Going to this show at Editions last night reminded me that the owner of the gallery Olwen McLaughlin is on the short-list for the Daily Post Woman of the Year Award.
She gets my vote, she's been such an important and generous part of the local art scene for so long she should get more awards. There's lots of other good choices of course.

A very nice exhibition of paintings by Angela Hackett is here until June 7 2008.
These new works draw inspiration from flora of the natural landscape, gardens and floral displays.

Editions

'Spaces, Places and People' opened at Gostins gallery last night. This consists of several works by Peter Barker and Will Simmons.

Simmons has painted some familiar local scenes as well as figurative works which are full of character - and characters in crowded pubs for instance. But I really like his prints such as this one of Williamson square, very nice.

Peter Barker sometimes includes local landmarks too but the overall style is quite surreal. He claims they are influenced by quantum physics, they certainly seemed to be influenced by something beyond my understanding.

There's now more details about this years Liverpool HUB Festival and a map of the area at Otterspool on the hub website: http://hubfestival.co.uk

Its this weekend - May 17/18 2008 11.00 - 18.00

PARTIA
(Promoting Art In Aintree)

Current Art Briefs Aintree University Hospitals

Aintree University hospital recently appointed an arts coordinator and is now running a full arts programme. This is largely funded by grants and charitable funds. We have a series of events some associated with Capital of Culture 08 coming up in the next few months. We are looking for the following briefs at present and have a further series of commissions coming soon.

We pay Art Council rates for commissioned work:

£100 per day for research
(visiting hospital, liaising with staff, sourcing materials etc)

£175 per day for production of Artwork

£25 per hour for workshops

When submitting a brief please ensure that the full costing of all materials, your fee and hanging/siting/transport costs for the work are included. We actively encourage Artists to use ex hospital materials and recycle when possible. You will be expected to produce a written explanation of each piece which will be permanently displayed, attend at least one exhibition in the hospital and take part in publicity events.

Please look at our site

Commissions
Artist 08 Event
Workshops Guide

For hospital staff BabySuperlambanana competition.

4 or 5 x 3hr workshops, between 23rd May and 10th June.

Will need at least one evening workshop.

To help staff achieve their artistic vision on fibreglass model of baby Superlambanana be prepared to paint glue sew etc.

Closing date 20th May 5.00pm

All Disciplines 08 Event
Midsummer Dream on Saturday 21st June

Art, Health & Environment Exhibition Tent

Stalls /Art activities/Workshops/Performances/Music

This event is a showcase for performers and artists and minimal expenses will be paid.

Closing date Monday 2nd June

Artists
A series of unique works for the Blood Clinics.

As an aid to distraction for patients whilst having blood taken. Types of Work: 4 cubicles to have:

Visual/pictures for walls in any medium.

Malleable textile/sculptural/ piece that can be squished or stroked etc whilst having blood taken.

Closing date Friday 6th June

For Family Room in Out Patients Department

This is where patients and families receive and digest bad news and diagnosis’s. The pieces should be reflective and soothing. 2 Visual wall pieces and possible sculptural piece.

Closing date Friday 6th June

Waiting Area in Maxio-Facial Prosthetics Clinic

Visual wall pieces for waiting area, patients range from small children to the elderly. Could be in appointment for 2 -3 hours.

Consultant wants large piece/s that is soothing for patients before somewhat traumatic appointment. Was originally looking for nature based mural but open to all ideas.

Closing Wednesday 25th June

Writers
Poetry In Waiting Rooms

Small booklet to be produced of local writer’s original poetry.

Poems to be uplifting may accept short prose pieces.

For all these commissions please remember this is a hospital environment and that any art should be uplifting.

For further details and submissions please contact
Paula O'Malley
Arts Co-Ordinator /Fundraiser
Aintree University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Aintree House, University Hospital Aintree
Longmoor Lane, Liverpool L9 7AL

phone 0151-529 8480
email Paula.o'malley@aintree.nhs.uk

To find out more about what we do please click here

RECORD CROWDS FLOCKING TO CULTURE CITY

Liverpool’s European Capital of Culture celebrations are building momentum and on course to break the 3 million visitor barrier this week.

In the first four months of '08, the latest figures show more than 2.75 million people attended a cultural event or venue across the city – a staggering 25% up on 2007, with some recording more than 50% growth.

And with ‘08 highlights such as Art in the Age of Steam attracting records crowds at The Walker, it is estimated the three million barrier for cultural visits will be breached over the next few days.

Since January 1 Liverpool's award winning tourist information centres (The ‘08 place, Albert Dock and John Lennon airport) had more than 180,000 visitors with enquires up over 70% on last year.

The city is also receiving unprecedented media coverage. It has already hosted over 600 journalists, with more than 4,200 articles in UK print media alone - including rave reviews of ‘08 artistic productions.

Liverpool ‘08 is also generating extensive international print and broadcast coverage in titles such as the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Le Figaro, Stern Magazine, National Geographic, Sydney Morning Herald and Kuwait Times.

Bryan Gray, chairman of Liverpool Culture Company, said: ‘’The impact of Capital of Culture is having an impact on our cultural and tourism sectors in a way that few if any previous culture cities have experienced. To have these figures at this stage of the year is truly amazing and surpasses all our expectations.’’

Visitor figures are expected to keep on rising with the onset of summer blockbusters, with the Streets Ahead weekend (May 24-26) and the Gustav Klimt exhibition at Tate Liverpool (opening May 30) imminent.

More than 350 events, many of them free, are being staged for the city’s 08 celebrations. Other blockbusters still to come include the Liverpool Sound concert at Anfield on June 1, Go Superlambananas from June 16-August 25, The Tall Ships Races on July 18-21 and the MTV Europe Music Awards in November.

Councillor Warren Bradley, Leader of Liverpool City Council and Deputy Chairman of Liverpool Culture Company, said: ‘’Liverpool is enjoying a huge boom on the back of ‘08 and is putting the city back on the global stage. These latest figures are the strongest indication yet that the city will benefit from being Capital of Culture for years to come.’’

Phil Redmond, Creative Director of Liverpool Culture Company, said: ‘’These figures are a huge vote of confidence in our ‘08 programme and proves that people want to be – and are - at the heart of the city’s cultural offering. With so much on offer there’s no excuse for not being part of the year – and I’m delighted people have got the message.”

LIVERPOOL ‘08 CULTURAL VISITORS:

Below are visitor records for 20 selected cultural events/attractions from January 1 - April 30 2008 (% comparison to 07):

National Museums Liverpool – 768,799 visitors (up 28%)
NOTE: The Merseyside Maritime Museum is up 57% on ’07 with 240,257 visitors

Tate Liverpool - 234,958 (up 53.5%)

Empire Theatre – 193,044 (up 19%)

Anglican Cathedral – 148,644 (up 33%)

FACT – 132,145 (up 10%)

Arena & Convention Centre – 128,450 (n/a)

08 Place – 104,395 (up 60%)

Metropolitan Cathedral - 70,491 (up 27.5%) to March 31

Liverpool Philharmonic – 84,261 (*sales up 17%)

The Bluecoat – 81,200 (n/a) - venue opened on March 15 2008)

The Cavern – 80,600 (up 11%)

Royal Court - 63,563 (up 55%)

Beatles Story – 57,339 (up 27%)

LFC Museum – 58,063 (up 33%)

St George’s Hall – 45,173 (n/a)

The People's Opening - 40,000 (n/a)

Everyman & Playhouse – 36,000 (up 33%)

Sefton Park Palm House - 25,348 (up 25%)

Chinese New Year – 23,000 – (up 40%)

Yellow Duckmarine Tour – 19,155 (up 41%)

www.liverpool08.com

The SAGA Double Dutch skipping squad of 8 year-olds, Stephanie Pritchard, Aimee McDonald, Abi Briggs and Georghia Williamson show off their new skills in Clayton Sq today.

This was to publicise the new double dutch project.
These kids aren't quite up to Capliore standards yet but maybe they will be after they get some lessons from the world champions who are coming over from Japan in July.

Double Dutch Liverpool is a new urban sport initiative, Initiated by Pidgin Productions and supported by the Festival of Women 08, Merseyside Sports Foundation, and the Liverpool Culture Company.
The concept of the sport is a minimum of two people turning a pair of skipping ropes simultaneously preparing the scene for an invigorating display of pure energy, incorporating gymnastics and dance by the jumper.

Double Dutch Liverpool's junior squad will be providing demonstrations over the HUB weekend with the British Double Dutch squad. Free workshops will also be available to the public.

HUB is the warm-up for a big Double Dutch play-off in July, when the world champion Double Dutch squad from Japan will be in Liverpool (at the Brouhaha festival).

HUB 2008 - In Brief:

The HUB festival, now in its sixth year, was established by Liverpool Culture Company during the city's successful bid for European Capital of Culture. It celebrates a vibrant mix of urban art, music and extreme sports including skateboarding, BMX, in-line skating, break dancing and body popping. The event at Otterspool Park is FREE and will run from 11am-6pm on both Saturday and Sunday, May 17 and 18 with an estimated 20,000 people attending.

• Shlomo ('the world's finest human beatboxer' - see www.shlo.co.uk)
• Animal Relentless Bike tour - with world champion Martyn Ashton
• UK's only open air international breakdancing competition - with bboy and bgirl crews from Germany, Holland, France and Spain
• Double Dutch hip hop dancing – with have-a-go workshops
• MCs TL and Flowrex
• DJs ICE-C, Renegade and Rasp
• Team Extreme® skate park with vertical ramps, demos and amateur competitions with great prizes
• The best live music - new and unsigned talent, including Babygravy, Young Kof, Lazy Habits on the music stage
• Graffiti artists at work and a 250 metre long graffiti wall
• The Line - flash-mob dance, with 100+dancers, led by dance company Collision (part of the Liverpool Commissions)
• Urban village with big labels and extreme sports equipment on sale.
• An eating and seating zone with a large outdoor barbeque and ROCKSTAR energy drinks
• Well B’In Zone with health and happiness tips from the experts (including c.a.l.m , D-myst, Young Addaction, and ‘going green’ advice)
• Loads of freebies and giveaways throughout the weekend

For more info on HUB festival, log on to www.hubfestival.co.uk

OpenEyeProjects presents…

THE PITCH
• ARE YOU A LIVERPOOL-BASED EMERGING ARTIST?

• WHAT WOULD YOU DO WITH £600?

Open Eye Projects invites Liverpool (and Merseyside) based artists working with photography and related media to pitch for how they would spend £600.00. The smallscale commissions are open to all artists wishing to experiment, test out new ideas and/or produce a new piece of work, regardless of age or experience.

Open Eye Projects is looking for passionate and innovative ideas and asks: what does it mean to be an artist whose practice involves the recording of time, when so many moments of so many days of our lives are recorded?

A total of 20 individuals or groups can register to pitch and the successful artists will be voted for and selected by the audience on the evening of the event. Once the commissions have been awarded, the selected artists will receive mentoring and feedback in Liverpool, on their ideas and developing project, from three different art professionals from around the UK.

Those at the beginning of their artistic career are eligible to apply and no CV or previous experience is necessary. Instead, artists will be selected on the strength of their idea and the quality, creativity and originality of the pitch only.

Participants are encouraged to communicate simply and concisely, stripping their idea down to a punchy three minute pitch, focussing on WHAT they want to do, rather than on the HOWs and WHYs.

Artists are free to nominate another individual to communicate their pitch for them if desired and any creative pitching approach, device or style, including the use of visual aids, props, performance or intervention is welcome (as long as it’s possible!)

The twenty pitches will be presented to an informal audience at Open Eye Gallery on the evening of June 3rd and three artists will be selected and awarded on the same night.

At a later date, the commissioned artists will be invited back to the gallery to tell of their experience, report their findings and present their commissioned projects.

HOW TO REGISTER
Artists can register to pitch on a first-come, first-served basis, but are asked to discuss their pitch before hand with Rebecca Lennon, Open Eye Projects curator.
Once registered, artists can discuss their pitch further and any conditions or requirements that
they may have on the night with Rebecca on the contact details below.

Please note: This commissioning opportunity is not aimed at artists / photographers working in traditional or commercial contexts. If you are unsure as to your eligibility or require further information please email rebecca@openeye.org.uk or call the gallery on
0151 709 3555.

Open Eye Projects is a new programme of exhibitions, events and professional development aimed at emerging local, national and international artists and taking place in experimental formats, contexts and locations around Liverpool.

OpenEyeGallery
Open Eye Gallery 28-32 Wood Street, Liverpool, L1 4AQ
Telephone: +44 (0)151 709 9460 Email: info@openeye.org.uk
www.openeye.org.uk

Its a busy weekend - May 17/18 2008 - hope the good weather lasts.

The old Customs & Excise Museum has moved into the basement of the Maritime Museum and been rebranded as 'SEIZED! - Revenue & Customs Uncovered' - lets just call it Seized.

Its being launched this weekend with lots of activities.
More details

Also at the Maritime on Saturday May 17th, there's a Face of the City Showcase event.

Singers, Poets, Storytellers and artwork will be on display at Merseyside Maritime Museums Dockside Gallery. Everyone is invited and it's FREE. So come along join in the fun, sing along, listen to poets reciting their own poetry, hear the story of Liverpool artists Wiilliam and Henry Carling. Veiw artwork and talk to some of the people who are taking part in the Face of the City arts project.

Full details

Meanwhile at Otterspool you can enjoy the annual HUB Festival
The UK’s largest FREE urban youth festival takes place this weekend, 17-18 May, from 11am-6pm at Otterspool Park, Liverpool.

Featuring Animal Relentless bike tour, the UK’s only open air international bboy tournament, Shlomo - the world’s finest human beatboxer, graffiti, a skate park, urban village and the best live music.
Full details on the Hub website

And on Sunday May 18 - the monthly Art Market returns to the Piazza in front of the Metropolitan Cathedral from 12.00 to 16.00

Have you voted yet? I don't need to tell you who to vote for do I?

www.mostmusicalcity.co.uk

LIVE ART at the Bluecoat

Susannah Hewlett's "It's Not You" celebrates the television gameshow - the "high(er)s and low(er)s" of Saturday night TV's winners and loosers, the anticipation and deflation and a host of hosts and their glamorous assistants.

A series of performances and installations inhabit spaces around the Bluecoat where you are invited to seek out the work.

It’s the instant tabloid fame; it’s the blender and the exercise bike. It’s one of the top ten answers. It’s what you could have won. It’s the spotlight that just went out. It’s Not You.

Wednesday 28th May 6-10pm as part of The Variable Capital Exhibition Late Night Lock-In.

It's Not You is Live Art Uk Touring commission supported by Arts Council England.

www.thebluecoat.org.uk

The Cut&Paste live digital design competition is coming to Liverpool!

Cut&Paste, the live digital design tournament founded in New York in 2005, will take place in Liverpool on Saturday 21st June 2008 as part of Design Show Liverpool.

Bringing together the design community with the public, Cut&Paste sees designers going head-to-head in live creative battles. Part gig, part nightclub, part competitive sport, Cut&Paste is an adrenaline-fuelled opportunity for agencies to promote their work through a high-profile, global event. Even better, it'll give you the chance to come together at a great night out, share ideas and get inspired by the creative process.

Producers Germination are inviting North West design agencies to put forward their top talent as participants in the event.

They'll be in Liverpool next Thursday 22nd May to run informal 15 minute test rounds.

For a full briefing and to register your interest, email Lizzie Ostrom at lizzie@germination.co.uk and she'll answer your questions and let you know more about call for entries.

For more info on Cut& Paste including a short film of the New York event, see www.cutandpaste.com

This time last year we were campaigning for Merseyside artists to be nominated and maybe short-listed for the Turner Prize as it was being held in Liverpool.

Now its moved back to London and Mark Leckey who was born in Birkenhead is one of the 4 short-listed artist - and, it seems, the favourite to win.

The 4 artists, Runa Islam, Mark Leckey, Goshka Macuga and Cathy Wilkes, are profiled on the BBC website

Here's the latest from the Bluecoat following this morning's fire...

A fire broke out at the Bluecoat in the early hours of the morning of 13 May 2008. The damage appears to be confined to the kitchen, restaurant and offices areas, with the majority of the building undamaged.

We are working to establish when we can reopen to the public. In the meantime, the following events will no longer be taking place as scheduled:

- Port in Every Storm featuring Evan Parker (Wednesday 14 May)
- Variable Capital exhibition preview (Thursday 15 May)
- NWDA Conference (Thursday 15 May) Postponed. More information from information@formwood.org.uk
- John Lanchester Cityphilia lecture (Friday 16 May)
- Mankind featuring D Kimm and Alexis O’Hara (Saturday 17 May - cancelled previously)
- Open Studios (Saturday 17 & Sunday 18 May)
- Explore in the Garden Room (Sunday 18 May)

The following participation events will take place at alternative venues:
- Blue Room (Wednesday 14 & Thursday 15 May). Meet outside the Bluecoat 9-10am. Relocated to Tate Liverpool.
- Fragrant (Thursday 15 May). Meet outside the Bluecoat 5.30pm. Relocated to the Quaker Meeting House.
- Four Corners (Saturday 17 May). Meet outside the Bluecoat 12.30pm. Relocated to the Quaker Meeting House.
- Shine masterclass weekend (Saturday 17 & Sunday 18 May). Meet outside the Bluecoat 10am. Relocated to the Quaker Meeting House.
- Fragrant (Sunday 18 May). Relocated to Tate Liverpool. Meet at Tate Liverpool 10.30am-3.00pm

Updates will be regularly posted on the website www.thebluecoat.org.uk
Refunds will be issued to customers for paid events.
Please note that staff are unable to access emails and telephones are not currently working.

Hannah Fray graduated with a John Moores Fine Art degree last year and was then awarded the Beffardo Drawing Scholarship 2007/8, an award specifically to encourage and sustain drawing at postgraduate level.

An end of year exhibition at 2A Myrtle Street is a requirement of the tenure and this is taking place now. Not sure for how long, probably just a few days. I went to the viewing last night.

This is really good stuff, drawing, printing, embossing, sculpting all in each piece. I wish I'd had more time to talk to Hannah and ask her how she creates these wonderful 'Print Constructs'. They are also portraits, the embossing / debossing techniques help bring out the subjects characteristics.

Even the catalogue is beautifully produced with an embossed cover, its a limited edition hand stitched design. I bought No. 10 of 100

Picture from Post & Echo website

There was serious fire at the Bluecoat in the early hours of this morning. Started in the first floor restaurant kitchen area. No doubt there'll be a lot of smoke damage and I guess the building will be closed for some time.
Will update here when we get more news.

www.thebluecoat.org.uk