Event type: Talk

Self-Defined: Symposium

Thursday 28 May / 11am – 4pm / Open Eye Gallery / free, RSVP
On the occasion of the exhibition Self-Defined. New Stories from Archives, this symposium brings together artists, curators and cultural professionals from regions of Europe less represented in the UK cultural sector. Through conversations on archives, memory and representation, participants will explore how historical narratives are revisited, challenged and reimagined today.

Programme

11:00-11:50. Rethinking the Past Through Institutions.

Why does the past matter today? How can institutions engage with contested histories? Why and how do we work together to explore history and archives from different perspectives?

Participants:

Gosia McKane, Director, Liverpool European Partnership

Anna Bubnova, Senior Relationship Manager, Culture Responds, Arts British Council

Moderated by Sarah Fisher

12:00-12:50. Exhibitions as Spaces for Untold Histories.

Can exhibitions make the voices of the excluded heard? What responsibilities do curators and artists have when working with silenced or fragmented narratives?

Participants:

Krasimira Butseva, visual artist and researcher based in London, UK and Sofia, Bulgaria.

Kristine Milere, exhibition curator and researcher at the Art Museum RIGA BOURSE, the Foreign Art Department of the Latvian National Museum of Art

Moderated by Max Gorbatskyi

13:00-14:00. Lunch break

14:00-14:50. Artists, Archives and Contemporary Work.

Why are artists and curators returning to archives? How can artistic practice reactivate historical material?

Participants:

Karolina Gembara, artist and researcher, Poland

Lia Dostlieva, artist and researcher, Ukraine

Viktoria Bavykina and Max Gorbatskyi, curators of the Self-Defined exhibition at Open Eye Gallery

Moderated by Lindsay Taylor, Director of the University of Salford Art Collection

15:00-15:50. Archival Practices Across Eastern Europe.

How do archival cultures differ across Eastern Europe? What political, social and historical conditions shape approaches to memory?

Participants:

Elene Toidze, Co-founder and Director of Creative Clusters’ Alliance, Georgia.

Zula Rabikowska, artist, founder of Rethinking Eastern Europe organisation.

Andrii Usach and Аnna Yatsenko, NGO After Silence, Ukraine.

Moderated by Viktoria Bavykina

In partnership with: The Liverpool European Festival, University of Salford, National Library of Latvia, CERS – Cultural and Creative Ecosystem of Latvia as a Resource for Resilience and Sustainability.

Our Monstrous Bodies by Emma Clear (Borough Press)

Join us for a special launch event celebrating Our Monstrous Bodies, the debut novel by Emma Cleary.

Cleary’s striking first novel blends queer literary fiction with horror, exploring fractured sisterhood, the uncanniness of the female body, and the seductiveness of art. Drawing on visual art and horror cinema, it delves into themes of loneliness, motherhood, and threatened bodily autonomy, offering a haunting and thought-provoking reading experience.

Originally from Liverpool, Emma Cleary is a writer and editor now based in Vancouver. Our Monstrous Bodies (published as Afterbirth in the US and Canada) is her debut novel. She holds a PhD in Literature from Staffordshire University and an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia, and is editor-in-chief of Geist magazine.

The evening will be hosted by writer and director Julia Cranney, and will include readings, an in-conversation with the author, and an audience Q&A. The author will also sign copies of the novel, with book sales by Aldous Books.

This event will appeal to readers and thinkers interested in contemporary literature, queer writing, literary horror, visual culture, the feminine grotesque, and critical discussion.

Tickets:– General Admission: £5– Concession: £2

 

A limited number of free tickets are available for those who are unwaged or experiencing financial hardship. Please select this option if it applies to you.

Doors open at 5.30pm

Booking required

In conversation with Simona Abdallah: Finding Freedom Through Art

Savera UK, in partnership with Liverpool Arab Arts Festival welcomes internationally recognised percussionist, Simona Abdallah, to Rough Trade Liverpool for an afternoon of thought-provoking conversation intertwined with Simona’s powerful performances on the darbuka, a hand-played traditional percussion instrument.

Simona is one of the first female percussionists of Arab heritage to achieve international recognition on the darbuka – an instrument traditionally dominated by men.

Our discussion will explore the patriarchal constraints that Simona faced in embracing the darbuka, her personal story in which her family attempted to force her into an array of marriages, and how she overcame those challenges to find freedom and success through her art.

The conversation will be hosted by Sara Suliman, a UK-based Sudanese filmmaker, Chevening scholar, researcher, producer, director and a member of the LAAF board of directors. The event will feature a welcome from Savera UK CEO & Founder, Afrah Qassim, conversation, live acoustic performances and a Q&A session.

Savera UK is a Merseyside-based national charity working to end ‘honour’-based abuse (HBA) and other harmful practices, including forced marriage, spiritual abuse and conversion ‘therapy’. It provides lifesaving and life-changing services for survivors and those at risk, regardless of age, culture, ethnicity, disability, sexuality, or gender. It also provides help and advice for professionals, training and education and research.

Content warning – discussion of domestic and ‘honour’-based abuse, forced marriage and misogyny
 
14+ (Under 16s with Adult)

The Book of Damascus

Join Liverpool Arab Arts Festival 2026 for a celebration of storytelling, writing, and critical thinking from the Syrian Capital, in association with Comma Press.

Damascus is a city of contradictions. Simultaneously the oldest city in the world, rich with Roman, Byzantine and early Islamic architecture, and one of the most modern and developed in the Middle East, it stands at a cross-roads between East and West, the past and the future, peace and war. The latest instalment in Comma’s ‘Reading the City’ series is filled with the perspectives of ordinary Syrians we never read about in the news – be they teenage boys scheming to raise funds for a longed-for Eid picnic; impoverished girls picking through rubbish dumps hoping to find gold, or more mystical characters like the mysterious guardians who watch over the seven planet-themed gates of the old town.

LAAF, in association with Comma Press, would like to invite you to join us for an evening of readings, translations and discussions about the challenges that Damascus has survived and what lies ahead for it, in these most precarious times.

The event will be chaired by Comma’s Ra Page.

About the speakers:

Odai Al-Zoubi is a Syrian short-story writer, essayist, and translator. Born in Damascus in 1981, he studied electrical engineering at Damascus University (1998-2004), followed by philosophy at Lebanese University (2003-2007). He has a PhD in Philosophy from University of East Anglia. He has published one travelogue – Moving Shadows (Khan Aljanub, Berlin, 2025), and five collections of short stories: Silence (Al-Mutawassit, 2015), Windows (Al-Mutawassit, 2017), The Book of Wisdom and Naivety (Mamdouh Adwan, 2019), Half-Smile (Mamdouh Adwan, 2022), and Shackled Hearts (Safsafa, 2024).

Zaher Omareen is a war correspondent, filmmaker, and writer whose creative work is inspired by the conflict zones in which he has worked: Afghanistan, Ukraine, Sudan, and Iraq. He often explores the intersection of documentary and fiction, and his writing has been featured on BBC Radio 4, and in the anthologies Banthology: Stories from Unwanted Nations (Comma Press and Deep Vellum, 2018) and the bilingual Danish-English collection Eksil (Screaming Books, 2019), as well as in the journals Words Without Borders, Massachusetts Review, The Common, M-Dash and Trafika Europe. He co-edited the seminal Syria Speaks: Art and Culture from the Frontline (Saqi Books/Dar Saqi, 2014) and is the editor of The Book of Damascus.

Majd Abu Shawish is a Gaza-born, Manchester-based translator, poet and writer. His translations from the Arabic have previous appeared in The Guardian and numerous Comma Press anthologies. He has an MA in International Studies from Sheffield University.

Responding, Repairing and Creating Together: Lisa Nash in Conversation with Dr Robert Simpson

Hear about the role of creativity and the arts in the aftermath of tragedy, reflecting on experiences after the Grenfell Tower fire and Manchester Arena bombing.

After the Grenfell Tower fire and the Manchester Arena bombing, communities spontaneously came together to share, reflect and heal through collective, creative activity and the creation of spontaneous memorials.

In this conversation, you’ll hear from socially engaged artist and curator Lisa Nash and the University of Manchester’s Dr Robert Simpson, who will share their experiences of the immediate aftermath of those tragedies. They will discuss their emerging research into spontaneous memorials around the world and explore the role of creativity and the arts after such events. Their discussion will include reflections on how a mosaic project gave a community a chance to stand together in solidarity and remembrance and how a song helped to unite a city in the face of collective trauma.

As part of Lisa Nash’s ongoing memorial practice, in collaboration with the Grenfell Foundation, floral tributes left at the base of Grenfell Tower on the eight-year anniversary were carefully preserved and transformed into memorial paper and printing ink. Following the conversation and as we approach the nine-year anniversary of the Grenfell fire on 14th June, Lisa will lead a creative memorial activity using this memorial paper with those who wish to take part.

Please note that this conversation will discuss traumatic incidents and loss. If at any point you feel uncomfortable or need support, you are welcome to step out or speak to a member of staff.

The national tour of Grenfell by Steve McQueen is made possible with support using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England and from Art Fund. Each presentation will be free to visit and will be accompanied by a public engagement programme of talks, workshops and community events supported by the Grenfell Foundation.

If you would like to attend a screening of ‘Grenfell’ by Steve McQueen on the day, you will need to book a screening separately in advance here.

This event will have BSL interpretation.

Free, booking required

Loss, Legacy and the Law: Lessons from Grenfell and Hillsborough

 

Discover the legal legacies since Grenfell and Hillsborough and learn about the ongoing campaigns for justice.

Nine years on from the Grenfell Tower fire and with the Inquiry into the tragedy concluded, the survivors and families of the bereaved are still awaiting justice and accountability. Here in Liverpool, a city still living through the legacy of the Hillsborough disaster, this may sound like a familiar tale.

Join us for a panel discussion, with Grenfell United’s Natasha Elcock and Ed Daffarn who will share their reflections on the tragedy and the continuing campaign for justice. They will consider what progress has been made and what remains to be achieved to ensure that the failures of policy and process that led to the Grenfell fire can never be repeated.

They will be joined by Professor Helen Stalford and Professor Lydia Hayes from The University of Liverpool’s Centre for People’s Justice, whose mission is to bring law and social justice research closer to people’s hopes, interests and needs for stronger, fairer and more inclusive societies. They will discuss the long campaign for and the progress made towards the Hillsborough Law, which seeks to establish a legal duty of candour for public authorities and officials.

Please note that this conversation will discuss traumatic incidents and loss. If at any point you feel uncomfortable or need support, you are welcome to step out or speak to a member of staff.

The national tour of Grenfell by Steve McQueen is made possible with support using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England and from Art Fund. Each presentation will be free to visit and will be accompanied by a public engagement programme of talks, workshops and community events supported by the Grenfell Foundation.

Free, booking required

 

Talking Culture: Public Discussion Group

Talking Culture is a series of friendly discussions where curious people can come together to think, talk, and explore today’s major issues. The next session will take place on Thu 4 Jun, and will reflect on the events that led up to the Grenfell Tower Fire.

‘Justice Delayed is Justice Denied’: The Grenfell Tower Fire

Around seven months before the Grenfell Tower fire, a group of residents wrote in a blog post that:

“Only a catastrophic event will expose the ineptitude and incompetence of our landlord, Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation (KCTMO)… It is our conviction that a serious fire in a tower block or similar high-density residential property is the most likely reason that those who wield power at the KCTMO will be found out and brought to justice!”

This was not the first time residents had pleaded for safer housing conditions, and the events of 14 June 2017 sadly proved them right. When it comes to justice, however, nearly nine years on, it has yet to be served.

In this discussion, we will reflect together on the events that led up to the fire and consider why accountability remains difficult in the current context. Themes including social housing, safety, necropolitics, and who does (or does not) have a voice in political processes will be explored. Attendees are also welcome to voice their own thoughts and bring along any themes of interest, but no prior knowledge is necessary.

Free, booking required

Chris Difford

Chris Difford co-wrote the classic Squeeze hits Cool For Cats, Up The Junction, Labeled with Love, Tempted, and Black Coffee In Bed, alongside Squeeze co founder Glenn Tilbrook. He has co written with Elton John, Jools Holland and worked along side such great people as Bryan Ferry while hosting songwriting workshops for over 30 years. He’ll be touring in Spring 2027, armed with a new book, for an evening of classic hits hilarious conversation and readings from the book itself. 

Ruby Wax: Absolutely Famous

It’s almost easier to say whom Ruby Wax DIDN’T meet, interview and coax fascinating insights from in her huge TV shows ‘Ruby Wax Meets’ and ‘Full Wax’. Donald Trump, OJ Simpson, Pamela Anderson, Madonna and many more.

 

Her provocative, abrasive, incomparable style was – just about – kept in check by lifelong friend and A-list producer, Clive Tulloh. Together live on stage they review clips from the extraordinary shows, tell scandalous stories never before heard – and take the audience along for the ride.

 

Featuring Ruby Wax & Clive Tulloh.

 

★★★★ ‘Deeply thoughtful and resolutely frothy’ The Times

★★★★ ‘Fascinating’ The Telegraph

★★★★ ArtsHub

★★★★★ ‘Hilarious’ Entertainment Focus

 

Peer to Peer: UK/Ukraine Symposium @ online

Wednesday 13 May / 8am – 2.30pm / free, online / RSVP
What is the socially engaged approach in photography and education? How are contemporary challenges, including war, political instability, and environmental crises, reshaping approaches to teaching? How does photography respond to the ecological crisis? What are the decolonial approaches to working with archives in the East of Europe?

These questions will be discussed at Peer to Peer: UK/Ukraine is a one-day symposium in Lviv, organised by the Ukrainian Photography NGO in collaboration with Lviv National Academy of Arts, Open Eye Gallery (Liverpool), University of Salford (Manchester). The event will bring together cultural practitioners, teachers, curators, archivists, researchers and students for a direct exchange of knowledge and skills about different aspects of photography. 

Speakers will discuss socially engaged approaches to photography, photographic practices in higher education, photographic response to the ecological crisis, and aspects of decolonisation in the East of Europe.

The Symposium talks will be available online with English translation.

 
Programme
 

8am: Intro from Lucy Zoria, Head of Arts at British Council Ukraine

8.20am:  Photography and interaction with the public 

(Elena Subach, photographer, Ukraine; Sarah Fisher, Executive Director of Open Eye Gallery; Tadhg Devlin, photographer, teacher, Head of social practice at Open Eye Gallery) 

Elena Subach will talk about her new project, based on a socially engaged approach. Sarah Fisher will present the public gallery’s approach to socially engaged photography. Tadhg Devlin will share his experience in education, organisation and artistic practice. 

9.20am–9.30am: break 

9.30am–10.30am: Collections, commissioning and decolonial perspectives

(Lindsay Taylor, Director of the University of Salford Art Collection, Andrii Usach and Аnna Yatsenko, NGO After Silence (Lviv) 

10.30am–11.30am: Photographic Practices in Higher Education: Addressing Contemporary Challenges

(Daryna Skrynnyk-Myska, Head of the Department of Contemporary Art Practices at the Lviv National Academy of Arts; Caroline Edge, Co-Programme Leader BA  Photography at the University of Salford, Manchester) 

Daryna Skrynnyk-Myska and Caroline Edge will discuss how contemporary challenges, including war, political instability, and environmental crises, are reshaping approaches to teaching.

11.30am–12.30pm: break 

12.30pm–1.30pm: Ecological crisis, nature and photographic response

(Yan Wang Preston, artist, UK; Kateryna Pokora, artist, Ukraine)

Yan Wang Preston, who collaborates with the Royal Horticultural Society, and Ukrainian artist Kateryna Pokora will present new works, With Love. From Invader and The Colour of Cyan, respectively, exploring ecology, history and photographic coverage of the environment.

1.30pm–2.30pm: Photo archives of Eastern Europe and decolonisation

(Max Gorbatskyi, Head of Exhibitions at Open Eye Gallery, founder of Ukrainian.Photographies platform; Iryna Sklokina, historian and researcher, the Centre for Urban History (Lviv); Ileana L. Selejan, curator, lecturer in Art History, Culture and Society, University of Edinburgh)

Max Gorbatskyi, Iryna Sklokina, and Ileana L. Selejan will discuss methodologies, access, and collection narratives in their work with photographic archives. 

 

‘Peer to Peer: UK/Ukraine’ is supported by the British Council’s UK→Ukraine: Culture Sync programme.