Event type: Talk

Heritage Open Day at the Turner Home

Join us at the Turner Home for a rare opportunity to step inside this Victorian care home, designed by renowned architect Alfred Waterhouse.

Come and explore the history of the Turner Home with us to celebrate Heritage Open Days 2026!

Designed by celebrated Victorian architect Alfred Waterhouse, just two years after completing London’s Natural History Museum, Turner’s Grade II-listed building is steeped in history, compassion, and architectural beauty.Commissioned in 1883 by philanthropist Anne Turner as a heartfelt memorial to her husband and son, this extraordinary home was created to support men facing social exclusion due to illness. For over 140 years, Turner has remained true to its founding mission, providing specialist residential and nursing care for men with mental health challenges, memory loss, and acquired brain injury.Very few care organisations working from historic buildings today continue to deliver the same specialist support they were originally founded to offer. We are proud to be one of them.For this year’s Heritage Open Days, we invite you to experience the unique character and rich history of Turner. While respecting the privacy of those who live with us, we are opening selected parts of our home to the public. Visitors will have a rare opportunity to explore our beautiful chapel, atmospheric former morgue, and an exhibition gallery within our Victorian gate lodge that reveals hidden aspects of Turner’s long-standing story and impact.

Join us in celebrating living heritage, where history, care, and community continue to thrive under one extraordinary roof.

Thanks to the National Lottery Heritage Fund for supporting this open day as part of 140 Years Of Care, a project exploring the history of our organisation, and building connections between residents, heritage organisations and the local community.

140 Years of Care: The History and Architecture of the Turner Home

This evening of talks celebrates the unique architecture and fascinating story of the Turner Home in Dingle, Liverpool.

In celebration of Heritage Open Days 2026, join us at the Turner Home for two talks celebrating this unique and fascinating Liverpool organisation.

Janice Tullock, local historian and archivist, will share findings from her recent research into the origins of the Turner Home. Established by philanthropist Anne Turner as a memorial to her husband and son, the Turner Home opened in 1884 to provide care for men with chronic health conditions. Its mission today remains the same: to support men with mental health challenges, memory loss and acquired brain injuries with specialist, person-centred residential care. The talk will explore the origins of the Turner family fortune, Anne Turner’s impact on the city of Liverpool, and the changes the Turner Home has seen over more than a century.

The Turner Home was designed by renowned Liverpool architect Alfred Waterhouse, whose other works include the Natural History Museum in London, Manchester Town Hall, and Liverpool’s own Victoria Gallery and Museum and the Radisson hotel building next to Lime Street station. Matthew Ashton of MGMA Architects will explore Waterhouse’s design for the Turner Home and what makes it such a special, and yet little known Liverpool landmark.

The setting for these talks will be the Turner Home’s stunning Gothic chapel, a rare chance to see inside this architectural gem.

This free talk is funded by National Lottery Heritage Fund as part of the 140 Years of Care project.

Please note there is on-street parking available locally. Disabled parking spaces can be booked on request.

Black History Month 2026: Professor Stephen Small: Black Liverpool

 

 

Professor Stephen Small returns to Liverpool to launch Black History Month with a special discussion of his acclaimed new book, Black Liverpool: ‘the real thing’. West African, West Indian and Afro-American culture at the end of the twentieth century. 

The 1970s saw giant waves of cultural and artistic creativity, resourcefulness and vision from individuals and organisations in Liverpool 8. The L8 community defiantly refused to accept the silence and denial around the city’s massive involvement in the slave trade and slavery; they refused to accept the silence and denial around how Liverpool exploited the people and lands of West Africa during slavery and imperialism. They refused to accept the lies and contempt for Africa and Africans inflicted upon them in Liverpool schools and schoolbooks. In other words, they refused to let them colonise their minds. Instead, they used their initiative, determination and perseverance, and they reached out to Afro-Americans, West Indians and (West) Africans, for motivation, inspiration, consciousness and self-respect.  

Community elders shared insights into the truth about Liverpool’s role in slavery and  imperialism. L8 residents listened to soul and funk music, to reggae, Calypso and West African music. They watched Shaft and Superfly, The Harder They Come and Rockers, and read books by Angela Davis, Huey P Newton and Walter Rodney. Some organisations and individuals highlighted how Black women were at the forefront of so many activities. Reggae music, the Rastafari movement, and L8 reggae sound systems enriched our lives with music, knowledge and faith. Visitors from America, Africa and the Caribbean came to the city to share knowledge and insights; and L8 residents visited America, the West Indies and nations across Africa to make connections and raise awareness.   And the distinctive African presence in the city became more and more visible. 

In this presentation – based on his recently published book – Black Liverpool: ‘the real thing’. West African, West Indian and Afo-American culture at the end of the twentieth century –  Professor Small brings to life the memories and achievements of the L8 community; and highlights some of the people and organisations that made them happen. Professor Small’s book draws on interviews with over seventy people and on information from documents and reports produced by the organisations themselves. This is a story that has never been told in full before. It is Liverpool 8’s legacy.  And it is a stark reminds that no history of Black Britain is complete without a history of Black Liverpool.  

 

Date: October 1st 

Time: 7pm  

Venue: Kuumba Imani Millenium Centre  

Tickets £5  

 

[Photo credit Dave Clay]

 

 

Black History Month 2026: Dean Atta: Big Man

Join award-winning author, poet and filmmaker Dean Atta for a special event celebrating the publication of his adult literary debut, Big Man — a tender, funny and deeply moving novel about love, identity, ageing, family and the lasting impact of trauma. 

Big Man follows Big, a middle-aged Black British gay man living a gentle life in East London with his boyfriend, Little. Their world is one of friendships, holidays, yoga at home and runs along the Hackney canals. But when Big reconnects with Mother — an African American trans woman who provided a refuge for queer young people during his youth — he is forced to confront a long-repressed experience from his past. 

Full of warmth and gentle humour, Big Man explores what it means to grow older as a queer person, and the ways in which friendship, love and community can sustain us. It is also a love letter — sometimes complicated, sometimes joyful — to the people and places that shape who we become. 

Dean Atta is a multi-award-winning author and poet, as well as a BAFTA-winning and BIFA-nominated filmmaker. His books include the Stonewall Book Award-winning YA novel The Black Flamingo, the memoir Person Unlimited: An Ode to My Black Queer Body, and the poetry collections I Am Nobody’s Nigger and There is (still) love here. His poetry has appeared on the BBC, BET, Channel 4 and MTV. 

Come and hear Dean discuss the inspiration behind Big Man, writing across poetry, memoir and fiction, and the importance of telling stories about queer lives in all their complexity, tenderness and joy. 

Date 6th October  

Time 7pm  

Venue: The Black-E 

Tickets £5

Special Event: George Garrett – Liverpool’s Working-Class Writer and Unsung Hero

Wednesday 16 September | 6.00pm–7.00pm | Toxteth Library | Free 

Alongside the exhibition, join members of the George Garrett Archive group for a special one-hour illustrated talk exploring Garrett’s remarkable life, writing and legacy. 

Drawing on more than a decade of research, archive discoveries and the Garrett family collection, the Garretteers will tell the story of a merchant seaman who became one of Liverpool’s most compelling working-class writers and radical voices. 

From his years at sea and experiences of unemployment and poverty, to the Hunger Marches, Liverpool’s political struggles, Unity Theatre and his encounter with George Orwell, the talk will reveal why Garrett occupies such an important – but still too often overlooked – place in Liverpool’s literary and social history. 

The event is free, but places are limited and advance booking is required. 

CLICK HERE TO BOOK YOUR FREE TICKET 

George Garrett: Everyday Histories – Liverpool’s Working-Class Writer and Unsung Hero is presented by Writing on the Wall in partnership with Liverpool Libraries and Information Services as part of Heritage Open Days 2026. 

Free exhibition | Everyone welcome

 

Voices of Afghan Women & Girls

This event offers a rare opportunity to hear directly from Afghan women and girls about their lives and the restrictions they face.

As women and girls across the UK prepare to return to schools, colleges and universities this September, millions of Afghan girls and women continue to be denied the fundamental right to education.

Since the Taliban seized power on 15 August 2021, they have introduced more than 70 decrees restricting the rights and freedoms of women and girls. Afghanistan is now the only country in the world where girls and women are banned from secondary and higher education.

Yet Afghan women and girls continue to resist. Many are learning through secret underground and online schools, while others share their stories, poetry and experiences to ensure their voices are heard.

WRN Afghanistan is in regular contact with women and girls across Afghanistan, raising awareness, providing resources for UK schools and working closely with Victory Afghanistan to support access to education.

This event offers a rare opportunity to hear directly from Afghan women and girls about their lives, the restrictions they face and their determination to continue learning. They will also share their poetry and stories.

Speakers and contributors

Sara is a lawyer and women’s rights activist in Afghanistan. Her career in family law was cut short when the Taliban returned to power in 2021. She now works as an activist and scholar, writing, teaching and campaigning for women’s rights while living under the Taliban regime.

Athena is a teacher, public speaker, writer, artist and advocate for women’s empowerment. With a professional background in midwifery, she brings compassion and practical experience to her work. For the past three years, Athena has run a home-based school, creating opportunities for girls who are excluded from formal education to continue learning and developing their skills.

Shadab is one of Athena’s students. She will share her experience of being a girl banned from school and of continuing her education in a hidden classroom, offering a personal insight into the determination of Afghan girls to keep learning despite the restrictions they face.

Shadmana and Basira are students with Victory Afghanistan. They will read poetry they have written in online classes led by poet Kate Clanchy.

The event will be hosted by Vicky Gough, who has been working with WRN Afghanistan and Victory Afghanistan to support Afghan women and girls through advocacy and awareness-raising in the UK, while also helping to build connections between Afghan girls and schools in the UK.

As students across the UK prepare for a new academic year, we invite you to stand with those for whom entering a classroom remains forbidden.

All income will support Victory Afghanistan.

Tickets:

Online event:  

Tickets: Book on eventbrite 

Date: Tuesday 29th September 2026 

Time:  7.00pm  

ickets: Free but we suggest, for those that can afford it, a £5 minimum donation.  All income will support Victory Afghanistan. 

 

The Life and Times of Paddy Armstrong

Wooden Bridge Productions brings this retelling of a great historical injustice to Liverpool’s Unity Theatre. The Life and Times of Paddy Armstrong details the story of Paddy Armstrong, who in 1975 was falsely convicted of helping to carry out the Guildford and Woolwich bombings: 

Fifty years after his wrongful conviction, at the age of 74, Paddy is facing into his twilight years and wrestling with a thousand turbulent memories. In Paddy he relives the journey that forever altered his destiny.

A one-man show, starring Don Wycherley as Paddy, the play is inspired by Paddy’s memoir Life After Life, a Guildford Four Memoir (2017). Paddy is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the power of forgiveness, reminding us that the privilege of freedom and love, family and everyday life can restore us and mend the scars of even the most savage injustice.

Don Wycherley brings unflinching honesty, pathos and humour to his portrayal of Paddy, a man failed and scarred by a flawed system yet refusing to be defined by it. Paddy will make you laugh, it will probably make you cry and ultimately you will leave the theatre uplifted by this unforgettable play starring one of Ireland’s most loved actors.

★★★★★ “Don Wycherley is incandescent in this journey from disaster to redemption” – Irish Times 

A note

We recommend that anyone with lived experience of the Troubles — from any community — considers carefully whether this work is right for them at this time. Support services are available before and after the performance and a list of external services will be made available on the night.

2026 Cultural Connectedness Exchange Network (#CCEN) practice day

What does it mean to make Irish work in Britain today? Who commissions it, who shapes it, and how do we ensure it is seen and seen well? Centred on our Festival theme I Am Here and with contributions from several creatives, the day provides in-person connection for creatives to meet, share and inspire.

The #CCEN brings together Irish and Northern Irish artists, creatives, cultural providers and commissioners to do exactly that: to connect, collaborate and advocate for better representation of Irish arts and culture across the UK. With around 90 members — from individual artists to cultural organisations and Embassy representatives — it is one of the most active networks of its kind.

Once a year, the network comes together in person. This is that day. Delivered as a live showcase and working session, the day is artist-led, peer-driven and genuinely generative. Sessions explore how we make work in communities, how we challenge assumptions around representation and how we use the ordinary to reach the extraordinary. Expect work sharing, problem solving and honest conversations about what it takes to get Irish work made and onto stages.

The day takes place in one of Liverpool’s finest spaces. Participants will be provided with a pleasant vegetarian lunch.

All attendees are asked to submit a short bio or organisational overview on booking, to help the network connect before the day begins.

Not yet a #CCEN member? Join the network here — it’s free and this is exactly the kind of day membership is built for.

Supported by the Government of Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs Emigrant Support Programme. Space kindly provided in kind by Victoria Gallery and Museum in partnership with Emerald Lens CIC.
Schedule of the day
Approximately 20 organisations with arts and culture projects in attendance.

10:00    Induction, welcomes and housekeeping

10:30    Emerald Lens – St Brigid’s Arms tour

11:45    Saoirse Crean – Folk 2 Folk

13:00    LUNCH

13:45    Sue Divin – I Am an Author

14:15 – Nollaig Molloy – The Irish Question

15:15    Claire Halpin – Substrata

16:00    ENDS///

Please note booking for this closes on Fri 9 Oct 2026 at 4pm to allow us to confirm catering options with out hosts.

2026 attendee biographies.

Testimony

Continuing our partnership with Fréa’s Renewing Roots programme, this screening of Testimony has been supported by the Government of Ireland’s Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.
About:
Testimony is a profoundly moving documentary that chronicles the fight for justice by survivors of Ireland’s Magdalene Laundries and Mother and Baby Homes. Directed by Aoife Kelleher, produced by Rachel Lysaght and Farah Abushwesha, Testimony captures the determination of these women, supported by the advocacy group Justice for Magdalenes (JFM) to hold the Irish government accountable for decades of institutional abuse. From grassroots campaigning to delivering powerful testimony at the United Nations, their journey is a testament to the strength of collective action and the enduring impact of these dark chapters in Irish history.

From the Magdalene Laundries to the Mother and Baby Homes, Irish women were imprisoned, exploited and stripped of their children by religious orders, with the full complicity of the state. Their stories were buried. Their suffering was silenced.

Testimony follows Justice for Magdalenes (JFM) and the survivors who refused to stay quiet. From mass graves at High Park to the floor of the UN Committee Against Torture, this is the story of a campaign that forced the world to listen and of women who reclaimed their own narratives against every effort to erase them.

Unflinching, urgent and ultimately hopeful, Testimony is a tribute to resilience, a demand for accountability, and a stark reminder of what silence costs.

A post-screening conversation will take place following the film, providing space for questions and reflection, to which all attendees are warmly invited.

This event has been organised as a commemorative event by Renewing Roots, with funding from the Government of Ireland (DCEDIY Commemorative Grant Scheme). Fréa is funded — with thanks to the Irish Government — via the Irish Embassy in London’s Emigrant Support Programme.

Testimony is presented by Fis Éireann/Screen Ireland, UK Global Screen Fund, Arte, RTÉ, Coimisiún na Meán, Rialtas na hÉireann/Government of Ireland, Rocliffe, Underground Films and BFI.
Care note:
We recommend that anyone with lived experience of institutional abuse, forced adoption, or the Magdalene Laundries and Mother and Baby Homes considers carefully whether this work is right for them at this time. Testimony contains themes, such as forced incarceration, sexual, physical, mental and verbal abuse that some viewers may find distressing, as such viewer discretion is urged when booking. Trained mental health first aiders will be available for support before, during and after the screening. A list of external organisations that can offer support can be found here: https://www.liverpoolirishfestival.com/contact/advisory-support-services/

Greg Quiery book launch: The Dancing Field

Greg’s third poetry collection continues with familiar themes, including reflections on Liverpool’s turbulent past and stories of the Liverpool Irish community.

Migration, memories of Ireland and the current environment crisis are among other recurring threads. His previous poetic works include A Stray Dog Following (Stairwell Books) and Oglet.

Mandy Coe and Colin Watts will also be reading. Mandy Coe (https://www.mandycoe.org/) is an award-winning author of eight books of poetry, written in her distinctive style, for both adults and children. Colin Watts (https://www.colin-watts-poetry.com/), organiser of Liverpool Dead Good Poets, is an author of plays, poetry and short stories. He’s a regular performer on Radio Merseyside and many local venues for many years.

Books will be available to purchase with cash or bank transfer.

‘This collection will have you dancing, leaning in to listen and returning to ponder’, Mandy Coe.

‘A powerful and wide-ranging reflection on history nature and personal experience’, Colin Watts.