Art of the Terraces is a major first-of-its kind exhibition opening at Liverpool’s Walker Art Gallery in two weeks time (5th November), and running until 12th March next year. The exhibition explores the culture of football ‘casuals’ – fans who originally combined hooliganism with expensive designer brands, while exerting a powerful influence on a generation of young people from the late 1970s onwards.

Art of the Terraces showcases the fashion, music and art that defined the football culture of the casuals, as well as the numerous encounters between rival groups of fans over the years. Perhaps the movement’s most important legacy is in the fashion domain, with the current worldwide mass popularity of sportswear worn as leisurewear originating in the trend set on UK football terraces over 40 years ago.

Liverpool is closely linked to the casuals movement, with many tracing the subculture’s roots to Liverpool F.C. fans returning from European fixtures like the 1977 European Cup quarter final with the latest French and Italian designer sportswear brands. The trend for continental European fashions caught on among rival fans, particularly because expensive-looking clothing and footwear helped casuals escape the attention of the police, who at the time paid more attention to skinhead fans. Ironically, by the late 1990s, the police were increasingly on the lookout for fashion brands seen as part of the casual ‘uniform’.

The Walker Gallery’s Art of the Terraces exhibition explores the work of the contemporary artists and designers who have been influenced by the casuals movement over the last 40 years, celebrating a cultural scene that was outside the mainstream, but still managed to define an era and generation.

A reminder for those living in or visiting Liverpool this year to take a trip to the Doctor Who: Worlds of Wonder exhibition at Liverpool’s World Museum, which opened on 27th May this year and runs until 30th October.

This thrilling interactive exhibition explores the world of science within the universe of Doctor Who, bringing it to life by exploring some of the Doctor’s most famous adventures and encounters across space and time. Visitors can engage with the TV show’s original artefacts, sets, costumes and props, giving a unique insight into the success of the longest-running sci-fi TV show in history, which still graces screens today after almost 60 years.

Presented by Sarner International under licence from BBC Studios, the Doctor Who: Worlds of Wonder exhibition also celebrates Liverpool’s connections with the legendary TV show. Although the Fourth Doctor, Tom Baker, does not sound like it, he is intrinsically a son of the city, as well as being many people’s favourite Doctor. Meanwhile, Paul McGann’s Eighth Doctor is more recognisably a creature of Liverpool from his accent, despite his Edwardian appearance, and these are just two examples of the multiple links binding Doctor Who and the city.

Doctor Who: Worlds of Wonder at Liverpool’s World Museum runs until 30th October 2022.

Being Human is a new exhibition at Liverpool Cathedral that opened this week on Wednesday 27 July and runs until 30 August. Created by the internationally renowned artist and sculptor Peter Walker, the exhibition explores the meaning of being human and what makes us who we are through multiple artworks located around the Cathedral, themed around connection, creativity, identity, and reflection. Inspired by Michelangelo, a sculpture entitled Connection will be at the heart of the exhibition, offering a contemporary twist on a Renaissance masterpiece.

Peter Walker is the artist behind Liverpool Cathedral’s previous Peace Doves artwork installation, and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and a member of the Royal Society of British Sculptors. He has created numerous artworks including sculptures, paintings, drawings, installation pieces, and Son-et-Lumiere for large-scale public art events, as well as for collections at the British Embassy in Paris, Chester Cathedral, and University Church in Oxford, among others.

Being Human at Liverpool Cathedral is available to visit until 30 August. The Cathedral is open daily between 10am and 6pm.

Bartletts Solicitors are proud to be long-term supporters of Liverpool Cathedral, with Thomas Bartlett, a direct ancestor of the firm’s owners, leaving a bequest for the construction of the array of 13 bells for the new cathedral which was then being built in 1912.

Refractive Pool: Contemporary Painting in Liverpool is a new exhibition at the Walker Art Gallery which opened in April this year and runs until January 2023. It was borne from the Refractive Pool project which began life in 2019, and has since used events, a book and online resources to explore contemporary painting by Liverpool-based artists, and the diversity of painting styles and art being created in the city today.

The project’s work has culminated in this exhibition, for which Liverpool-based artists Josie Jenkins and Brendan Lyons have selected the work of 21 local artists, with the intention of providing an overview of the community of painters based in the city. A Refractive Pool book is also being released, featuring paintings by 40 local artists, which will also provide a snapshot of Liverpool’s current artistic community, and highlight creative collaboration between the different disciplines of painting, photography and poetry.

The Refractive Pool: Contemporary Painting in Liverpool is the climax of the project’s research into local artists, including meeting many of them in their studios, and getting a feel for who is making paintings in the city and what styles and techniques they are using. Located at the Walker Art Gallery – ‘the National Gallery of the North’ – the exhibition provides a unique opportunity for the younger generation of would-be painters to draw inspiration, and for the rest of us to appreciate the vibrancy and diversity of painters and painting in Liverpool today.

This Saturday, 21st May, a new blockbuster exhibition, The Tudors: Passion, Power and Politics, opens at the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool. In partnership with the National Portrait Gallery which has lent almost 70 artworks, the exhibition presents the five Tudor monarchs, Henry VII, Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary I and Elizabeth I, and explores the dynasty’s reign over England from 1485 to 1603. This was one of the most dramatic periods in British history, encompassing conflict with Scotland, France and Spain, conquest and colonisation in Ireland and America, piracy and trade, the Reformation, and an artistic and literary renaissance.

The Tudors: Passion, Power and Politics exhibition features around 100 objects and artworks in total, and it is the first time that so many of the National Portrait Gallery’s renowned Tudor portraits have been lent for exhibition. Apart from the five monarchs, other iconic figures from the period featured include Thomas More, Thomas Cromwell, Mary Queen of Scots and William Shakespeare. Some historically underrepresented aspects of the period will also be explored, including Black Tudor history and LGBTQ+ history.

Other highlights include a portrait of Jane Seymour, after Hans Holbein the Younger, from around 1537, which is being exhibited outside of London for the first time, the Westminster Tournament Roll, produced in 1511 to celebrate the birth of Henry VIII’s son with Catherine of Aragon, the Bacton Altar Cloth, which is believed to be the only surviving example of Elizabeth I’s clothing, and the Armada Maps, drawings illustrating the dramatic defeat of Spain’s so-called ‘Invincible Armada’ off the south coast of England in 1588.

Sandra Penketh, Executive Director of Galleries and Collections Management at National Museums Liverpool, commented: “This exhibition at the Walker Art Gallery provides an opportunity to see some of the most iconic Tudor portraits in the world, here in Liverpool. It’s difficult to overemphasise what a rare and special moment this will be, and we can’t wait to share it with our visitors”.

Tickets for The Tudors: Passion, Power and Politics are available to book online, priced at £13 for adults, £12 for concessions, £6 for children aged 6-17 and free for younger children.

As the winter draws to a close, two new exhibitions at the Walker Art Gallery and World Museum are set to become highlights of Liverpool’s cultural agenda over the summer months, offering very different but equally mesmerising experiences for visitors.

On 21st May, The Tudors: Passion, Power and Politics exhibition opens at the Walker Art Gallery, featuring a collection of Tudor portraits from the Gallery’s own collection alongside roughly 70 key works from the National Portrait Gallery, many of which have never been seen before outside of London. Apart from portraits, the exhibition will also include several famous Tudor objects such as the Westminster Tournament Roll, the Armada Maps and the Bacton Altar Cloth, which is thought to be the sole surviving dress of Queen Elizabeth I.

A week later on 27th May, Doctor Who: Worlds of Wonder lands at Liverpool’s World Museum. This thrilling interactive exhibition will explore the world of science within the universe of Doctor Who, allowing visitors to engage with the show’s original artefacts, sets, costumes and props. The exhibition is a must-see for Doctor Who fans and science enthusiasts alike, who will be able to follow the Doctor’s adventures and encounters across space and time, while discovering the science that weaves its way through the history of the longest-running sci-fi TV show in the world.

The Little Liverpool gallery at the Museum of Liverpool runs six sessions a day, each lasting around 30 minutes, during which time children under the age of six can play and learn in a unique hands-on fantasy world.

Highlights of the Little Liverpool gallery’s activities include Liverpuddles, a water play interactive based on the progress of the River Mersey, with children able to sail boats through the city, fish in the river and navigate cars through tunnels. Apart from being great fun, Liverpuddles aims to engage children with environmental issues, particularly their responsibility to wildlife for keeping our waters clean.

Little Liverpool also features an A to Z of objects on its dock wall, with each ‘letter station’ encouraging young children to discover more using a hands-on interactive and learn through speaking and listening. Finally, the Liver bird’s nest is a multisensory pod where babies and very young children can relax with their carers in a safe and cosy nest which is perfect for kicking off the shoes and crawling around.

The six daily sessions at the Little Liverpool gallery are at 10.15am, 11am, 11.45am, 1.15pm, 2pm and 2.45pm each day. Entry is free and tickets can be collected from the Museum’s welcome desk.

Next month, Liverpool Cathedral will come to life after dark as it hosts a breathtaking new immersive art installation, ‘Space, The Universe and Everything’, allowing visitors to travel through space, light and time, while pondering our relationship with planet Earth and beyond.

Every evening in late February, the Cathedral’s stunning Gothic interior will be transformed into the canvas for an extraordinary display of lights, bespoke music and artwork projections. During this spectacular son-et-lumière performance, visitors will walk through the architectural grandeur of the Cathedral, enjoying a unique immersive art experience and opportunity to explore space and the universe without leaving the inside of the building.

Space, The Universe and Everything is the work of the award-winning artistic collaboration, Luxmuralis, made up of sculptor Peter Walker and composer David Harper. They are the team behind the previous awe-inspiring art installations ‘Angel Wings’ and ‘Peace Doves’ at Liverpool Cathedral.

Space, The Universe and Everything will take place every evening from Friday 18th to Sunday 27th February, with time slots available from 6pm to 8pm (the experience is expected to take around 40 minutes). Tickets are sold at 15 minute intervals and need to be booked in advance.

The Aquarium at Liverpool’s renowned World Museum has recently been revamped with bigger tanks, new species, immersive projections and even an octopus called Polpo. Visitors can get up close with Polpo and other sea creatures from all around the world, including hermit crabs, starfish, terrapins and wrasses (brightly-coloured marine fish) from Liverpool’s Irish Sea coast. The terrapins are rescued pets, and can be seen immersed in water through the Aquarium’s viewing bubbles, which allow smaller visitors to get a special close-up view.

New immersive projections aim to help younger visitors, in particular, learn about the underwater world and the conservation efforts that are underway to protect our seas. Visitors will discover more about where sea animals live and how they, and underwater biodiversity in general, can be protected and preserved. The Aquarium uses the latest technology to promote biodiversity themes and priorities, adding an educational angle to a fun day out for families.

Apart from meeting the Aquarium’s firm favourites including ‘Nemo’ fish, rays and ‘smiling’ sharks, families can also find out what a day of rock pooling on the British shoreline might uncover. World Museum’s expert staff are always on hand to answer questions and help enhance the visitor’s experience in this aquatic world of wonder. The Aquarium at World Museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 4pm and entry is free.

At the start of 2022, we’d like to once again highlight the work of Zoë’s Place Baby Hospice in Liverpool, a charity providing various services, including 24 hour support, for families of babies with life-limiting or life-threatening illnesses. The Hospice costs £1.6 million to run every year, and relies on donations from the local community and businesses for 80% of its funding.

The respite care provided by Zoë’s Place involves packages tailored to the individual needs of the child and the carers. Support is allocated based on an assessment and usually involves a minimum stay of two nights per month at the Hospice, during which time the baby will be cared for by a Registered Nurse & Senior Care Assistant and provided with services by a Play Leader, Art Therapist and Physiotherapist. Emergency respite care is also possible following a referral from, for example, a hospital, GP or social services.

Zoë’s Place works as part of a multidisciplinary team alongside a GP and palliative care consultant to optimise the quality of life of babies with very serious conditions and maintain an effective round-the-clock care service for families. The Hospice provides various forms of family support, including a Facebook group, coffee afternoons, activity days for siblings and bereavement support.

There are various ways to support Zoë’s Place Baby Hospice apart from making a donation, including getting involved in fundraising, volunteering or taking part in outdoor and online events. Bartletts Solicitors is proud to be a long-term corporate supporter of Zoë’s Place, and would like to send the Hospice and its outstanding staff our very best wishes for 2022. Please consider supporting this vital local charity in whatever way possible.