Event type: Festival

Perfect Crime – the all day crim...

Join Perfect Crime for a full day of exclusive events with some of the biggest and most exciting names in the world of crime writing.

Crime writers appearing: Ann Cleeves, Sophie Hannah, Elly Griffiths, Mel Sherratt, M W Craven, David Jackson, Martin Edwards, Margaret Murphy, Caz Finlay, Rhiannon Ward, Susanna Beard, Amanda Brooke, Heather Burnside, Barry Forshaw, Prof James Grieve.

Schedule:

9 – 9.45am: Registration

10 – 11am: Murder on the Mersey: Margaret Murphy (moderator), Caz Finlay, David Jackson, Amanda Brooke

Liverpool is a city steeped in culture and history – but it is also a city of stark contrasts, and its dark side has inspired many authors, from literary giants to saga writers. Join us for Murder on the Mersey, where four local (and international!) crime writers, Amanda Brooke, David Jackson, Ashley Dyer and Caz Finlay will discuss the impact of this beautiful and often troubled city on their writing.

11:15 – 12:15pm: Writing in the Margins: Ann Cleeves, Elly Griffiths, Rhiannon Ward (Chair)

Ann Cleeves, Diamond Dagger winner and author of the Vera and Shetland novels, in conversation with Elly Griffiths. Chaired by Rhiannon Ward, these two fabulous writers will discuss the marginal/coastal locations in their crime novels, touching on the importance of nature, isolation and forgotten communities in their writing.

12:15 – 1:00pm: Lunch

1:00 – 2:00pm: Gritty and Gripping: Mel Sherratt, Heather Burnside, Noelle Holten, Caz Finlay (moderator)

What makes a book unputdownable? What makes a reader keep turning the pages? Gritty and gripping are just some of the words used to describe the novels of these three fantastic authors. Chaired by Caz Finlay, these bestselling authors will discuss just how they put the grit and grip into their thrillers, and what they think keeps their readers coming back for more.

2:15 – 3:15pm: Golden Age Fiction: Sophie Hannah and Martin Edwards

CWA Diamond Dagger winner Martin Edwards is an authority on British crime fiction, awarded the Edgar, Agatha, Macavity, and HRF Keating Awards for his non-fiction book The Golden Age of Murder. He is also follows in the footsteps of Agatha Christie, as current Chair of the Detection Club.

Sophie Hannah is a multi-award-winning, international bestselling author of psychological chillers, and a dedicated Agatha Christie fan. For almost forty years after her death, Christie’s family famously rebuffed any suggestion that they might pass the authorial baton to another author yet, to date, Sophie has written four Poirot ‘continuation’ novels, with the Christies’ full blessing.

These two clearly have a lot to talk about. And if you like your murder framed in a more elegant era, this is a must-see!

3:15 – 4:00pm: Signings and Social: Your chance to mix with fellow attendees and some of our special author guests, buy the latest crime fiction releases from our authors, and have your books signed.

also

3:15 – 4:00pm: Crime Writing workshop with David Jackson

Crafting the Killer Pitch: As novelists of commercial fiction, we are in the business of selling ideas – to agents, to publishers and, ultimately, to readers. Our chances of success increase dramatically if we can express those ideas in ways that are brief and snappy and carry a punch that sends our intended audience reeling.

In this short workshop David Jackson describes techniques that will help you in devising story pitches that have exactly that tight, powerful focus. TO ATTEND THE WORKSHOP CHOOSE AS AN ADD-ON TO THE EVENT WHEN YOU BUY YOUR PERFECT CRIME TICKET

4:00 – 5:00pm: Truth and Lies: Ann Cleeves and Prof James Grieve

What is the truth behind the fiction? Professor James Grieves’s long career in forensic pathology has taken him around the globe and involved a number of high-profile cases. Prof Grieves has also brought the weight of his extensive real-life knowledge and experience to bear on panel discussions between authors and scientists across the UK. So, what does he make of writers’ attempts to bring realism to their fictional crimes? Find out in a fascinating and revealing chat between these two friends.

5:15 -6:15pm: Mind Games: M W Craven, Margaret Murphy, Susanna Beard, Barry Forshaw (moderator)

The psychology of the murderous mind has fascinated readers since Poe’s The Tell-Tale Heart, and crime readers demand psychological depth in contemporary mysteries. But why are we so obsessed with damaged psychologies and the criminal mind? And what is it like to get into the mind of a killer? Barry Forshaw talks to three bestselling authors who really put the psycho into their psychological fiction.

 

The Liverpool Gin Festival

After so many lockdowns and restrictions for what has seemed an eternity, families, friends, neighbours and colleagues have been drawn closer together, and as life slowly returns to some form of normality, we will once again be able to experience and enjoy the social freedom we all certainly deserve.

The Liverpool Gin Festival offers such an experience: the event showcases hundreds of handpicked Craft Gins from around the world, from a vast array of distilleries and creators, who will offer samples at their discretion. You can buy your favourites by the glass, by the bottle or by the case.

The full dates will be 2nd – 3rd December 2022. See here for tickets.

The festival is split into 3 sessions, starting late afternoon on the Friday, then mid-afternoon and early evening on the Saturday, and live entertainment will ensure that spirits are high and good times will be had.

Head along with family, friends and colleagues and soak up the atmosphere. In fact, why not make a full day or weekend of it, take in some unbelievable sightseeing, visit some of the world famous art galleries, museums and cathedrals, then wind down with a bite to eat and a final Gin of the day in one of the hundreds of top restaurants this magnificent city has to offer.

Whether you are a gin connoisseur or a novice to the extraordinary world of gin, they have something for everyone that will ensure lasting memories.

They look forward to welcoming you to The Liverpool Gin Festival in December. Let’s all turn the clock back and let the celebrations be-Gin once again.

Birkenhead International Film Festival...

Birkenhead International Film Festival will be hosting its first live in person event on October 2nd at the Bloom Building in Birkenhead. The theme of this year’s festival will be Animation.

The event will take place from 3pm and will involve workshops, food, drinks and of course films. The films will be shown in 4 screenings throughout the day with their first block starting at 3:45pm.

They appreciate any donations. All tickets and donations are reinvented back into BIFF to create future programming and opportunities for filmmakers and creatives.

They are super excited to bring the world to Birkenhead for this daylong festival of animation with an amazing selection of the best up and coming film makers and animators with submissions from 30+ countries.

Step into the world of the BIFF.

Homotopia Festival

The UK’s longest running LGBTQIA arts and culture festival is back. After months of being stuck at home, this year’s festival theme is Coming Out.

Let’s come out in support of queer arts and cultural venues. Let’s come out and be reunited with the LGBTQIA community. Let’s come out for the injustices facing our community.

And for those who aren’t ready to Come Out, they’ve got some fab digital content on offer too.

To find out more about this year’s festival and to view the full programme visit the Homotopia website.

Liverpool Irish Festival 2021

Join Liverpool Irish Festival for 10 days of arts and cultural activities celebrating Liverpool’s links with Ireland.

Expect music and song, food and film, talks, tours and theatre, design, dance and drinks, art and animation, ceílís and comedy, seisiuns, print and poetry, literature and heritage, sport and quality fun for all the family.

View the full programme of events here.

Liverpool Literary Festival 2021

University of Liverpool are holding their 2021 Liverpool Literary Festival in October. The festival once again features an incredible line up of writers.

Their 5th festival will take place in-person and online from Friday 8-Sunday 10 October. Events start 6pm, 8 October, 10am, 9 October and 10am, 10 October.

For more information, and to book your tickets, please visit their website.

Opening their festival this year is celebrated television presenter, actor and comedian, Andi Osho, who will be discussing her new novel, Asking for a Friend, and the joys and challenges of publishing fiction for the first time.

They also have award-winning biographer Dame Hermione Lee who will be joined by Mark Da Vanzo, CEO of Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse, to talk about her major new biography of Tom Stoppard, as well as Kate Summerscale, author of The Haunting of Alma Fielding, to discuss the unique skills involved in discovering the suspense and mystery hidden in history.

They will also be welcoming Clare Mackintosh who will be in conversation with ITV News presenter Ann O’Connor to discuss her hard-hitting new thriller Hostage, and novelist and winner of the Betty Trask Award, Okechukwu Nzelu, who will be reflecting on the way her life has changed as her career has developed.

From fiction to biography, and from screenwriting to memoir, there really is something for everyone to enjoy!

 

 

LA FERIA: A Festival of Latin American...

A festival of Latin American Arts and Culture is set to take over city centre venues in Liverpool this month.

The festival is held at various venues/locations, 23-26 September, times vary. See here for tickets.

For their 10th Anniversary activities, local arts organisation LUMA Creations are proud to present LA FERIA, an innovative and colourful celebration of Latin American Arts and Culture.

The programme of events, featuring an exciting line-up of dance, musical performances and activities, will give audiences the opportunity to experience the diversity of Latin American Arts and Culture at different venues across Liverpool City Centre.

The festival will kick off on Thursday 23rd September with ‘Music of the Americas’ at District in the Baltic Triangle, featuring Latin American Lucas Music Award winner, Angelica Lopez and her eight-piece band, along with Liverpool groups, LUMA Quintet and Katumba Bloco – one of the leading drum ensembles in the UK. The night will also feature DJ Irmita, the UK’s first pioneering female Latin DJ.

The following night – Friday 24th September – will see an evening of Latin American Dance in the beautiful surroundings of the Bombed Out Church, showcasing an exciting array of companies including: colourful Caporales, San Simon from Bolivia; beautiful Mexican Dances from the exciting Colibri Company; offerings from Liverpool’s own Katumba Bloco; a wonderful presentation of original Cumbia from Colombia by Elkin Rodriguez; LUMA’s very own Candombe Troupe; and the mystical sounds of Mestisa, with their wonderful songs from South America.

Participants of all ages will get the chance to make beautiful lanterns, head-dresses and much more, as well as be given the chance to see some of the Latin American Dolls which are appearing in an exhibition in Centro Cervantes in October, hosted by North West charity, SOMOSCR.

Finally, to close the festival on Sunday 26th September, an exciting programme of pop-up street performances will appear across Liverpool City Centre with artists from Peru, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and more.

Founder and Creative Director, Francisco Carrasco said, “I am really looking forward to LA FERIA 2021, and we are really proud to be able to bring such an exciting and diverse programme of Latin American arts & culture to the city, to help us celebrate LUMA Creations 10th Anniversary year. We hope that everyone who comes and participates enjoys the amazing talent of all the artists and also takes away a little bit of how rich and diverse Latin American culture is”.

The festival is part of the Without Walls Programme from Culture Liverpool and is funded by LCC and Granada Foundation.

 

Smithdown Festival

The annual coming together of the Smithdown bars and cafes for a weekend of entertainment.

With live music from Beija Flo, Charity Shop Pop, Gen and the Degenerates, Hushtones, Pete Bentham and The Dinnerladies, Nick Ellis, Sky Valley Mistress, Venus Demilo and so many more local bands and musicians, Smithdown is the place to be.