strengthening and developing the programme. He has impressive experience and is really relishing the role ahead – Anthony is going to be a real asset to the team.” 

Follow the Epstein Theatre on social media channels:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/EpsteinTheatre

Twitter: @EpsteinTheatre

Instagram: @EpsteinTheatre