Event type: Workshop

Summer Sewing Workshops at Kirkby Gallery

Kirkby Gallery is delighted to welcome sewing superstar Hilary Torpey back this summer for a special series of inspiring textile workshops. Each subject is covered in detail over 2 sessions at a cost of £40 for members of our Friends of Kirkby Gallery group or £54 for non-members (includes a free one-year membership). It’s perfect for anyone looking to develop their hand-sewing skills and explore traditional techniques in a supportive, creative environment. Alternatively, you can book on to the entire course for a cost of £60 for members or £74 for non-members.

Under Hilary’s expert guidance, you’ll learn how to apply these techniques in practical ways, growing your confidence and developing your own unique hand-sewing style.

6 & 13 July – Smocking £40 1.30 pm – 3.30 pmFabric is gathered into pleats, with embroidery stitches worked over the surface to decorate and embellish.

20 & 27 July – Blackwork £40

1.30 pm – 3.30 pmCreate striking monochrome designs using a range of embroidery stitches.

3 & 10 August – Drawn Thread Work £40

1.30 pm – 3.30 pmRemove threads and stitch to form delicate, lace-like patterns.

To book your place, please email:galleries@knowsley.gov.uk

We’d love to see you there for a summer of creativity and skill-building.

Kirkby Gallery Team

The Art of Screen Printing – 4 Week Course

The Art of Screen Printing is a comprehensive course suitable for beginners and intermediate printers alike. On completion you will be a knowledgeable, confident screen printer and able to hire our printmaking facilities to use.

The course schedule is as follows:

Week 1: You will learn the fundamentals of screen printing and create experimental prints using hand cut paper stencils and monoprinting techniques.

Week 2: You will learn how to clean a screen and prepare it for printing, as well as coating your screen in UV sensitive emulsion and exposing it to create a permanent stencil for printing. You will then use your exposed screen to create a set of prints.

Week 3: This week will teach you all about registration and how to use multiple screens to create multi-layered prints.

Week 4: Your final week will teach you how to print onto fabric, utilising all you’ve learnt to understand the subtle changes needed in the screen printing process to create great fabric prints.

All materials you will use are included in the cost of the course, but you are welcome to bring along your own if you choose.

After completing this course and becoming a Bluecoat Artist Member, you will be able to book into our Screenprinting Studio should you wish to.

Attendees must be 18+

We have two courses available:- Thu 2, 9, 16, & 23 Jul, 5.15-7.45pm- Thu 5, 12, 19 & 26 Nov, 5.15-7.45pm

£180 (for 4 sessions, all materials included)

Introduction to Copper Sulphate Etching

Learn the basics of etching, one of the oldest & most unique printmaking processes, at the historical Bluecoat Print Studios.

During this one day course you will learn the basics of copper sulphate etching, including learning about the history, tools & materials of etching and the chemical processes involved in creating a copper sulphate etched plate, as well as inking and printing your design on our fabulous century old Hughes & Kimber Etching Press.

On this course for beginners you will be guided through every step of the etching process from start to finish, leaving with having created a finished edition of prints. All materials are provided on the day as well as a booklet to take away detailing the processes learnt.

£75 (all materials included)

Pat the Painting Pig | Workshop

Pat the Painting Pig | Workshop at the Unity Theatre

WORKSHOP 1:

5-8yrs old | 10:00 – 11:15

Workshop will begin with a short introduction of the story PAT THE PAINTING PIG and the actors will explore the characters of the animals and their sounds and develop a soundscape and finish with hands on session designing and creating flowers for the set

WORKSHOP 2:

9-11yrs old | 11.30 – 13:00

Workshop session will start with some ice-breaker exercises and a synopsis of the play followed by vocal warm-ups focusing on the animal characters and a collaborative workshop to create pieces for the set

Emma Rice Company Educator CPD

This CPD workshop gives teachers, lecturers and youth theatre leaders the chance to dive into Emma Rice Company’s innovative approach to theatre-making.

A Radical Re-Imagining | Unity Heritage Project

This May and June, through a multi-faceted heritage project, we will celebrate our building’s unique history—first as a synagogue and later as a home for political and grassroots theatre.

Join us for a series of events that delve into our rich heritage and history.

This project has been made possible by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. What’s on?

Exhibition |  A Radical Reimagining: the history of Merseyside Unity Theatre, 1937-1987Thursday 14 May to Sunday 28 June

Step into the past at this exhibition featuring archives from the Unity Theatre collection.

Mount Pleasant Campus Library, 29 Maryland St, Liverpool L1 9DE. Opening hours Monday to Friday 8:45am-7pm, Saturday 10am-6pm and Sunday 10am-4pm.

Exhibition Launch EventThursday 21 May, 4:30-6:30pm

Join us for an evening of celebration to mark the official opening of the Merseyside Unity Theatre archive exhibition, with pop up performances!

Common/Wealth Theatre Company DO IT YOURSELF: Making Political TheatreFriday 29th May John Foster Drama Studio, Hope Street, L1 9BY

10-12.30: Workshop – Doing it Yourself

This workshop will offer a brief introduction to a range of practical exercises to enable you to work with others to create political theatre and make social change. The exercises will give you an insight into Common/Wealth, how we make original theatre about the here and now, and with people who may not have been part of any theatre-making process before.

Suitable for people new to theatre, experienced theatre makers, activists and community organisers.

Age guidance: 16+

2-3.30: Talk including Q&A

We’ll share our DIY origins, how we’ve made shows along the way and why making political theatre is critical and urgent now more than ever.

About Common/ Wealth Common/Wealth is a political theatre company based in Bradford and Cardiff, UK.  We make radical, high-quality documentary theatre and other public events that are site-specific, experimental and push form – relevant, artistic work addressing social injustices and concerns of our times, in partnership with the people who are most affected by inequity.

Archive Open DaysThursday 4 June – Friday 5 June, 10-12pm and 1-3pm

Have you ever visited an archive before? Join us at our open day sessions to view some of the original papers created and collected by Merseyside Unity Theatre. Explore rare scripts, programmes, photographs and songbooks, and meet the Project Archivist to learn more about how unique historical records are being preserved for future generations.

Special Collections and Archives, Mount Pleasant Campus Library, Liverpool John Moores University, 29 Maryland St, Liverpool L1 9DE

Political Songs Workshop| Sing, March, Protest with Patrick DineenSaturday 23rd May | Unity 2-5pm

Come along and experience the political songs that the Unity Theatre would have performed,

written and experienced over the years from the Spanish Civil War to the 1960s.

From rousing marching songs through to sophisticated cabaret. Listen and sing the wit and irony, dark humour of songs that speak of injustice and corruption.

Patrick Dineen is a composer and lyricist. He has written many scores for theatre and political

cabaret over the years and has had a long standing relationship with The Unity Theatre. His work as a composer includes tv, film, dance, cabaret and directing his own music-theatre shows.

LIV:DOX presents “Orwell: 2+2=5” (2026, dir. Raoul Peck)Saturday 23rd May | 6pm

“Orwell: 2 + 2 = 5” is a dense, urgent, and unapologetically blunt documentary that offers a chillingly relevant examination of totalitarianism’s enduring appeal and the societal conditions that enable it.

Screening presented by LIV:DOX (Liverpool Documentary Club), a project fueled by Imagine Futures CIC.

Breaking the Class Ceiling | A Live Exploration of Working Class Artistry Saturday 30th May | 3-4.30pm

Join us for an unflinching, live panel discussion that bridges the gap between Unity’s 1930s ‘Workers’ Theatre’ roots and Liverpool’s contemporary creative scene.

In an era where the ‘class ceiling’ remains a challenging barrier in the arts, how do creatives and radical makers keep momentum? We bring together five Liverpool working-class artists to discuss the politics of the stage, the power of heritage, and the future of working-class storytelling.

Following our headline panel discussion, we’re offering a space for working-class creatives to test new ideas, political rants, or works in progress.

Radical Scratch Open Mic 5-6.30pmYOUNG RADICAL THEATRE MAKERSUnity Theatre, 4,5 & 6th June6–6.30pm, 6.45–7.15pm  (& Sat matinee 1.15-1.45)

Step into the future with our Young Radical Theatre Makers as they take the stage in a bold, high-energy ensemble performance, this new generation of artists amplifies the voices of today to ask the urgent questions of tomorrow, a call to listen, to reflect, and to imagine what comes next.

Divided by the ensemble. Directed by Grace Gallagher and Mariana Pires

STAGE LEFTThursday 4th- Saturday 6th June | 7.30pm (& Sat matinee 2pm)

Created in-house at the Unity, this new performance dives into the theatre’s bold and rebellious past. From its roots as Merseyside Left Theatre in the 1930s to the vibrant creative home we inhabit today, A Radical Reimagining brings decades of radical storytelling roaring back to life.

Through dynamic performance, powerful voices, and striking moments from the past, we celebrate a legacy of theatre made for the people. Expect a journey through protest, passion, and creativity, a reminder that this stage has always belonged to those with something to say. 

Creative Inking Techniques in Photopolymer – Masterclass with Bev Hayes

Breathe new life into your photopolymer plates in this focused one-day masterclass. Designed for artists who already work with photopolymer plates, this workshop concentrates on inking, printing, and creative experimentation.

You’ll explore a range of inking techniques, including à la poupée, roll-over inking, and masking methods. There will also be the opportunity to develop existing plates further using drypoint or carborundum, and to enhance your prints with chine collé for added colour, texture, and depth.

All inks, colours, and materials are provided — simply bring your photopolymer plates and enjoy a full day of printing. Prior to the workshop, participants will receive an inspirational welcome letter from Bev Hayes.

£75 (all materials included)

Rocket: All Aboard Network Event

 

 

Join the Rocket: All Aboard Network meeting for updates & to help shape celebrations marking 200 years of the Liverpool–Manchester Railway.

Rocket: All Aboard Network meeting.

The Rocket: All Aboard partnership is delighted to invite you to our next network session as we continue the journey towards celebrating 200 years of the world’s first inter-city railway between Liverpool and Manchester. Your ideas and energy have already been invaluable, and we can’t wait to show you how they are shaping this landmark project.

The meeting will take place at the Museum of Liverpool, Pier Head, Liverpool, L3 1DG. On arrival, please make your way to the Global City Theatre.

During this session, we will:

  • Share the latest progress and key milestones achieved so far
  • Reveal an exclusive first sneak preview of the new Rocket: All Aboard website

Explore inspiring projects and ideas, including:

  • The Friends of Eccles Station project
  • Chat Moss in partnership with Lancashire Wildlife Trust
  • Insights from Professor Ian Wray on How One Railway Changed the World
  • Hear fresh ideas and upcoming plans from across our network
  • Invite your thoughts on any new opportunities
  • Work collectively to shape the next phase of this exciting journey

The purpose of network meetings is to foster open communication, build meaningful relationships, and create opportunities for collaboration among organisations, individuals, and community members, ensuring the initiative is engaging, inclusive, and impactful. 

Booking essential via Eventbrite.

For updates, events and to sign up to the Rocket: All Aboard newsletter visit www.rocketallaboard.co.uk and don’t forget to spread the word to friends and family! 

Look forward to seeing you there.

 

 

 

One Day Exhibition

One day exhibition with Lilly Patricija Jankaus. Invitation to make art for a day and exhibit it to the public at an evening zine launch, Friday 1st May!

We would love to invite you and your community to a One Day Exhibition at Winter Granby Gardens.

This project is all about bringing people together and showing that anyone can make art, no matter their age or background. Everyone is welcome, whether you come along to make something, share ideas, or just to enjoy the space.

On May 1st, from 1pm until 8pm at Granby Winter Gardens, people can drop in and have a go at creating. It can be something planned or completely on a whim, for themselves or for others. We will have plenty of materials available and if anyone has something specific in mind, they are welcome to bring their own bits too. And it’s all free!

After making something, participants can create a short caption for their work and even exhibit it later in the day during a relaxed evening exhibition and zine launch. It is a chance for people to experience what it feels like to be an artist, in an open and supportive setting.

As part of ideas . work, we are interested in filling a space with as many ideas as possible and creating together in a fun, low pressure way. We would really appreciate you sharing this with your community or coming along yourselves. It would be great to have you involved.

If you have any questions or would like more information please message us on Instagram @ideas.work_ or email emma@kindred-lcr.co.uk