Open Studios with Steve des Landes

From 2025, Steve des Landes has been Artist in Residence at the Williamson. With a studio in our Art Room, his intention starting the residency was to work on larger-scale paintings.

He will be hosting Open Studio sessions every Friday evening, 6 – 8:30pm. Between these hours you can drop into his studio, see what he’s working on and ask any questions. No booking required, just pop into the gallery on Friday evenings.

 

Books and Banter

Love books? Love talking about books? Love Books & Banter!
Books and Banter is an opportunity to talk about books guided by theme, with no specific book set to read. Discussions around the subject are facilitated but not restricted, and tangents are welcome.

The theme of February’s meeting is Marmite – books you love or hate

Free to all – no need to book, just come along!

 

Take a look at the list from January’s session

BEGINNINGS

 

The Williamson Café will be open and serving refreshments, including alcohol.

 

Enjoy the Piano

A varied selection of Piano Music played by local musicians.

Our Enjoy the Piano sessions are going from strength to strength, and we are always happy to hear from musicians who would like to take part in the concert.

 

If you would like to take part in a session, please contact, Peter Rainsford – piedpiper2000@aol.com to book your place.

 

The Williamson Café will be open for refreshments.

Visual Language with Ramesh Meyyappan | Workshop

 

An insight into the many possibilities of visual theatrical vocabulary will be explored through a brief lecture and discussion on what visual theatrical vocabulary is, its place within theatre and how it is supports accessibility.

Visual Language workshop is an introduction to and brief exploration of how a visual theatrical language can work. Using visual texts as a basis for exploration, participants will have an opportunity to play with visual ideas and consider a myriad of visual possibilities within ‘storytelling’ to create a short visual narrative using a range of physical and visual theatre techniques, including; choreographed movement and sign mime*.

Participants will be encouraged and inspired to explore themes from different texts / series of images as a stimulus into a visual narrative. Through the themes they will find their own characters and narrative ideas as a way to adapt and develop their own interpretation or version of the text given.

Participants will have opportunities throughout the workshop to explore a visual theatrical vocabulary combining visual elements to support their storytelling and characterisation in a unique visual way without the use of sign language or spoken dialogue.

This is a two day workshop

A short presentation from students will be presented at the end of session.

* Sign Mime is a technique whereby the performer remains stationery using their bodies and hands to visually represent objects, events or actions. It is a technique, which adds visual and physical special effects to a narrative.)

The workshop will focus on:

· An opportunity to talk briefly about style / visual element that best suits the story / discuss how we interpret / adapt text based into a visual narrative.

· Visual aspects of characterization

· Exploring various characters through mimed props and character transitions

· Nuances of characterization in performance

· Develop skill of adapting texts/images as a stimulus into a visual narrative using the chosen visual element(s) that suits the style of storytelling.

· Devise and develop a short visual narrative

About Ramesh Meyyappan

Ramesh Meyyappan is a theatre maker who develops performances using an eclectic mix of visual and physical theatre styles. Ramesh continually seeks to develop and extend his theatrical visual vocabulary, for example incorporating; circus techniques, bouffon, puppetry and illusion within his work. He enjoys the challenge of creating strong narrative visual work.

Over the years, his solo performances and collaborations have toured nationally and internationally to much critical acclaim. His work has been nominated five times for Best Actor at the Life! Theatre Awards (Singapore) and awarded the accolade twice. In Scotland, he won the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Leading Light Award in 2024 for his recent show Love Beyond,and has received multiple CATS (Critics Award Theatre Scotland) nominations.

He was commissioned by Singapore International Festival Arts to write and perform a new play, LEAR inspired by Shakespeare’s King Lear performed in Singapore and Scotland recently.

“Ramesh Meyyappan is one of the most distinctive and acclaimed theatre makers working in Scotland today.”

Sunday National

Hosted in partnership with DaDa, Disability and Deaf Arts and Unity Theatre as part of their In Motion programme, supported by PH Holt Foundation

 

Creative Captioning With Ben Glover | Workshop

A one-day workshop exploring creative captioning as an artistic and access-led practice. Participants will learn approaches to integrating captions into performance using After Effects and QLab, supported by examples, discussion, and hands-on exercises. This workshop is open to all, with prior experience in After Effects or QLab preferred.

About Ben: “I’m a Deaf Video Designer and Creative Captioner with a passion for merging the technical with the artistic. My background spans theatre, film, and computing, allowing me to bring a unique, interdisciplinary approach to every project. I thrive at the intersection of creativity and technology, whether designing interactive video content in Notch and Unreal Engine, or creating accessible, high-quality creative captions.”

Get Creative at DoES Liverpool: Make Your Own Pin Badges

Get Creative: Make Your Own Pin Badges
Do something fun, creative, and easy.

Join us for a relaxed Pin Badge Making workshop at DoES Liverpool, and spend a couple of hours designing and making your own custom pin badges. It’s a bright, low-pressure way to try something new, meet like-minded people, and leave with something you’ve made yourself.

No skills needed, no stress – just ideas, creativity, and a bit of hands-on fun. For £20 (£10 for students), everything is provided, and you’ll go home with badges you can wear, gift, or keep.
Features:

Tools and materials included
Fun, friendly, and welcoming
Affordable and great value
Take home the badges you make

Perfect For:

Trying something new in the new year
Creative beginners
A relaxed weekend activity
Anyone who loves making things
All ages

No experience needed – just turn up and enjoy.