Event type: Talk

Ilya Kaminisky – Poetry in a tim...

The Poetry Society Annual Lecture will this year be given by Ilya Kaminisky on poetry in a time in crisis.

The lecture is free to attend and will take place at the Yoko Ono Centre in Liverpool at 7.30pm on the Monday 15th of May. Focusing on poets from Ukraine, and including examples from many of the poets writing out of the current conflict, Kaminsky will also draw on a wider historical context (discussing poets such as Paul Celan) as well as poems that touch on contemporary crisis in the West (referencing poets such as m nourbeSe philip).

Selected by the BBC as ‘one of the 12 artists that changed the world’, Kaminsky is author of the award-winning collections Dancing in Odessa and Deaf Republic – poems which confront the atrocities of our time and our collective silence in the face of them. Born in Odesa, Ukraine in 1977, he’s lived in the United States since 1993 when his family was granted asylum. He is Professor of Poetry at Princeton University.

Tickets can be booked through their website. The online event will stream in unison with the in-person lecture and you can book to attend here.

Beyond the label: you’ve seen th...

Join curator Karen O’Rourke as she delves into the fascinating story of 12 lesser-known Liverpool creatives whose stories are explored in Museum of Liverpool’s Wondrous Place gallery.

You’ll discover that Liverpool music is much more than just the Beatles and that Liverpool sporting legends hail not only from Liverpool or Everton Football Clubs!

Liverpool Botanic Gardens – What...

Join the discussion at The Athenaeum for an important evening raising the importance of the Liverpool Botanic Collection which is now at risk.

There are growing concerns about the safety and long-term future of the Liverpool Botanic Collection currently at Croxteth Hall. It was nearly closed for good in 2014 and is now in the spotlight again.

The Athenaeum’s connection to the botanical collection dates back to its inception by William Roscoe. Roscoe was a founding member of the Athenaeum in 1797 and about half of the subscribers to the Botanical Gardens were also members of the Athenaeum.

The level of concern has been brought to the attention of the Library Advisory Committee, and as part of our outreach into the community we are holding an event at the Athenaeum to raise awareness of this amazing collection and the importance of its history and heritage. It dates from 1803 when William Roscoe set it up and was the first of its kind in the UK.

Speakers for the evening are Raoul Curtis-Machin, Director of Horticulture at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, he will give a wider viewpoint of the importance of botanic gardens. Steve Lyus, local botanical historian, will review the long history of the Liverpool Botanic Garden. Stephen Guy will give a short talk on the West Derby Society and Friends of Croxteth Hall.

The Pioneering Monks of Birkenhead

Join local historian Dr Stephen Roberts and find out more about the history of Birkenhead Priory, the oldest standing building on Merseyside.

It was said that visitors to the remains of the once glorious Birkenhead Priory would not have been aware of its former power and influence:

“They could scarcely recall now the beauty of its former setting. These folk as they stood there looking about them with eyes of interest., could have no idea what the Priory had once been as it stood on its beautiful peninsula, surrounded on three sides by water, a headland of oak and birch and meadow crowned with red sandstone”.

Dr Roberts’ talk will cover the fascinating history of Birkenhead Priory and the influence of the founding fathers, whose estates once extended across the Wirral Peninsula for several miles and included the ancient manor of Claughton.

An event from Wirral Archaeology.

Exhibition Tour of They Think They Are...

Join the Williamson’s curator Niall Hodson for a guided tour of the exhibition and discover more about the artist’s ideas and techniques.

About the exhibition:

Kowal Post’s work considers the relationships we build with the natural world, other creatures, and each other. We are comfortable with embracing our shared physiology with animals, and have never considered ourselves physically superior to other members of the animal kingdom.

Yet we cannot help looking for traits which make us not just unique within nature, but exceptional. So we imagine ourselves as intellectually exceptional, disconnected from other beings and with the right to dominion over nature.

Exhibition Tour of “The Encircle...

Join the Williamson’s curator Niall Hodson for a guided tour of the exhibition and discover more about the artist’s ideas and techniques.

About the exhibition:

“The Encirclement Of Space” charts the influence of Lace on Michael Brennand-Wood’s work from the earliest examples made as a student in the 1970’s to his most recent commission. The exhibition contains the largest collection of his lace works ever shown together, representing all stages of his lace research.

Many of the works are of a very large scale, in a wide range of media: paper, fabric, thread, metal, mosaic, wood, slate, wax and resin. The works are monumental, exploratory and designed to challenge our perception of what we understand and associate with lace.

Artist Talk – Michael Brennand-W...

Meet at The Williamson Art Gallery & Museum, Birkenhead at the cafe for coffee at 10.30am for the tour to begin at 11am.

They are delighted to announce the trip to The Williamson for a guided tour with Michael Brennand-Wood. This is a unique opportunity to hear Michael speak about a selection of the key pieces featured in his major new exhibition: The Encirclement of Space.

This new exhibition features three glorious galleries of the artist’s lace research, from some of its earliest examples made in the 1970s to his newest commission. The resulting display presents the largest collection of the artist’s lace works ever shown together.

The show includes pieces rarely seen on public display which have been specially loaned for this show from major collections including The Crafts Council, Nottingham Museums Trust and Calderdale Museums Trust.

The show includes Return to Origin – Musical Chairs – a brand new commission for The Williamson based on the gallery’s archive and fabric samples from the once local Arthur H. Lee & Sons fabrics company, which started off in Bolton, before moving to Warrington and finally, Birkenhead. This is also the first piece to be made by Michael at his new studio in Birkenhead.

There will be an opportunity to buy the new catalogue which accompanies this exhibition featuring commissioned texts by the independent writer and curator June Hill as well as Michael. Michael will be available to sign copies of his catalogue at the end of the tour.

A selection of Michael’s work can also be viewed and bought at Bluecoat Display Centre and via www.bluecoatdisplaycentreshop.com

Getting to The Williamson:

Parking: There is a free on site car park, accessible via Mather Road. For Sat-Nav, use postcode CH43 4UE (Slatey Road).

Bus: There are bus stops on Slatey Road, Balls Road and Borough Road. From Liverpool, 471, 472 and 464 buses stop on Borough Road, approximately a 15 minute walk away.

Train: the nearest station in Birkenhead Central, approximately a 25 minute walk away.

Please contact us in advance of the day on 0151 709 4014 if you think you may have any trouble in getting to The Williamson and we will do our best to assist you.

Bookings:

Book your place through Bluecoat Display Centre by emailing us at crafts@bluecoatdisplaycentre.com; or call on 0151 709 4014. Tickets include a hot drink and exhibition tour by the artist. Payment can be made via cash or card in advance

Event & Workshop Cancellation Policy

If you are unable to attend an event or workshop that you have booked, please contact the team as soon as possible via crafts@bluecoatdisplaycentre.com or on 0151 709 4014.

They will endeavour to resell your ticket, if time allows, and if successful we will be able to issue a refund. If we are unable to resell the ticket, the value can be transferred to another event or redeemed against a purchase in the gallery.

Please note that while the team will do their best to resell your ticket, we cannot guarantee that this will be possible or ensure a refund. Thank you for your understanding.

Phil Redmond: The Bloke from Down The ...

Join us in our Cockpit Theatre for an evening of conversation with a local legend, and the creator of some of your TV favourites including Grange Hill, Hollyoaks and Brookside.

Sir Phil Redmond will be interviewed by BBC Radio Merseyside presenter Ngunan Adamu, and will tell all about his extraordinary life from having grown up in Huyton to being knighted in 2020 for his services to arts in the regions. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from a local lad with a story to tell.

Talk from the Terraces…with Dave Whi...

Liverpool-born artist Dave White is widely acknowledged as the creator of the trainer art movement, starting in 2002 with his Pop Art-inspired work for Nike.

Join Walker Art Gallery as he talks about his work in the exhibition, and his collaboration with this major sportswear brand.

Arrival from 6.00pm with an arrival drink included. Talk from 7.00pm with Q&A. After-hours view of the exhibition from 8.00pm with a cash bar available.

Open Sauce

A brand new event aimed at inspiring the next generation of music creators is taking place in Liverpool on Saturday 28 January 2023. ‘Open Sauce’ will bring together over 100 16 to 25 year olds who want to take their creative and professional practice up a notch by learning from top figures in the music industry.

Taking place in The Spine, some of the leading minds and organisations in the business will be sharing their insights and experience including Red Rum Club, Låpsley, Rob Swerdlow of Starwood Management, Michael Adex Chief Executive of Record Label NQ and manager of Mancunian rapper Aitch and many more.

Subjects up for discussion will include artistic liberation and execution, independence, pathways, utilising data, networking and mental heath and wellbeing.

Tickets for the event, which runs from 10am to 6pm, cost just £5 per person and lunch and a goodie back is included in the price.

Limited availability. Book now here.