We’re tired of being angry. The simple act of living our most fabulous, out and proud queer lives, just the act of being ourselves in a cis-heteronormative world, is a protest.
You’re invited to join us for 3 weeks of unadulterated queer joy.
View all of Homotopia Festival’s 2022 events here.
Black History Month @ Writing on The Wall features Linton Kwesi Johnson, Anyika Onuoura, PM Russell, the L8 Archives, Dorothy Kuya and Anti Slavery International Archives Launch, What’s Your Story International – Gambia, Myanmar, Lebanon, Different Voices Shred Lives, The Attic Child, and more…
Black History Month 22 @ WoW begins at home in Liverpool 8, with the opening of the Liverpool 8 Archives, a WoW project, supported by the Liverpool Records Office, which, through our Creative Heritage Strand, we have been working on for a number of years with the local community. These historic archives document the contribution of black activists and their white comrades in the fight against institutional racism in Liverpool, and while supporting families from all backgrounds in their struggle for decent housing and fair treatment in employment, education and criminal justice.
We invite you to join us to celebrate the completion of the work on the L8 Law Centre and to get involved as we embark, in partnership with National Museums Liverpool, on two crucial heritage projects exploring the life and work of L8-born anti-racist activist Dorothy Kuya and the organisation, Anti-Slavery International.
Writing on the Wall are proud to welcome back Liverpool poetry legend Linton Kwesi Johnson in an exclusive Liverpool event, headlining our programme celebrating Black History Month 2022.
Linton’s work has always been political, vital, and necessary, drawing attention to systemic racism, police abuse and National Front attacks, calling for government, institutions and society to be held to account. Through poetry and verse Linton’s work tells the story of UK Black Power and resistance, of which our L8 activists were an integral part.
Writing on the Wall’s Different Voices Shared Lives project has been working with the Liverpool City Region’s six Library Services to give a voice and platform to Black, Asian, and other racial minority communities across the region. Look out for our event celebrating the work of the people who have taken part.
Our What’s Your Story? International project has reached out to the Gambia, Myanmar and Lebanon to work with communities whose experiences should be heard in the UK and beyond.
Black History, like Asian history, First Nation American and a host of other histories, is the history that has been left out of the books, erased and ignored. However, the white-washed versions of history have never been more contested and subject to scrutiny than they are now. The decolonising of literature and education, reparations, the returning of plundered artefacts, are now key parts of the discourse, indicating that the study and inclusion of black history is essential for society to develop a more complete understanding of human development.
It’s now time to dig deeper. WoW supports all efforts to bring to the fore discussions that enhance awareness through research and education, and continue the fight for true equality.
Black history is not just for October. WoW’s programme draws from our year-round heritage and creative writing projects. We have been privileged to work with a range of incredibly talented local, national and international artists. We are grateful for their immense creativity and ongoing support as we continue our work with diverse communities at home and abroad.
Join us at WoW’s BHM 2022. In the words of Martin Luther King, ‘Let’s keep the movement moving!’
Visit https://writingonthewall.org.uk/black-history-month/ to find out about all of Writing on the Wall’s Black History Month events.
Top names from Liverpool and the UK will be appearing at events in South Liverpool this September as part of the annual literary festival – the Smithdown Litfest.
Now in its sixth year, The Smithdown Litfest hosts author talks in community venues along the Smithdown Road corridor ‒ from Toxteth to Allerton. The authors chat about their writing lives and books, answer questions from the audience, and sign copies of their books.
This year’s Litfest takes place from Thursday 22nd to Wednesday 28th September 2022 with these special guests:
GEORGE SEPHTON: LEGENDARY LFC STADIUM ANNOUNCER on being the “Voice for Anfield” for half a century;
KEN PYE: RESPECTED LOCAL HISTORIAN exploring historical Merseyside Murders and Misdemeanours;
C L TAYLOR: PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER AUTHOR, Sunday Times bestseller and Richard & Judy pick talking thrillers and crime;
PADDY SHENNAN: FORMER ECHO FEATURE WRITER sharing stories about the fascinating famous people he’s met and interviewed from Liverpool and around the country;
BROOKSIDE CELEBRATION: celebrating Brookie’s 40th anniversary with a Corkhill family cast reunion and more;
ANYIKA ONUORA: LIVERPOOL’S OWN OLYMPIC MEDALIST revealing the ups and downs of her glittering career.
Children’s authors Jude Lennon and Susan Brownrigg will be appearing at special events at two local schools, and there will also be a free Poets for Peace poetry event in Greenbank Park.
Litfest patron and award-winning crime fiction author Margaret Murphy, who was born just off Smithdown Road says: “The Smithdown LitFest is for those who are passionate about books and those who are just starting on their journey as readers, it is for proud locals, and for visitors exploring our special corner of south Liverpool. So get inspired, have fun, bring your friends.”
Litfest founder and director Ian Skillicorn, a local publisher whose family connections to the Smithdown Road area go back to the 1800s says: “The Smithdown Litfest has something for everyone and it’s all on your doorstep! We look forward to seeing you there.”
The Smithdown Litfest raises funds for Al-Sabeen Children’s Hospital in Sana’a, Yemen to support health workers at the hospital to do their work, purchase vital lifesaving medicines, PPE, basic medical equipment and to pay for tests and investigations for families that cannot afford treatment for their child. The hospital treats children affected by war, severe and acute malnutrition, cholera, diphtheria, malaria, dengue and COVID-19.
A fantastic day of exhibitions, creative workshops, films, talks and DJs followed by a brilliant evening of live music and performance to raise funds towards securing the future of Ron’s Place, home of the late Birkenhead artist Ron Gittins, as a place to support and inspire creativity for all.
Be uplifted and inspired by spoken word artists Roy and Sam Batley and enjoy live music from supertalented local / locally-based legends Silent K, Beija Flo, Bill Ryder-Jones and Dancing to Architecture.
Step inside iconic Tardis-like gallery on wheels The Caravan Gallery to see photographs of Britain in all its sur/reality, and get yer gladrags on for a portrait by award winning photographer Casey Orr at her Saturday Town pop-up photo studio.
Kids and adults alike are welcome to get busy in their Creative Zone – feel free to bring along anything you’d like to incorporate in a collaged postcard of Birkenhead or their mutant toy totem pole sculpture – and get involved in the Underwater Creature Creation Station! We’ll also be joined by portrait artist Veronica Watson and painter Rob Ellis from Bluecoat’s Blue Room, an inclusive arts project for learning disabled and neurodivergent adults.
Their friends from Convenience Gallery will also be on site and eager to collect your stories for their Working Class History of Birkenhead project.
See filmmaker Martin Wallace’s amazing footage shot inside Ron’s Place and extracts from his C4 documentary series ‘Journeys Into the Outside with Jarvis Cocker’.
Future Yard kitchen will be open for food and drink.
Further programme details to be announced soon.
Liverpool Irish Festival, the UK’s largest Irish arts and culture led festival, has announced its 2022 programme. The twentieth year of this annual festival features 40+ events for adults and children across 10 remarkable days between Thurs 20-Sun 30 Oct 2022.
The Festival, a highlight of the UK cultural calendar, includes an array of Irish artists and contributors from across the worlds of music, theatre, film, spoken word, visual arts and academia, such as Stephen Travers (The Miami Showband), Lorraine Maher (#IAmIrish) and Ruairi Glasheen (internationally acclaimed bodhrán player).
For more details, including specific date, times and venues visit https://www.liverpoolirishfestival.com/events
Tippin’ It Up and Gaelforce open the Festival at Liverpool Irish Centre (20 Oct), which features two live seisiúns at PK’s (21 Oct & 28 Oct) as well as music cross-threaded through other aspects of the programme, including both IndieCork films, the Family Day and Samhain (Hallowe’en) Céilí.
IndieCork presents two documentaries highlighting The Power of the Song (23 and 24 Oct), whilst a Q&A and educational screening of The Miami Showband Massacre at Sefton Park Palm House (26 Oct) brings survivor Stephen Travers together with broadcaster and journalist Liam Fogarty to discuss his experiences of the event.
Liverpool Irish Festival – in collaboration with our volunteer History Research Group – have revived the Liverpool Irish Famine Trail, initially developed in the 1990s by Liverpool’s Great Hunger Commemoration Committee. Updates to the Trail -which incorporates 15 sites- chronicle the impact of An Gorta Mór (The Great Hunger). It includes a print-at-home map and enhanced Google map. Marking 175-years since the 7-years of migrations (1845-52) alongside the maps, we have produced a book entitled Liverpool Irish Famine Trail: Revive, available in hardback or e–book.
Booking and tickets for the full programme for Liverpool Irish Festival 2022 are on sale now. Visit www.liverpoolirishfestival.com for more information and the full programme.
Featuring world premiere performances from five incredible artists, DJ sets across the weekend from Queensway, the debut Here n Queer exhibition launch, Q&As, socials and more
The Up Next Festival is returning once again this year for a run of fantastic shows, music, Q&As, art, socials and more. For this year Up Next will be returning for two weekends; September and October.
The September Up Next weekend is just one week away and they cannot wait to welcome you all! Read on to find out details on the different shows and events they’ve got coming up.
Festival pass: £25, single event tickets from £8.
An exciting, colourful and magical festival of Latin American Arts & Culture, with innovative and diverse events, performances and activities that will give audiences the chance to experience the power of Latin American Arts & Culture in different settings.
Saturday, they partner with Liverpool Central Library to share the rich cultural heritage of Latin American dance through companies such as Colibri Mexican Folklore Dance Company, Caporales San Simon Sucre
from Bolivia, Colombian Salsa Dance Champion, Daniela Rodriguez with professional Cuban dancer Yosbel Morales Peña, Ecuadorian Folk Dance Group Warmis UK, Peruvian dancers Afro Peru and the exciting Cuban Son group Salsa Tatin Y Su Son who are kicking up a storm in the North.
A night of pulsating Latin Rhythms and dance with top Latin American DJs from Costa Rica, Colombia & Chile.
A chance to let your hair down and have lots of fun with the exciting sounds of three of the top DJs in the north. DJ Irmita (Chile), DJ Kevin Plata (Colombia), DJ Muvelo (Costa Rica) will provide the magical dance sounds of Latin America.
The mesmerising, Colombian Salsa Champion Daniela Rodriguez will take us through the legendary “Hora Loca”, Crazy Hour, taking everyone through an array of Latin rhythms and movements, and getting the audience to follow her every step.
It’s an hour of pure unadulterated fun where they celebrate Latin American Culture and infect the vibe with happiness and joy!
An exciting, colourful and magical festival of Latin American Arts & Culture, with innovative and diverse events, performances and activities that will give audiences the chance to experience the power of Latin American Arts & Culture in different settings.
Their collaboration with Twin Flavours on Sunday brings an amazing mouth-watering array of cuisine from Latin American countries such as Mexico, El Salvador, Venezuela, Ecuador & Colombia and the new show from the colourful Cusan Theatre (Colombia), Las Cabezonas.
As well as additional performances from Ecuador and Bolivia and a chance for children and families to make carnival headdresses and masks and face painting with Latin American designs.
La Feria Latin American Festival presents an innovative and colourful celebration of Latin American music, featuring Camila y Silvio and La Doctrina.
Camila y Silvio is a Chilean contemporary folklore group founded by the musician Silvio Rozzi and the popular/folk music singer Camila Soria. Their music is deeply rooted to Latin American folk with a breezy and young interpretation of the traditional music genres of the Andean regions of South America.
The experience of listening to the band is one where the landscapes and the human experiences connect with the emotion of the singing, emerging in the intimate knowledge of life and the nostalgic joy of the Andean music.
La Doctrina is an exciting trio from Chile. Led by award winning composer Alonso Farias Zamora, their unique sound mixes South American bass lines with blues and funk rhythms, with a sprinkling of Cumbia, Soul and Latin Jazz in an explosive, passionate performance that always connects with any audience.
Although most of their lyrics are in Spanish, the band has always been able to spread their political message whilst touring UK, Belgium, the Netherlands, Canada, Brazil, Peru and Chile.