Event type: Talk

Peter Rainsford Presents

Peter Rainsford Presents – a Miscellany of Music and Creativity.

Peter is founder and director of Tafelmusik music school in Oxton. Each month he brings a varied repertoire of music and performers to the Williamson.

As well as a musical talk from Peter and songs from singer/songwriter Paula, this month’s special guest is local pianist Keith Peris.

Keith is appearing again by popular demand.

  His program will include works by Beethoven and Tchaikovsky.

 

Paula will be singing some of her thoughtful songs and peter will be presenting one of his popular ‘Musical Appreciation ‘ talks.

 

Tafelmusik website

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Split Level Music

Split Level music with Phil Chisnall and Lynne Strange.

The duo specialise in strong vocal harmony accompanied by Phil’s haunting guitar, performing a broad range of contemporary covers as well as Phil’s own critically acclaimed, self written songs.

They have performed at many local venues and folk clubs, where their unique blend of musical entertainment captivates any audience.

 

We are looking forward to welcoming Split Level music back to the Williamson.

 

The Williamson Café will be open for drinks and light bites.

Philip Wilson Steer: In Conversation

Born in Birkenhead, Philip Wilson Steer was a pioneer of impressionism in Britain during the late nineteenth century. Studying in Paris in the 1880s, he was exposed to this radical way of painting after seeing works by the likes of Degas and Manet. With his loose approach to painting and depictions of scenes that were seen as indecent for the time, Steer was widely ridiculed on his return to London, but eventually gained acclaim and prestige with the increasing influence of the New English Art Club and his teaching post at the Slade School of Art. Later in his career, Steer was inspired by masters of English landscape painting, such as Constable and Turner, with examples of these works being found in the exhibition.

As well as showcasing the Williamson’s collection of Steer, this exhibition will bring his work into conversation with both his contemporaries and local artists who followed in his footsteps. This will showcase his personal approach to colour and painting, but will also show the limitations of his radicalism, largely through his approach to depicting women.

The Williamson’s collection of works by Steer has long been considered a highlight of our collections, which we are delighted to be able to display a significant number of in this exhibition.

 

EVENTS:

Curator talks on Albert Richards & Philip Wilson Steer – dates throughout 2025

Info & Booking

Michelle Henning: A Dirty History of Photography (Book Launch)

Join Michelle Henning and Sarah James to discuss questions about the relationship between the ways in which photography pictures the world, the materials from which it is made, and its relationship to polluting and extractive industries.

Focussing on chemical photography in the interwar period, Michelle Hennings’s book “A Dirty History of Photography: Chemistry, Fog and Empire” addresses how photographic practice was linked to British imperial ideas about weather, climate and racial superiority; photography’s dependence on coal; how the polluted atmosphere (fog) came to represent particular ideas about imperial London, and how at the same time, photographic materials had a sensitivity to atmospheric change and contamination that went beyond the sensitivities assigned to them by the industry. How does thinking about photographs and photography allow us to understand our wider relationship with the world, and dependence on the “nonhuman”?

Michelle Henning says, “This book is the culmination of research done over the last 8 or 9 years, drawing on the archives of Ilford Limited, the most well-known British photographic manufacturers. I have tried to write in a way that is accessible and evocative, but also conceptually rigorous. I ended up constructing the book out of 36 “snapshots” or short chapters, which allow me to move back and forth in time, change style and shift from close readings of images to accounts of the wartime chemical industries, of devastating fogs and gas attacks, to unusual weather events and air conditioning systems!” Michelle Henning is Chair in Photography and Media at the University of Liverpool. She is the author of numerous essays and chapters on photography including Photography: The Unfettered Image (Routledge 2018). Her new book, ‘A Dirty History of Photography: Chemistry, Fog and Empire’, is published with the University of Chicago. She also works as an artist/designer.

Sarah James is Professor of Visual Culture at Manchester School of Art (MMU). She is the author of ‘Common Ground: German Photographic Cultures Across the Iron Curtain’ (Yale University Press, 2013), and ‘Paper Revolutions: An Invisible Avant-Garde’ (The MIT Press, 2022). Her new book ‘Art and Ends of Capitalism’ is forthcoming with Manchester University Press.  She regularly writes for the international art press.

The Pansy Project Planting Tour and Talk

Saturday 14 March / 2pm – 4pm / Open Eye Gallery / RSVP
Spaces are limited. If you’re unable to attend, please return your ticket at Eventbrite
Paul Harfleet will guide a gathered group on a small planting pansy tour, marking sites of homophobia and transphobia. The curated selection of locations will be within walking distance of Open Eye Gallery. After the tour we will return to Open Eye Gallery for a presentation on The Pansy Project given by Paul Harfleet, followed by a Q&A session and a chance to talk.

Paul Harfleet has been planting pansies at sites of homophobic and transphobic abuse since 2015. Through this quiet yet powerful act, the ongoing project gently confronts hate crime and brings visibility to LGBTQ+ experiences that often go unreported. Read more at thepansyproject.com.

For this event, Paul Harfleet is seeking further locations to mark with pansies that come directly from the local LGBTQ+ community. If you have a location that you would like to be marked with one unmarked pansy planted at the location where an LGBTQ+ hate crime has occurred, please submit it through the Google Form. You will need to supply the nature of the experience (this can be a quote from the assailant or a short description of what happened) and the exact location (postcode is useful).
The artist will find the nearest source of soil to plant the pansy. The subsequent photograph will be entitled after the quote or after what happened; this title should be as brief as possible. Locations can be supplied anonymously or on someone’s behalf. The artist will select from the locations supplied based on the nature of the abuse, location, and logistics of his visit. The artist may return at a later date to plant pansies that were not managed during this event.
 

This event is in partnership with Homotopia.

This event is part of LOOK Climate Lab 2026, a biennial programme by Open Eye Gallery.

 
We encourage you to use public transport or carpooling when getting to the events.

 

Open Eye Gallery is a short walk from the Liverpool ONE shopping centre and the Albert Dock.

 

By train. We are 20 minutes walk from Lime Street station. James Street station, served by Wirral Line trains, is a two minute walk. Moorfields station, served by the Northern and Wirral Lines, is a five minute walk. Visit Merseytravel for details of local train services.

 

By bus. The nearest bus and coach station is at Liverpool ONE, served by National Express coaches. Merseytravel has details of  local bus services.

 

By ferry. The gallery is two minutes walk from the Pier Head Ferry Terminal, from which Mersey Ferries run regular services to the Wirral.

 

By bicycle. There are bicycle bays close to the gallery.

 

If you wish to offset the carbon footprint of your travel, you can do it with Carbon Neutral Britain, Carbon Footprint, Forest Carbon, My Carbon Plan or any other project that you trust.

A History of Silcock Leisure in Southport

A talk by Serena Silcock-Prince & Justin Prescott 

Discover the rich heritage of Silcock Leisure with Serena Silcock‑Prince and Justin Prescott.

Join Serena as she shares the remarkable story of her family’s deep roots in Southport, from her maternal ancestors whose presence stretches back to the early days of the town’s tourism industry, including her great ‑ great ‑ great ‑ grandfather John Jackson, one of only two surviving crew members of the tragic Mexico shipwreck.

Serena will also explore the colourful history of her paternal family, the Silcocks, who first arrived in Southport for a single fairground season in the 1960s, and fell in love with the town so completely that they chose never to leave.

 

Sir Henry Segrave: Speed Knight

A talk by Keith Hick

On 16 March 1926, Henry Segrave set his first Land Speed Record—152.33 mph (245.15 km/h)—driving Ladybird, a 4‑litre Sunbeam Tiger, across Ainsdale Beach in Southport. Join Keith Hick as we mark the 100th anniversary of this remarkable achievement.

The name Segrave has long been synonymous with speed. A pioneer who claimed both the World Land Speed Record and the World Water Speed Record, Sir Henry de O’Neal de Hane Segrave left an unforgettable legacy in the North West, one shaped by extraordinary triumph and deep tragedy. His legacy lives on through the prestigious Segrave Trophy, awarded annually to those who push the boundaries of land, sea, and air.

In this talk, Keith explores Segrave’s extraordinary life: from his service as a Great War fighter pilot, to his success as a Grand Prix racing driver in the Roaring Twenties, to his iconic status as a record‑breaker. He paints a vivid portrait of a real‑life “Boys’ and Girls’ Own” hero whose adventures captured the imagination of a generation. A contemporary of Malcolm Campbell, May Cunliffe, and Parry Thomas, Segrave chased speed wherever he could find it – on the track, in the cockpit, and on the water – his determination no doubt sharpened by his wartime experiences. After setting the Land Speed Record on Southport Sands in 1926, Segrave became the first person to exceed 200 mph on land in 1929 in the USA. He then turned his attention to water, and in 1930 on Lake Windermere became the first to break 100 mph on water.

Join us as Keith reveals the fascinating stories behind one of the most celebrated names in record‑breaking history.

Please note – this talk will start at 1:30pm, half an hour later than a regular lunchtime talk. 

Liverpool Chinatown walking tour

A compelling and visual walking tour through the history of Chinatown and Liverpool’s Chinese community

You might have grown up in Liverpool, or perhaps this is the first time you’re hearing these stories. That’s exactly the point: there is always more to uncover. The history of Chinatown is not just about the celebrations at Lunar New Year but between places, people, and identities. How did the movement of people between China and Liverpool shape our city? How do those strands help us reimagine the community today?

Artists and researchers Beatrice Png and Emily Beswick have crafted a walking tour about the history of Chinatown and its communities. Drawing on their previous research and tour experience, they use personal narratives and visual sources to bring stories to life.

Festival of Data

Liverpool will host a unique event showcasing the impact of Data Science this February, as the University of Liverpool’s Civic Data Cooperative (CDC) presents The Festival of Data, a three-day celebration running from 5–7 February 2026. 

Taking place at the ACC Liverpool, the festival marks the culmination of the CDC’s ambitious five-year programme exploring how data can be collected, stewarded, visualised and used creatively to improve lives across the Liverpool City Region.

Each day of the event will showcase the different aspects and applications of Data Science, with a focus on health and civic data, and Artificial Intelligence.

At the heart of the festival is a programme of commissioned artworks translating complex ideas about data, health and society into playful, accessible and thought-provoking experiences. Created by artists from the city, and across the UK, working closely with local schools and communities, these artworks will be on display throughout the three-day event, inviting audiences of all ages and backgrounds to challenge their perceptions of what data science and artificial intelligence science is.

On Thursday 5 February, the following 8 artists will work with over 200 school children to produce these innovative works: 

Textile artist Rachael Prime presents Village of Data 2026, a sculptural work made with recycled and repurposed materials. Known for her collaborative, environmentally conscious practice, Prime’s piece draws on community narratives and shared making to explore how data connects people and places, transforming abstract systems into something tactile and human.

Multidisciplinary artist David Bixter brings sound, image and interaction together in Living Score 2026. Using sonification and visualisation techniques, Bixter transforms data into an immersive, responsive environment where audiences can experiment and shape the experience themselves.

Arts-based researcher Dr Elaine McNeill contributes POP the Labyrinth 2026; a multimedia installation rooted in co-production and wellbeing. Drawing on her extensive experience working with patients, communities and cultural organisations, McNeill’s work highlights the role of creativity in health, inclusion and collective working.

Maker and technologist Jackie Pease presents Contemporary Quipu 2026, blending craft, code, recycled materials and programmable electronics. Inspired by ancient systems of recording information, the work explores how data can be embodied through pattern, fibre and light, celebrating experimentation and sustainable making.

Textile and print artist Brigitte Watkinson exhibits Hanging Data 2026, a large-scale textile artwork developed through hands-on, intuitive processes. Her work reflects her expertise in translating complex ideas into accessible creative experiences, encouraging audiences to explore data visually and materially.

Illustrator and sculptor Stuart Harrison brings a playful yet insightful approach with You Are What You Eat 2026. Drawing on his background in illustration, education and visual storytelling, the sculpture makes links between data, health and nutrition.

Illustrator Toni-Louise Carter contributes Liverpool’s Football Community 2026; an illustrated work rooted in storytelling and everyday life. Known for live illustration and visual minutes, Carter’s piece uses imagery to make information approachable while celebrating shared cultural narratives.

Alongside these works, Light Up the Brain 2026 is a participatory multimedia installation co-designed by public engagement volunteers from the Mental Health Research for Innovation Centre (M-RIC) and artist Jennie Wishart. Families are invited to interact with an illuminated brain sculpture, sparking conversations about mental health in positive, accessible ways.

Beyond the artworks, the Festival of Data offers three distinct days tailored to different audiences. Friday 6 February brings together industry, research and academia for a full day conference with panel discussions and workshops ending with a ‘Cabaret of Dangerous Ideas’ in the evening.  

Saturday 7 February is designed for families, schools and the public, featuring hands-on activities, workshops and creative engagement – the day will include an interactive exhibition with family friendly activities, Data Art Safari, Lego Workshops, Data Detectives and live demonstrations from researchers and businesses.

Funded by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and delivered by the Civic Data Cooperative and the Civic Health Innovation Labs at the University of Liverpool, the festival brings together partners from the NHS, local authorities, business, academia and the community. The Festival of Data serves as an appropriately ambitious and inclusive event to celebrate the CDC’s years of commitment to shaping better services, healthier communities and a more vibrant civic data environment for the Liverpool City Region. The Festival of Data is sponsored by The ACC Liverpool Group, Sodexo Live! and Pullman Liverpool. 

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 first session focuses on public and private space in Liverpool city centre. Here, many buildings and spaces are privately owned, which raises fundamental questions about what – and whom – the city is for.

Dr Paul Jones from the University of Liverpool’s Department of Sociology, Social Policy and Criminology will frame the discussion around who can do what, when, and with whom.

Future discussion topics under consideration include the impact of AI and social media, the meaning of social class today, contemporary masculinity, and the legal status of drugs.

Free, booking required