Community Post Type: News

dot-art are delighted to announce their Winter Programme of Creative Courses. Just in time for Christmas, there is something for every creative you are gifting this year!

You can also treat yourself to a creative course or art workshop to go into 2022 with new creative skills and experiences in an inspiring Liverpool location with dot-art. Discover your inner artist, try something new and develop your skills across a range of fantastic venues: The Bluecoat, The Reader, FACT, Baltic Creative, dot-art Darkroom and NEW for 2022, The GPO!

All of their courses are organised events in COVID secure venues. If dot-art is unable to deliver a course, course participants will receive a full refund, so book with confidence today.

At The Bluecoat, where they have been delivering creative workshops since 2011, they will be delivering popular 3 week courses in Portrait Drawing, Abstract Art and Drawing for Everyone, as well as two NEW single day workshops Introduction to Still Life and Introduction to Kintsugi. You will learn the basics of this ancient Japanese technique and its variations to repair a piece of ceramic. This class uses non-toxic adhesive that comes in a variety of colours which you are free to choose from to embellish your ceramic piece and celebrate its imperfections.

At FACT on Monday evenings they will be holding their popular course in Drawing Techniques; as tutor Sarah-Jane says, no matter what medium you enjoy using, be it paint, pastel or clay, learning the essential drawing techniques will magnify your creative ability, followed by a 10 week Life Drawing course on Tuesday evenings.

Their ever-popular dot-art Club for creative children returns to Baltic Creative from 10.30am-12pm on Sundays. These sessions for 10-13 year olds run in six week blocks, with the next one starting on 9^th January. Every week their young artists will be encouraged to develop their drawing skills and build a lifelong love of art under the expert guidance of artist Brigitte Watkinson.

At The Reader in south Liverpool’s Calderstones Park, we have returning 3 weekend courses in Landscape Painting, and Illustrating Inspiring Quotes and single days workshops covering Cyanotype, and an Introduction to Chinese Painting.

They also welcome two new 10 week courses this term. Collage Art Journaling on Monday evenings will focus on students creating a visual diary combining elements of collage, writing, drawing, ’zen’ doodling as a means of personal self-expression and a space for experimentation; exploring themes from everyday life, as well as bigger hopes, dreams, and fears. Headdress Making on Tuesday afternoons will teach you to design and create your own characterful headdresses inspired by stories, films and myths, using environmentally friendly materials.

Over in the dot-art Dark Room they have a 1 day Introduction to the Darkroom workshop to learn to process your own negatives, and two Analogue Weekends, in February and April, where you will be taken through the whole process of shooting, processing and developing your own black and white film over 2 days.

Don’t forget, 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 and can also choose to book it with a technician if they need a little more support.

And finally, they have a NEW VENUE to announce! The GPO is a food hall and venue located in the Metquarter at the heart of Liverpool city centre. They are running two new Saturday morning workshops there: Papercraft Wall Hangings is a fun session making pretty and effective folded paper wall hangings in heart, butterfly and spring motifs to decorate your room and home.

Cartoon Your Pet is aimed at complete beginners and will show students the basics of drawing your pet as a cartoon character. You’ll learn principles of cartooning your furry (or scaly, or feathered) friends, and capturing what it is about them that makes them so unique and special. Ideal as gifts or keepsakes!

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!

 

Multi-instrumentalist and composer Neil Campbell is preparing to release a brand new album this December, launching with a special concert taking place in Prohibition Recording Studios.

The music of  Neil Campbell draws on elements of contemporary classical, progressive, jazz and other musical styles. His output includes pieces for solo guitar, guitar and cello, songs, instrumental ensemble pieces and choral music.

He has performed and recorded around 20 albums solo and in collaboration with his bands Neil Campbell Collective, Bulbs, Perri and Neil, After the Flood and others.

Following a longstanding collaborative process of sharing musical ideas across the internet, he, and other members of his band Bulbs, contributed as co-writers to significant sections of Yes vocalist Jon Anderson and Roine Stolt’s album The Invention of Knowledge (Inside Out 2016). He continues to collaborate with Anderson on new music.

Neil’s solo performances often involve him using loops and other technology to expand the sound and scope of what one performer can do with the classical guitar. As a soloist he has performed in the UK and Europe, and has been a regular performer at the International Guitar Festival of Great Britain.

He particularly enjoys playing in ‘special’ venues and has performed solo concerts in spaces such as Union Chapel (London), Sheffield Cathedral and Liverpool’s St George’s Hall. In October 2013 took part in the legendary Irish Sea Sessions at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall and at Queen Elizabeth Hall, London.

Across the period of the pandemic in 2020, Neil focused on recording his new album for Klee Music, The Great Escape.The album includes twelve original compositions exuding the atmosphere of a travelogue with airy arrangements and jazzy chord progressions.

Very much a collaboration with producer / engineer Jon Lawton of Liverpool’s Crosstown Studios, Neil performs nearly all of the significant instrumental parts himself, with Norwegian drummer Viktor Nordberg on percussive duties.

You can sample two tracks from the new album at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1L8LDP_ijrI and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wZ5RMpLI84

The Great Escape is released on vinyl and in digital format on 17th Dec 2021 and you can pre-order the album from Klee Music at https://kmpuk.co.uk/product/klee-17-neil-campbell-the-great-escape/.

The album will be launched with a special concert taking place in Prohibition Recording Studios, Liverpool on Friday 10th Dec 2021, where audience members will be able to purchase the vinyl album a week ahead of its release.

Details of this concert and how to book tickets for it can be found at: https://www.prohibitionrecordingstudios.co.uk/events/neil-campbell-after-the-flood-trio-special-guest-una-quinn/

With an eclectic mix of performers from across the globe, organisers say this year’s Liverpool International Jazz Festival (LIJF) is the most multicultural it has ever been.

The series of events organised and hosted by Liverpool Hope University runs from Thursday 24th February to Sunday 27th February 2022.

The global pandemic meant the Festival wasn’t able to run in 2021.

But having first launched in 2013, the Jazz Festival has played host to some of the genre’s leading lights, including Courtney Pine, Denys Baptiste, Roller Trio, Impossible Gentlemen, Kit Downes, Led Bib, Philip Catherine, GoGo Penguin, Troyka, Neil Cowley Trio, and Dennis Rollins’ Velocity Trio.

One of this year’s Festival highlights – and perhaps the most accessible show for non-jazz aficionados – will see the Camilla George Band take to the stage on Saturday 26th February.

The Liverpool International Jazz Festival runs from Thursday 24th February to Sunday 27th February 2022 at the Capstone Theatre. Tickets are on sale now via Ticket Quarter or through the Capstone Theatre website.

Knowsley’s theme for its year as Borough of Culture is Storytelling and central to the whole idea is the opportunity to capture and bring to life the stories of the borough’s people and places.

The storytelling will include everything from local folk tales, traditions and heritage that are unique to Knowsley to exploring people’s hopes and dreams of what the borough may become in the future.

Through all of the events and activities, people will be encouraged to share their stories – if they wish – to help build up a picture of life in Knowsley and ensure that all aspects of culture are showcased, shared and celebrated.

A key part of the celebrations will be The Owl and the Pussy-Cat Trail. The poem, by Edward Lear, was actually written at Knowsley Hall. This fascinating fact and Lear’s connections to Knowsley are set to be celebrated throughout 2022 with a huge sculpture trail featuring 16 pairs of 2 metre-high owls and pussy-cats.

The Borough of Culture was introduced by Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram and the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority in 2018 to encourage and enable each Borough to deliver cultural programmes which create a lasting legacy across the whole region.

Here’s what to expect from Knowsley’s illuminating start to the year:

Tall Tales – 4 and 5 February 2022 – Stockbridge Village

Tall Tales is a brand-new large-scale community artwork that will see Merecliff – a residential 16 storey tower in Stockbridge Village (adjacent to the M57 motorway) – animated and illuminated in light. The dramatic projection which will be accompanied by a soundtrack, will tell the story of local people and communities who have shared their stories, memories, hopes and dreams about the place they call home.

These Tall Tales, captured, interpreted and exaggerated by artists Illuminos will be brought to life over two incredible evenings in January. This event is being delivered in partnership with Knowsley Council, ForHousing and the local community.

Aqualux – 14 to 28 January – Kirkby town centre 

Aqualux is a stunning 8 metre by 3-metre-wide light installation that will be situated in Kirkby town centre for two weeks.

The artwork consists of 48 containers which can hold up to 1,000 litres of water – the average consumption of a household over a year. Coming to life after dark. the illuminated artwork will also be accompanied by music to create a memorable and magical experience while raising awareness of the need to conserve and protect our fragile water supplies.

A switch on event will take place on 14 January which will include Spark illuminated drummers to welcome the installation to Kirkby. Aqualux is delivered in partnership with Blackpool Illuminations.

The Magic Wood – 21, 22 and 23 January 2022 – Halewood

Over three consecutive evenings Court Farm Woods in Halewood will be transformed into an enchanted spectacle of light, music and fiery woodland creatures. Hand crafted, intricate fire sculptures will transform the space into an outdoor gallery of wonder where visitors will be able to wander through the attractions or stand and watch the spectacle unfold.

The Magic Wood – A Fire Garden by Walk the Plank will be unique to Halewood and will feature performances from Bring The Fire Project, harpist Rebecca Mills and a special family performance set in giant golden birdcage.

Numbers are limited so tickets need to be booked in advance from Wednesday 8 December. See www.cultureknowsley.co.uk for details.

Gaia – 28 January to 17 February – St. Chad’s Church Kirkby

Luke Jerram’s ‘Gaia’ is an astonishing 6-metre-wide replica of the earth based on imagery and data from NASA. Suspended in the air and slowly revolving, the artwork – which will be housed in St. Chad’s Church in Kirkby – gives people a chance to see the planet, floating in three dimensions.

A specially made surround sound composition by BAFTA and Ivor Novello award winning composer Dan Jones is played alongside the sculpture.

As a touring artwork, Gaia is famous across the globe and an exciting programme of events and activities is being devised for its visit to Kirkby.

Submergence – 12 to 24 February – Huyton Village Centre

Submergence is a reflective, immersive walkthrough experience that will go on display in Sherbourne Square in Huyton Village. Consisting of thousands of individual points of suspended light, visitors are encouraged to enter the artwork to experience the amazing light illusion for themselves.

Alongside Submergence, Huyton will also be home to a second light installation still to be announced by world renowned experts Squid Soup. More details will be announced soon.

New Dawn Light Spectacular – 18 and 19 February – Knowsley Hall

The New Dawn programme will come to a spectacular climax over two consecutive evenings in February. In two showings per evening, the iconic Knowsley Hall will be illuminated in a series of dramatic projections recreating a vision of a pop-up story book – a fairy-tale of lights and sound telling the stories of Knowsley.

Delivered by video projection artist’s Illuminos and accompanied by an atmospheric soundtrack from renowned composer Patrick Dineen the spectacular will create a unique and memorable moment for all visitors.

Numbers are limited, so anyone interested in attending should register to be part of a ballot to receive ‘golden tickets’ to this spectacular event. Details can be found here www.cultureknowsley.co.uk/new-dawn-light-spectacular/.

All of these events will be free for the public to attend (although some will require tickets to be reserved in advance).

 

On the 9^th Dec 2021, Phase One officially re-opens its doors after an almost 8 week refurbishment.

The complex at 40 Seel St will house its now familiar Record Store, the evolution of The Jacaranda’s record store on Slater St, birthplace of The Beatles, with a drinking space behind that focuses on a more mature drinking environment than you might find elsewhere on Seel St. However, this is not a venue to rest on those kinds of laurels. It has bona fide credibility of its own.

In May 2018, Graham Stanley and his team, threw together a little pop up on Seel St that would expand on the much-loved record store above The Jacaranda Bar. It was only supposed to last for 6 months before the real work began, but the world had different plans.

That little pop-up evolved into one of the most talked about grass roots venues in Liverpool, largely due to the skills of Veso Mihaylov, who now runs a booking company We Are Out of Phase along with Graham Stanley, which has recently successfully put on shows by Arlo Parks and Maximo Park.

Phase One hosted Mercury Music prize nominees Black Midi and Georgia, You Me at Six, The Blinders, Unkle, Newton Faulkner, Tim Burgess, Feeder, Fat White Family, Field Music, Gabriel Alpin, Sunset Suns, The Faim, Black Honey, Matt Maltese, helped Pete Doherty and The Puta Madres launch their eponymous album in 2019 and hosted many of Liverpool’s best and brightest including ZuZu, The Red Rum Club, Bill Ryder Jones, Queen Zee, Circa Waves, Spinn, Psycho Comedy, The Heavy North, Bedside Manners, The Hummingbirds, The Peach Fuzz, Nikki and The Waves, Nu Tribe, Paris Youth Foundation, Rats, and Jamie Webster.

The venue also served as home to local jazz institution Parr Jazz, whose finest moment was by far hosting Bokante.

As the pandemic threw a spanner in the live music scene works, Frank Turner came through for the 300-cap venue and played an online fundraiser to help it weather the storm. And it did, but it would never take the same form again.

Forward to April 2021, no one can go inside for a drink and a chat with the friends, and Phase One discovered that it could offer a perfect oasis away from the beautiful chaos that is Seel St, in its beautiful, secluded courtyard. As inside became inbounds again it has hosted some wonderful acoustic sessions from some of Liverpool’s exciting grassroots treasures including Eleanor Nelly, Nocturnal Coast, Fiona Lennon and Martha and Mick from The Hushtones, amongst many others.

Now has come the time for its next transformation.

It has taken the best elements of the things that it has been since May 2018, and is repackaging them into a slightly shinier, permanent, and grown-up exterior. The record store will be making a permanent return under the leadership of Namina Koroma, renowned local DJ. She has been a great ally to the cause of both record store day and ERA since she became part of The Jacaranda Records family 6 years ago.

The record store will greet you from the street, the store is also chart registered, so every purchase of a new release counts toward your favourite artists chart placing. It will be a mix of old technology and new,  a lot of the vinyl will be available for a digital listen on our system before you commit to a purchase. The décor with also mix clean lines with a vibrant 70’s aesthetic serving coffees and vibes all through the daytime 7 days a week.

See their website here.

Deva Fest returns to Chester Lakes next summer with an unmissable line-up of fantastic festival events and faces – and now with a host of exciting new additions.

The three-day festival will take place from 12-14 August 2022 after this summer’s event was postponed due to ongoing uncertainty surrounding the Coronavirus pandemic.

Organisers are promising the 2022 event will be bigger and better than ever, with new attractions including a special 300-seat Gin and Prosecco festival within the main festival site.

The team behind renowned Chester bars Liquor & Co and Craft & Company will be on hand to serve a superb range of cocktails and drinks throughout the three days.

A Comedy Tent – in association with Alexander’s Live of Chester – will also be at the Chester Lakes site with a line-up of household names taking to the stage during the festival weekend.

And festival-goers are being offered a huge range of new camping options within the Chester Lakes complex, with pitches for tents, camper vans, caravans and RVs all just a stone’s throw from the Deva Fest action.

Meanwhile headliners Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Heather Small, Scouting for Girls, Dodgy, Symphonic Ibiza and Sonique have already confirmed they will play the new 2022 dates. Keep an eye out for more music acts to be added to what is a truly stellar bill.

Deva Fest Managing Partner Phil Marston said: “Although it was obviously a disappointment to have to postpone this year’s Deva Fest, we certainly haven’t rested on our laurels and have been adding to the event, even in its absence.

“We’re really proud of the huge range of attractions planned for Deva Fest 2022. The music line-up is incredibly strong, while the addition of a comedy tent will really strengthen the breadth of the festival offer.

“And we know from the reaction we’ve already received that the Gin and Prosecco festival will be a huge hit with our audiences. We’re really pleased to partner with Liquor & Co and Craft & Company to make that happen.

“With a wide range of new camping options and extras like free fairground rides and a bespoke shuttle bus from surrounding areas, we’re confident festivalgoers are going to have a fantastic weekend in August 2022.”

Officially launched in 2019, Cheshire’s Family Friendly Music, Food and Lifestyle Extravaganza, Deva Fest proved hugely popular.

Like many others, last summer’s event had to be postponed due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

Then, organisers promised they would be back and added even more star names for their event.

Deva Fest will take place across the weekend of Friday 12 August, Saturday 13 August, and Sunday 14 August 2022, at Chester Lakes in Dodleston, three miles from Chester city centre.

The weekend programme will start on the Friday (12 August) with Old School Dance Anthems Day, headlined by Symphonic Ibiza and top hitmaker Sonique.

Returning to headline after their triumphant performance in 2019, Symphonic Ibiza will once again thrill the crowds with dance classics. DJ Andy Joyce will be joined by a full symphony orchestra conducted by Steve Etherington to ensure that Symphonic Ibiza transports fans back to the White Isle.

The line-up also includes Brit Award-winning singer, musician and DJ Sonique along with Dream Frequency, Bingo Bango, Dave Graham and Chester DJs Geddes & Gioia.

Saturday (13 August) is Pirate Day.

The event, headlined by double platinum-selling – and lockdown Kitchen Disco queen – Sophie Ellis-Bextor and M-People’s Heather Small, will feature a host of pirate themed activities and entertainment.

The day will feature parades and street performers, with prizes for festivalgoers in the best Jack (or Jackie) Sparrow outfit. Chester’s Winter Watch Parade team will provide the entertainment.

Chester singing duo Belle Voci also appear along with The Pirate Day Ball with TRIX and The Old Time Sailors. 

Meanwhile Deva Fest 2022 will close on Sunday, 14 August with a headline set from festival favourites, Brit Award-winning Scouting For Girls, and rock band Dodgy.

The Deva Fest attractions will also include a free to use fairground on the festival field. The main stage will once again be in a giant big top ensuring fantastic live performances, whatever the weather.

Once again, Deva Fest will offer quality food and drink vendors, who will be hand-picked by Taste Cheshire to ensure locally produced tasty offerings and treats are available.

They include Monster’s Catering with its slow-roasted pork in baps, Simply Duck, The Handmade Pizza Company, Polly’s Parlour offering ice cream and sorbets from its vintage van, and Greek and vegan street food.

You can also make a holiday weekend of it with camping weekend tickets also available with toilet and shower facilities.

New, extended camping options are available at The Meadow, BBQ Pods, Woodland pitches – electric, island and wild camping – and a dedicated Caravan Park area.

Full camping details and prices are on the website.

Hundreds of tickets for next year’s festival have also been given away in a special ballot exclusively for NHS staff and key workers.

Organisers have pledged tickets with a total value of more than £20,000 as a way of saying thank you for the hard work and dedication of key workers throughout the last 20 months.

For more information about Deva Fest and to book visit www.devafest.co.uk

An acclaimed writer from Liverpool has published his first novel at 80-years-old just months after leaving hospital following a frightening battle with COVID-19.

George Skelly began writing The Most Familiar Face In the World back in the early 70s and was finally ready to publish this Christmas but following an admission into hospital after being diagnosed with coronavirus, his family “weren’t sure he’d live to see the day” that it hit the shelves.

His son, John tweeted a photo posing with George with the caption “This is my Dad in Sept on his 80th. We almost just lost him to COVID. Thanks to the amazing staff at Wirral University Teaching Hospital he pulled through”.

George’s writing exploits have already seen him pen two influential true crime books, The Cameo Conspiracy and Murderers or Martyrs.  His research on the former being key in the exoneration of an innocent man who had been hanged 53 years previously for a crime he didn’t commit.

Educated at Ruskin College, Oxford and Liverpool University, he had a career in social work, before taking early retirement to focus on his passion for ‘researching, writing and righting miscarriages of justice’.

His first novel, The Most Familiar Face In the World serves up an uncompromisingly authentic slice of post-war Liverpool – as a coruscating backdrop to young protagonist, Sheridan. The novel has been described as ‘hilarious and heart-wrenching’ as well as ‘clearly written from the heart with his life’s blood’ by Oscar-winning director, John Schlesinger.

Speaking about the novel, George said “Young Sheridan is an exceptional kid in a cruel, confusing world. Astute beyond his tender years, but trapped in a hard-knock childhood, amidst the squalor and grit of post-war Liverpool – where the grown-ups make no sense.  Brutal yet kind, tragic yet funny, happy yet sad. He feels for them. He feels for everything!”

On why it has taken so long to publish, George said “Its genesis dates back to the early 1970’s, but life, family and other projects led to it spending almost 50 years percolating gently on the backburner.”

That amount of time however places a useful distance between present day and the vivid and gritty world of post-war Liverpool that the novel depicts so authentically – as a coruscating backdrop to this timeless tale about self and the universal human need of having something to look forward to.

The Most Familiar Face In the World by George Skelly is available to buy now in paperback and on e-readers.

Open Culture, who produce Uncover Liverpool, are a member of COoL (Creative Organisations of Liverpool). As part of the city’s two major arts consortia, LARC and COoL, our thoughts and solidarity are with all those who have been affected and impacted by the shocking incident at Liverpool Women’s Hospital recently.

We are appalled at the reported increase in hate crime against our Muslim and newly arrived communities and we stand in strength with our friends and neighbours who have been receiving abuse.

Our sector prides itself on inclusivity and togetherness and we celebrate all communities for the contribution they make to Liverpool. Ours is a city formed by successive waves of immigration and enriched by cultural and religious diversity. Our strong community spirit will always overcome the hate that tries to divide us.

JJ Parki’s collaboration Hard To Forget from his excellent debut album, Cafe de la Musique, has been signed to a record label in Germany.

The collaboration is with Australian actress/model/singer Hayley Gia Hughes. You can listen to the track here: Spotify – Hard to Forget.

Southport’s JJ Parki (James Parkin) submitted Hard To Forget via Submit Hub, and the song was snapped up straight away by FBP Music Publishing in Frankfurt. The collaboration will be published and distributed worldwide through FBP Music Group.

More than £100 million has been awarded to hundreds of cultural organisations across the country including the Bluecoat in the latest round of support from the Culture Recovery Fund, the Culture Secretary announced today.

The Bluecoat in Liverpool has been awarded a grant of £155,194 by Arts Council England.

The latest Cultural Recovery Fund grant will ensure that the Bluecoat can continue to open its doors, providing a vital creative resource to Liverpool. It will support the Bluecoat’s after school club programme, Out of the Blue, which provides creative sessions to children living in some of the most deprived areas of the city, as well as supporting Blue Room, a programme for learning disabled adults.

Artists will be supported in continuing to practise and, in addition, the funding will contribute to the building and organisation being fit for purpose – providing better access for resident artists, ensuring the building is covid safe, and contributing to the sustainability of the organisation through process improvements.

The third round of funding will support organisations from all corners of the sector as they deal with ongoing reopening challenges, ensuring they can thrive in better times ahead.

See their website here.