Culture in Liverpool

[urbansubrosa]

Originally Posted by openlyJane

I think the 'work' in here is my favourite of The Biennial so far - worth a visit: 'The Unexpected Guest'

The Monroe (go upstairs)

I went to see this today and i agree, its fantastic!! well worth going to see even if you have no interest in the Biennial art...etc

[Paul D]

Liverpool Halloween lantern festival lights up Sefton Park (GALLERY)

SPECTACULAR sculptures lit up the skies during Sefton Park’s annual Hallowe'en lantern carnival.

Hundreds of people from across Merseyside joined two parades through the park yesterday with their own lantern creations.

French company Delirium Lumens also delighted an estimated 10,000 visitors with projections and a giant “floating dreamer” lantern. Other sights included a field of floating fire flowers, dream doctors and fortune tellers.

Peter Hunter and Alys Mordecai, from Crosby, said it was an “amazing” sight.

Mr Hunter said: “It’s a really good event and one of the best in Liverpool.”

Art teacher Lynn Mason, from the city centre, attended two lantern workshops run by organisers in the run-up to the event, making a giant spooky head lantern inspired by expressionist horror Nosferatu.

She said: “It’s a great atmosphere and good to see people showing how creative they are by making their own lanterns.”

Read More http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liver...#ixzz2AgNRMQLQ

[jrb]

Apologies if this has already been posted on another thread.(it's always the case)

Thought you might be interested in this. Taken from Architects Journal.

Breathing life into Liverpool


Liverpool Biennial is attempting to transform neglected areas of the city with new art venues


Sally Tallant is in for the long haul. The CEO and creative director of Liverpool Biennial is mid-way through her first biennial, but is already thinking about how her organisation, which puts on the UK’s largest visual arts festival very two years, will have a lasting impact on her adopted city. ‘In 10 years I want to have delivered a series of top quality biennials, delivered some permanent art projects and made Liverpool just as attractive to artists as Berlin or Glasgow.’

Liverpool Biennial was one of the many regional organisations that suffered substantial funding cuts (40 per cent in their case) with the demise of Regional Development Agencies, axed in 2010. Belt-tightening, seeking council support, keen budgeting and technological developments – Tallant says the uptake in social media between 2010 and 2012 slashed marketing costs – have all helped the biennial survive post-cuts.

At the Albert Docks, David Adjaye has built a circular pavilion to house Doug Aitken’s video pieces. Inside are eight screens on which Aitken conducts beautifully shot interviews on the subject of creativity with arty stars like Beck, Tilda Swinton and Elizabeth Diller. In Tate Liverpool, what first seems a raggle-taggle selection of familiar British hits from the Tate archive or on loan, including work by Mark Wallinger and Gilbert and George, coalesce nicely around themes of landscape, identity, pomp and pageantry.

In the Open Eye gallery, now slung beneath one of Broadway Malyan’s Mann Island towers, there’s a show by Japanese photographer Kohei Yoshiyuki. With pervy panache, his grainy photos of after-dark canoodling, cruising and rutting in Tokyo parks is shown in a small, pitch black room, with visitors given a torch to see the pictures.

One of the successes of the biennial is how it opens up previously inaccessible buildings. The first class lounge of the Cunard Building has been hugely popular. ‘About 60 per cent of our visitors are local. We’ve had people who used to work here, people who have driven past it every day for 20 years and never been in, all curious to have a look round,’ says Gareth Rudge, 23, an unemployed photography graduate from Anfield who is volunteering at the Cunard.

The show’s highlight is at the Bluecoat, a real treat of a building whose clever, eccentric fusing of old and new, bling marble posterior are worth the train ticket alone. Filmaker John Akomfrah has made an homage to Jamaican-born Stuart Hall, sociologist and leading light of the Birmingham School. On a Tuesday morning the screening room has over a dozen people watching the film. A retiree from Toxteth, Bill Banham, enthuses about the film’s jazz. Does the biennial help the city? ‘Not really. It’s good to see the art, but I’m not sure if it has a long-lasting effect – bar the publicity.’

Where it does take a more instrumental role is in the permanent projects run by Liverpool Biennial. Since the largesse of 2008 and Liverpool’s year as Capital of Culture, Liverpool Biennial has downsized. Its long-term work is now focused on a square mile of north Liverpool, which curator Laurie Peake describes as being ‘just five minutes from central Liverpool, but a million miles away socially and economically.’ It contains some of the most deprived wards in the UK.

One project is in Anfield, just opposite the grey superstructure of the Kop. I’ve been round this area several times in the last few years and the bitter tragedy of John Prescott’s euphemistically named ‘Housing Market Renewal Initiative’ never fails to bite. Boarded up terraces have been left to rot, while new, pokey little houses are thrown up nearby.

Here, a family bakery, holding out for a lucrative CPO that never came, shut up shop two years ago. The biennial has taken over and refurbished the site, forming a social enterprise and community land trust. As part of the biennial, a Saturday bus tour takes people round the areas of HMRI, which shows a little of what has been going on, outside the overheated south east housing market, for the last decade.

The other significant project is at Everton Park, a 200-acre ground formed on the wasteland of successive 1970s and 1980s housing demolitions. Liverpool Biennial is working with Field/Operations, Liverpool Primary Care Trust to create a series of improvements to the park, with the view that by 2020 it will be handed to the community – via a land trust – that has helped steer its creation.

There are many critics of this kind of socially participatory art, notably Claire Bishop who has condemned the ways in which the Blair years saw ‘culture as a cost-effective way of creating the impression of social cohesion, while covering up policies that are actually undermining it,’ as she put in her 2012 book Artificial Hells: Participatory Art and the Politics of Spectatorship. But in these instances, Liverpool Biennial is acting less as curator and more as one of several NGOs and council bodies working together to improve the prospects of this part of Liverpool.

In these cash-strapped times, it may offer a compelling blueprint for enabling long-term, ground-up regeneration that takes its public along with it, rather than foisting a quick-fix upon them.


The Liverpool Biennial runs until 25 November at various venues around the city. Free

www.biennial.com

http://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/c...e&contentID=35

[openlyJane]

Went to see this at The Blade Factory today ( next door to Camp & furnace) A 'live' installation. It is part of the Homotopia festival. I really enjoyed it:



















Every day from 12 - 5pm.

[Paul D]

Merseyside is top of music’s million-selling artists

MERSEYSIDE is the UK’s greatest hotspot for producing musicians with million-selling singles.

New research by the Official Charts Company shows artists from the Liverpool area make up a fifth of all those who have contributed to singles which have clocked up seven-figure sales.

Analysts looked at all 123 singles which have topped the million mark to celebrate the forthcoming 60th anniversary of the Official Singles Chart.

Merseyside’s remarkable run of success has included such figures as Ken Dodd, Lightning Seeds star Ian Broudie, Frankie Goes To Hollywood and of course The Beatles.

Of the 229 artists to feature on the million sellers, 42 were found to be from the Liverpool area, representing just over 18%.

The next most prolific area is London.

Read More http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liver...#ixzz2BSDDonKg

[openlyJane]

Had a look around The Epstein Theatre today:

[Dingle All The Way]

Very nice. I think everyone should go too Epstein the play and help make it a huge success. It would be great if this place is a producing theatre for the long term.

[MR KITE]

Liverpool wins a world first with Chinese cave paintings

Link with local architect and artist brings the work of artist Xiaodong Yang who climbs a mountain - a real one - before starting his daily work


Liverpool and China go back a long way; before the skyscraper era, the Shanghai Bund much resembled Liverpool's Pier Head.

Liverpool's View Two gallery looks small but thinks big. Witness the current exhibition by a painter whose daily routine can claim to be one of the strangest in the world of fine art.

Xiaodong Yang, whose day job is working as keeper of 1,600-year-old cave paintings in China's Gansu Province, has to climb halfway up a mountain after checking earthquake forecasts to work in caves which are home to poisonous snakes.

You can see the results in the cosier surroundings of View Two which is the first place outside China to show Yang's painstaking replicas of the cave art. His job is record and copy the paintings before they fade irretrievably through time or are destroyed by natural disaster.

The caves were carved into Maiji mountain inear modern Tianshu in the late Qin Period (384AD-417AD) by Buddhist monks who had newly arrived from India and felt insecure in their new land. They were rediscovered in the mid-20th century which has been a mixed blessing as excessive visitor interest is another sure way of creating damage; hence the closure of Europe's most famous painted caves in south west France.

Many of the 200 Maiji ones have also been sealed off from the public, but Yang has been allowed to work in them for the past 17 years. The task is slow. One of the paintings at View Two is seven metres long by two metres wide and took a year-and-a-half to finish.


Yang and one of his paintings on show in Liverpool.

Architect Ken Martin who owns the gallery says:

Yang's work has toured China's main cities but never exhibited outside the country. Luckily in Liverpool we have a Chinese architect and artist, Miss Xia Lu, who has been a friend of Yang since they attended the same school in Gansu Province. When it became apparent Yang was available for a short exhibition of his paintings, at very short notice, View Two was asked to curate the event. Yang was aware of Liverpool's cultural tradition and was most happy to come to our city.

Liverpool also has a large Chinese community and View Two recently hosted a two month residency by a young painter from China, Zhao Zhu, who unusually specialises in the European Impressionist Style. You can read an earlier Guardian Northerner post about him here.

Yang started his work young – he is only 40 – after graduating in art from the Longdong Institute and specialising in traditional Chinese painting until he joined the Art Research Group at the Institute of Maiji Mountain Grotto Art. He says:

We are trying hard to protect and preserve the original murals but many have faded. I work eight hours a day in the caves because for me the passion for the grottoes makes my work a labour of love. At last we have faithful copies of artworks dating back sixteen centuries.

The exhibition is open today, Thursday 8 November, tomorrow and Saturday from noon to 5pm and on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at the same times next week. On Thursday 15 November from 6pm - 9pm there will be a Special Review when people can meet and chat to Artist Yang, and enjoy some Chinese music and dancing. Entrance is free

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/the-nor...ngs-exhibition

[the golden vision]

Excellent. I think I'll have a gander.

[openlyJane]

There will be a special event on Thursday at 6PM to accompany this exhibition: the artist himself, and some traditional dance.

[the golden vision]

Popped in there today. Enjoyed the exhibition but was a bit disappointed there wasn't any information on the murals on display, also some photos of the actual cave paintings would've been good.

image hosted on flickr

cl4 by Thomas_896, on Flickr

image hosted on flickr

cl8 by Thomas_896, on Flickr

[openlyJane]

Yes, the whole experience was a bit shambolic. We had to ring a bell to be let in; then turn the lights on ourselves; then it took a while to work out that the main exhibits were a further two floors up - then no info sheets, as you say!

[the golden vision]

Originally Posted by openlyJane

Yes, the whole experience was a bit shambolic. We had to ring a bell to be let in; then turn the lights on ourselves; then it took a while to work out that the main exhibits were a further two floors up - then no info sheets, as you say!

It could've been so much better, I agree.

[libbrit]

Im personally in favour of a Theatre distict, perhaps up around Hope Street and the Everyman.Leave the empire to its low grade pantos, dont include them in it, they can be the `pete price and other local has beens` quarter.


It would develop the rather quiet area around Hope Street, it would invigortate the cultural life (why do we always accept that the theatre world of Britain should revolve around the West End? Why not have a northern theatre hub. Support 5 or 6 theatres in the area and see where it goes from there)

It would also help expand the restaurant scene around hope street.

[Paul D]

Hope Street has just won a National award so it's doing alright as it is.

[Dingle All The Way]

Originally Posted by libbrit

Im personally in favour of a Theatre distict, perhaps up around Hope Street and the Everyman.Leave the empire to its low grade pantos, dont include them in it, they can be the `pete price and other local has beens` quarter.


It would develop the rather quiet area around Hope Street, it would invigortate the cultural life (why do we always accept that the theatre world of Britain should revolve around the West End? Why not have a northern theatre hub. Support 5 or 6 theatres in the area and see where it goes from there)

It would also help expand the restaurant scene around hope street.

Playhouse, Royal Court, Epstein and Empire are all in the wrong place. Should we close them and build new ones at Hope Street? We already have more than 5 or 6 theatres.

[libbrit]

Originally Posted by Dingle All The Way

Playhouse, Royal Court, Epstein and Empire are all in the wrong place. Should we close them and build new ones at Hope Street? We already have more than 5 or 6 theatres.

Dont get me wrong, Liverpool has great theatres (except for the empire-frankly the panto-esq tut they put on is a waste of time IMO), but id say the theatre with national and international clout is the Everyman (think of the people who started their careers there). We should therefore use it as the core of a dedicated theatre district. After all when you think of 'Broadway' and 'the west end' these two world theatre hubs are identifiable as particular areas of their city. Liverpool if it has any ambition should aim to emulate it in some way.

Also as i say, awards or not, Hope Street is a nice but fairly quiet area of town. If there were a few specialist theatres in the area it would make 'Hope Street' synonymous with a culturally vibrant northern theatre scene, and as theatre goers love to go for meals before and after, it would encourage the already successful restaurant scene in the area-hope street could become a byword for theatre and dining.

[Damon]

Except that Liverpool Playhouse is the equal of the Everyman - a theatre with a very different character, it's true, but one with a history that easily matches its Hope Street counterpart. The likes of Alan Bleasdale, who you might instinctively associate with the Everyman, actually began their lives at the Playhouse Studio during the seventies.

As the Everyman and the Playhouse are now run by a single body that programmes the two venues to complement each other - or will do, once the Ev reopens - there's no chance that this organisation would agree to a 'dedicated theatre district' up round Hope Street. The Playhouse has actually become still stronger recently with the reopening of its tiny studio, as the Everyman is too big for the very small-scale new plays that are crucial to the organisation's continuing artistic health, but which attract audiences of well below 100 each night.

[Paul D]

Liverpool Playhouse to show European premiere of The Kite Runner as part of new season

THE European premiere of The Kite Runner will take place at the Liverpool Playhouse next summer as part of the theatre’s packed new season programme announced today.

The Williamson Square venue will co-produce the theatrical version of Khaled Hosseini’s 2003 international bestseller with Nottingham Playhouse.

Adapted for stage by Matthew Spangler, it was first produced by The San Jose Repertory in 2009, where it received five San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics’ Circle Awards.

The epic tale of Shakespearian proportions about two young boys from Kabul, which was made into a film in 2007, will arrive in Liverpool in June.

Other highlights of the spring/summer 2013 season include the premiere of Peter Nichols’s fast-paced black comedy A Day in the Death of Joe Egg, directed by Rose Theatre, Kingston artistic director Stephen Unwin.

A modern classic of British theatre, it focusses on love and the pain of a young couple raising a disabled child. The play will move to London after its Liverpool run.

Playhouse artistic director Gemma Bodinetz said: “This season includes a rich variety of premieres that will see our productions reach many audiences around the country as well as at home in Liverpool.

“We are tremendously excited about our collaborations with English Touring Theatre, Nottingham Playhouse and the Rose Theatre on some brave and courageous new work on the Playhouse main stage.”


Read More http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/...#ixzz2CsDkDS4z

[Howie_P]

Liverpool's first International Jazz Festival
Katy Cowan / 18 Dec 2012



The Capstone Theatre has announced a new International Jazz Festival to launch from 28th February - 3rd March 2013, in Liverpool - the UK’s music capital.

For a full four days the Liverpool International Jazz Festival and the Capstone Theatre will come alive to the sounds of Roller Trio, Led Bib, Robert Mitchell, Kit Downes Quintet, Denys Baptiste's Triumvirate and Courtney Pine to name a few highlights, and all under one roof.

Some of the finest names on the national and international jazz scene are set to demonstrate that the spirit of jazz is still swingin’ and jumpin’ in Liverpool and some programmed events are absolutely free.

In the short time since its opening in 2010, The Capstone Theatre has established itself as the city's leading venue for cutting edge jazz and world music. This new festival is going all out to showcase original and innovative instrumental sounds from an array of high profile artists to satisfy the genre lovers and to introduce the fascinating world of jazz to a whole new generation of music fanatics.

The Capstone Theatre’s Neil Campbell said: "The Festival will be the first of its kind in Liverpool and will give the opportunity to bring together some of the most high profile national and international artists alongside some of the City's most creative local jazz musicians.

"Since beginning its ongoing series of jazz concerts two years ago, starting with a concert by sax legend Courtney Pine, The Capstone has staged concerts by some of the most interesting and excellent international jazz artists including Dennis Rollins, Neil Cowley, Zoe Rahman, Martin Taylor, Gwilym Simcock, Lighthouse, Jah Wobble, Stacey Kent, Kairos 4tet, Tigran, Eduardo Niebla, Phronesis, Portico Quartet and Tommy Smith.

"I think that through The Capstone's programme, Merseyside audiences are being given the opportunity to experience world class musicians who otherwise would not have performed in the City."

Thursday 28th February will see the festival open in smooth style with Roller Trio. Described by BBC’s Radio’s Gilles Peterson as “Dark, menacing, bass heavy – the new sound of UK jazzzzzzz” .On 1st March, just as the weekend arrives Led Bib, one of the original torch bearers for the revitalized young British jazz scene –a maverick jazz band and an unlikely rock quintet will be headlining the second day of the festival. The third day of the festival will not be slowing down as composer, teacher and pianist Robert Mitchell, a throwback to that powerful tradition of artistic mastery in pursuit of transcendence, takes to the stage, followed by the Kit Downes Quintet, the dark and detailed, colorful and chaotic new project from UK pianist and composer Kit Downes.

Sunday 3rd March will see London Jazz artist Denys Baptiste performing with his new trio Triumvirate. Consisting of double bassist Larry Bartley and drummer Moses Boyd, Triumvirate take quality songs of the recent past - think Gnarls Barkley's Crazy and D'Angelo's Brown Sugar - and reinterpret them in trio format to present familiar material in an unfamiliar way.

The Festival will culminate in a final concert by jazz legend Courtney Pine, who returns to The Capstone with his phenomenal House of Legends Tour. An inspirational icon to many young, upcoming musicians, Courtney is known extensively for this saxophone and clarinet mastery however he is a multi-instrumentalist who is also able to play the flute, and keyboard. Awarded an OBE in 2000 and a CBE in 2009 Courtney’s other accolade is his appearance in a jazz quartet in an episode of Doctor Who! The jazz maestro launched The Capstone's jazz programme back in 2010 with a sell-out performance and this concert promises to be something very special.

No festival in Liverpool would be complete without the very best in native talent and the Liverpool International Jazz Festival is no exception. Supporting these jazz supremos will also be a series of free performances by Liverpool jazz musicians, including Blind Monk Trio, Martin Smith’s The Weave, Perri and Neil Quartet, White Canvas and GORP.

Exclusive to the Liverpool International Jazz Festival, The Capstone Theatre and specialist woodwind retailer Curly Woodwind will present two free saxophone workshops and masterclasses. The first will see renowned saxophone recording artist, author and composer Pete Thomas, alongside legendary sax stars Bobby Wellins and Tony Kofi, discuss how to achieve the best sound on your instrument. The second class will see professional saxophonist, consultant and teacher Graeme Turner offer the very best advice on how to improvise effectively.

Liverpool’s newest music event, the Liverpool International Jazz Festival is set to become an annual event with the Capstone Theatre at its very heart. More information can be found on www.thecapstonetheatre.com.

Follow them on Facebook @Liverpool International Jazz Festival and Twitter @LpoolJazzFest.

Source: Creative Boom