There's an interview by Joe Riley in tonight's Liverpool Echo.
Apparently Christian is the Jamie Oliver of art, I wouldn't know about that. He is originally from Liverpool, did his Foundation course at Wirral Met then was commissioned to paint a portrait of The Queen when he was only 28.

Currently he is judging the Drench Art Award. You can vote for your favourite on their website.

Link to Echo.

Christian Furr website: www.christianfurr.com

LIVERPOOL ARABIC ARTS FESTIVAL 2006

Five years of celebration and learning in the cultural capital
2 – 16 July 2006

Liverpool Arabic Arts Festival celebrates its fifth birthday with an innovative programme of performances, exhibitions and events which will appeal to young and old alike. This showcase of Arabic culture will run throughout the first two weeks of July and is expected to attract audiences, not just from Merseyside, but from all over the UK.

Celebrating many aspects of Arabic arts and culture, this year’s festival offers a taster of music, dance, theatre, film, architecture, visual arts, dress, literature, craft and food, drawn from Morocco, Palestine, Yemen, Lebanon, Algeria, Libya, Oman, Syria, Sudan, Egypt and Britain.

The festival begins with the hugely popular Family Day, (2 July, 12 noon – 4.00 pm), when the Sefton Park Palm House will come alive with the sights and sounds of the Arab world. Visitors can spend the day enjoying a wide range of activities and entertainment including music, dance, workshops, stalls, an array of culinary delights and the festival’s own Mini Arabic Football World Cup.

Festival highlights include London-based Algerian expats Fantazia, with a unique mix of sufi grooves, James Brown brass and whirling ouds, and Cheb Nacim, one of the world’s most prolific Rai singers. Palestinian Hip Hop dancers join us from the streets of Gaza and there will be a screening of the first Yemeni feature film A New Day in Old Sana’a.

Dance has always played a major part in the festival and once again there’s a range of events to choose from, including a women-only dance event providing the perfect excuse to escape the World Cup fever. The Unity Theatre will host the world premiere of Sabrine, devised by Middle Eastern dance expert Caroline Afifi – the tale of a girl’s introduction to the world of belly dancing past and present and the politics which surround it. To complement this performance, and also at the Unity Theatre, is Texterminators by Mai Ghoussoub - a thought provoking play concerned with male violence, wars, book burning and censorship that arrives in Liverpool after showcasing in Beirut.

New for 2006 is Alf Lela Wi Lela: 1001 Nights, a dinner dance extravaganza for all the senses at Heswall Hall in Wirral with a mezze meal and Arabic music and dance. Once again the Shisha Café will be the festival’s hub, providing a meeting place and serving delicious Arabic food.

Website: www.bluecoatartscentre.com/arabicartsfestival

A bit late with this too as it finishes tomorrow, Friday June 30th 2006.
Marie Shrigley's paintings of Welsh villages and landscapes and her childhood memories of Liverpool are described as naive.
They certainly are and its not my favourite style by any means but its a refreshing change once in a while.
There's a lot going on in the paintings, I wonder if any of the characters recognise themselves or maybe they are all truly imaginary.

'The Innocent World' - Marie Shrigley, exhibition of Naive art. at Liverpool Academy of Arts until Friday June 30th 2006, Open 12.00 -16.00

A bit late in the day but I just realised its Children's Art Day today! Fortunately there'll be activities on at the weekend including these at Liverpool Tate...

Tate Liverpool celebrates Children's Art Day with free art activities:
2 July 2006 (1.30 – 4.30pm)

Tate Liverpool will take part in the national celebrations of Children's Art Day on 2 July, presenting a Great Art Adventure inspired by the current exhibition Henry Moore: Natural Form. The Great Art Adventure is free, suitable for children aged 5-12 accompanied by an adult, and there’s no need to book.

Children can experience the forms, shapes and textures created by this famous sculptor, and then get ‘hand’s-on’ by making their own 3-D forms using a variety of media.

Hundreds of children, their teachers and their families will take part in one of the biggest ever celebrations of Children’s Art Day, with special events taking place across the nation including a big event in Trafalgar Square on 2 July from 2-5pm which includes the presentation of the Chrisi Bailey Award: The National Children’s Media Arts Award and special outdoor activities and workshops at the National Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery.

The day will provide opportunities for hundreds of children around the UK to get involved in art projects and activities organised by galleries, art centres, museums, schools and other organisations. Some events will be for specific school classes and other groups from formal or informal learning settings, but others will be open to members of the public including family groups.

For more information on the Children’s Art Day: Great Art Adventure please contact Tate Liverpool on 0151 702 7400 or visit our website at www.tate.org.uk/liverpool

Tate Liverpool is family friendly.

There is a nice new page on the National Museums Liverpool website. It makes good use of Flickr and it features a new picture of the Philharmonic Hall taken by a certain Liverpool Art Blogger :)
The old picture shown here was taken in 1939, notice the lack of traffic lights and other street furniture and the overhead telephone cables.

Stewart Bale 2.0 - documenting Liverpool
Online exhibition

National Museums Liverpool holds an extensive collection of photographs by Stewart Bale Ltd. The pictures show the everyday places where people worked, shopped and enjoyed themselves.

In this online photographic exhibition, we have invited amateur and professional photographers who use the web service Flickr to recreate Stewart Bale photographs from our collection. Each of the photographers was given a seven day deadline to photograph their subject.
Stewart Bale Ltd

Stewart Bale Ltd was an advertising and printing business in Liverpool that specialised in commercial and architectural photography. The client list included famous Liverpool names such as Cunard, Meccano and Coopers.

LINK: http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/online/exhibitions/stewartbale/

Roy Munday's Solo exhibition at Arena has been extended until next Monday July 3rd 2006.

Most of the work has been produced over the past two years and covers a range of subject, but most is based on Liverpool and the river Mersey. In the past six months his work has been spotted by both private collectors and organisations, with the Capital of Culture company choosing one of his paintings to use on merchandising during the run-up to 2008.

The Arena Gallery 82 Duke Street, Liverpool, will be open each day from 11.00 till 15.45
www.roymunday.com

I was fortunate this morning to be able to be one of the first people to buy a signed copy of the limited edition book by Mike McCartney. The launch of 'LIVE8 coolpix' took place at the World Museum Liverpool today and the books should be available now from the 08 Place in Whitechapel.

LIVE8 coolpix is a behind-the-scenes photo diary of the historic Hyde Park concert, captured by photographer Mike McCartney.

The book contains a series of candid shots of performers and celebrities as they mingle in the exclusive 'golden areas' at the biggest music event of 2005. As a guest of his brother Sir Paul McCartney, and show organiser and founder Bob Geldof, Mike was able to gain access to areas closed to the majority of press and official photographers.

Only 1,000 special limited edition copies of LIVE8 will be published, with the profits going directly to the Live Aid Trust. The book is being published by Wirral based firm Cities500 International Publishers, who also published Mike's earlier photographic anthology: Mike McCartney's Liverpool Life. Cities500 are currently in negotiations with online auction site ebay with a view to auctioning copies of the book.

LIVE8 coolpix has been endorsed by both the event's creator Bob Geldof, and Sir Paul McCartney, both of whom have written personal forewords. Sir Paul says: "Live8 was one of the greatest days of the year, possibly the decade. Bob Geldof telephoned me, explained the idea of Making Poverty History and aiming the concert at the G8 conference. I was sold. Bob's a great salesman.

"Luckily, my brother Mike was there with his trusty camera to record the day and capture many of the exciting backstage happenings. This book is made from a selection of those pictures and he and I are proud to have been there together and to have been a part of this momentous event."

Mike McCartney said: "LIVE8 began as a nice family day out in Hyde Park, London, but when you find yourself backstage at the Greatest Show on Earth, and bump into Brad Pitt, Madonna, George Michael, U2, Annie Lennox, Bill Gates, the Beckhams, Kofi Annan, Paris Hilton, Robbie Williams, Snoop Dog, Peter Kay, Pink Floyd, etc, it would be rude NOT to take their photo!

"It was a unique day with the bottom line of everyone trying to prevent starvation round the world. To that end, my publisher Guy and I have produced 1,000 limited edition, hard back books of the great day, with great forewords by my brother Paul and Bob (Geldof), and are donating all profits to raise money for the Band Aid Trust. If all of them sell, we will raise tens of thousands of pounds towards making African and world poverty...history. Please buy one! Thank U Very Much"

See my previous post on this subject.

Several people have emailed me to report the dodgy looking emails from this guy...

From: Atworne Spane
Date: 24 June 2006 16:46:51 GMT+02:00
To:
Subject: Enquiry

I like your style of work and will like to purchase some of your work for my resident can have a website of yours where i can view more of your work in display kindly send me the weblink.Hope to read from you soon.I will also like to know where you reside in UK
Regards
Atworne

And another one (this one gives a phone number)...

From: august comte
Date: 24 June 2006 15:54:22 GMT+02:00

Greettings ,
My name is comte august,i will like to buy Your item posted for sale and I am interested in buying it.i will like to know If it's still available, kindly reply this email with the Last offer,full details and mesurement and also more pictures for a better view. Please kindly answer the following questions
1.Why are you selling it?
2.Your last selling price?
3.where is it presently?.
I will be paying with certified cheque and there will be a Delivery company that will comefor the pick up after you have been paid.l'm looking forward to hearing from you soon. email me comteaugust@yahoo.com

Best Regards

Comte.

+44(0)7024069089

SHOPKEEPERS who worked with artists to transform their businesses are now unveiling the fruit of their labours.

Shops Upfront is a scheme funded by NRF money from Europe through the Liverpool Culture Company and has revamped eight premises on Lodge Lane in Toxteth. The shopkeepers were consulted about the revamp, with artists working on their designs before they were brought into reality. Lodge Lane crosses the northern half of the former ancient Deer Park of Toxteth, a vast Royal hunting ground laid down by King John in 1207. The Shops Upfront is helping numbers 157-171 Lodge Lane, a building which was originally a livery stable called Sefton Park Mews.

Liverpool City Council leader, Cllr Warren Bradley, said: "It's great to see so many partners working together on a large project like this, using art to boost business and illustrate the culture of the neighbourhood. I'm particularly pleased that national chain stores involved have sacrificed some of their corporate colours to celebrate the local culture and community."

Roller shutters, graffiti and grime have been stripped away to reveal a brighter look for owners and shoppers. A similar scheme has already been carried out in Glasgow, and the Liverpool Culture Company hope to repeat the economic success here.

Project manager from the Liverpool Culture Company is Alicia Smith, worked with co-ordinator Sonia Bassey from TIC consultancy. Alicia Smith said: "The shops look amazing and it's a real surprise to see the difference between the before and after pictures. It's been well worth doing and I'm sure the neighbourhood will benefit from this project for years to come."

Partners in the Shops Upfront project include the Liverpool Culture Company, Liverpool City Council's Regeneration and South Central Neighbourhood Management team, alongside Agency Services and the Liverpool Biennial.

Pictures: Clare Trenholm and Paul Mealey

FUTURESONIC 2006
Urban Festival of Electronic Music and Arts
Manchester 20 - 23 July

Manchester plugs into 3 days and nights of electronic music and art as Futuresonic celebrates its 10th anniversary with a maelstrom of over 100 participating acts and artists from around the world.

FUTURESONIC LIVE
No mud, no tents. Just 3 glorious days of sounds at venues across the city. Featuring over 20 performances including the sensational Battles, live sets from the burgeoning scenes of dubstep and grime and a rare Manchester performance by the cover star of frontier electronics Fennesz, Futuresonic Live is at the cornerstone of this year's sonic extravaganza. Order a free brochure at www.futuresonic.com

FUTURESONIC 2006 HIGHLIGHTS
Fennesz, Digital Mystikz, Battles, The Plastician, Toshio Iwai, Skream,
Shy Child, Cobra Killer, Various, Owl Project, Stacs Of Stamina, Actress, Union Of Knives, Atau Tanaka Nwachukwu, Victor Gama, Folk Songs Project,
Cursor Miner, Shmoo, sCrAmBLEd?HaCkZ!, Zachary Lieberman, Masaki Fujihata, Satellite Jockey, Dave Haslam plus many more...

EVNTS
A city-wide programme of affiliated events featuring the best new and ground-breaking artists from around the world. From stunning live performances, multi-media events and total immersion experiences to some of the best club line-ups in town, EVNTS has it all. Order a free brochure at www.futuresonic.com

URBAN PLAY
The 1830 Warehouse, The Museum of Science and Industry, Castlefield
Thurs 20 July - Sunday 23 July
Futuresonic presents a series of international exhibitions, presentations and workshops at The Museum of Science and Industry's 1830 Warehouse.

For full listings of all Futuresonic 2006 events or to order a brochure visit www.futuresonic.com

WRISTBANDS and TICKETS

FUTURESONIC WEEKENDER WRISTBAND
Gives you free access to over 20 ticketed Futuresonic 2006 events
Gives you free access to the festival opening party
Gives you food & drink discounts during your festival visit

Price: £25 at www.ticketline.co.uk / 0161 832 1111

FUTURESONIC LOYALTY WRISTBAND
Gives you discounts on all ticketed Futuresonic 2006 events

Price: £3 at www.ticketline.co.uk / 0161 832 1111

INDIVIDUAL TICKETS are also available for all events. Visit www.futuresonic.com for further details or book now at www.ticketline.co.uk

www.futuresonic.com

Free Outdoor wrestling show, 14.00 - 16.30, 8th July 2006. Church Street, St.Helens, Merseyside.

Moth Man @ Garage Pro Wrestling

by: Ross Sutherland

Performance artist Tony Knox prepares once again to don his gold Moth Man costume and face the UK’s most dangerous wrestlers. Upon a canvas ring erected in the middle of St Helens city centre, Moth Man will take on wrestling sensation Joseph Hayes, currently undefeated in 13 months.

Knox was drawn towards wrestlers through a series of art projects concerning heroes and villains. After a chance encounter with Big Daddy after leaving Art college, Tony began to document the UK wrestling scene. Choosing to receive training in exchange for his photography work, Tony began to integrate himself into the wrestling community. Seeing the moth as a symbol of his own awkwardness, of his propensity to be drawn towards danger, Knox created Moth Man; the tragic dysfunctional hero that would save you if he could save himself.

Since April 2004, Moth Man has become a legend among both arts and wrestling communities. But all accolades come at a price; during his last match as part of the last Liverpool Biennial, Knox was left with a suspected fractured wrist after being distracted by a light bulb during a crucial part of the fight.

Garage Pro Wrestling is one of the leading wrestling promotion companies in the country. Claims that wrestling is the ‘modern day theatre’ are more than validated by GPW’s endlessly inventive story-lines and the humour and ingenuity put into each event, which in the past have included a wrestling chess-match and a hair-cutting competition.

Come expecting wrestler masks, a boy brass band, a man dressed as a chicken, international guest wrestlers, a thirty-man Royal Rumble and lots of ritual humiliation of the crowd.

CHOOSE YOUR HERO: FLY TO THE LIGHT!

For More info contact tonyknox99@hotmail.com / www.podgy.org.uk
Garage pro wrestling : www.gpwrestling.org.uk
Supported by St Helens Borough Council. (Arts Development) www.sthelens.gov.uk/artsfestival

Its hard enough meeting ones new in-laws for the first time so when they have traveled from as far away as Japan and are used to a high standard of customer service etc. its doubly difficult.

So I am glad to report that my home town did a great job. Liverpool isn't looking its best at the moment with all the re-building, road works and grey skies but everything else was fine. The staff at the ceremony and reception were very good and joined in the good-humoured atmosphere. The travel and hotels were hassle-free and the food and service at the various restaurants were all first-class.

The family also really enjoyed visits to Albert Dock, Liverpool Tate, The Beatles Story, FACT and the Anglican Cathedral - all in one weekend! Well done Liverpool.

Ueda-san was delighted with our gift of a SuperLambBanana (designed by a Japanese artist).

One of the bizarre happenings at the ceremony was that part where the Registrar asks for anyone with objections to speak now and someone at the back gave a loud sneeze - right on cue - thank you Darren!

You can see from the picture below that we had to face quite a mob of Paparazzi, my jaw is still aching from the constant smiling.

Also here is a cute picture of daughter Emma blowing bubbles at Minako.

The Art Studio gallery in Queen Avenue, off Castle Street has closed. I went past today and the place was empty. You may recall the proprietor seeking investment partners recently. Presumably that didn't happen.

But meanwhile The Royal Standard studios and gallery has its first exhibition next week.

'Double Acts' - exploring and celebrating collaboration

Featuring:

* LOW PROFILE * Tom Fleming & Edwin Pennicott *
* Ed Atkins & Sally-Ginger Brockbank * Gabriel Stones & Andrew Mealor *

Preview Thursday 6th July 5pm onwards

including a performance by LOW PROFILE at 7pm

Exhibition open Friday 7th - Saturday 29th July
Wednesday, Friday & Saturday 12pm - 5pm, Thursday 12pm - 8pm

The Royal Standard, 2 Grey Street, off Windsor Street, Liverpool L8 1XN

mail@the-royal-standard.com

www.the-royal-standard.com

Call for Submissions

5athegallery is an independent contemporary art and craft gallery and is requesting submissions from visual artists working in any medium for our next selling exhibition to be installed from Tuesday 25 July 2006.

The title of the exhibition is 'Good Sport', as the title suggests the exhibition will pay homage to the theme of sport and can include any imagery from any sport and of sports people/sporting activity/equipment etc. Not forgetting that St Helens itself is a pronounced Rugby loving town!

Please send images of work (in it's entirety) on disc or as photo's with a brief description on your background or CV with a SAE and an administration cheque for £3.00 made payable to Supervisions Ltd .

Please mark your envelope;
FAO: Ken & Jess
Good Sport
5athegallery
Bickerstaffe St
Cultural Quarter
St Helens
Merseyside
WA10 1DH

If you would like to phone for an appointment please do so on 01744 20466. All transport arrangements for delivery of artwork must be covered by the artist

From Blackburne House...

Create Your Own Website

If you’re looking for another way to promote your artwork why not come to Blackburne House and learn to design your own website.

The range of webpage design courses at Blackburne House are a fantastic way in which you can broaden your skills and create a website that truly reflects your own personal style.

We are currently enrolling female students onto a fantastic range of courses starting this September.

Full time and part time courses are available, in a wide variety of subjects from Web Page Design to Construction for Women, Teaching Qualifications and Chartered Management Institute Professional Qualifications.

For a full list of courses visit our website at www.blackburnehouse.co.uk

Call us today on 0800 587 7672
Blackburne House, Blackburne Place, Off Hope Street, Liverpool, L8 7PE

courseinformation@blackburnehouse.co.uk

www.blackburnehouse.co.uk

The gardens around this church are a welcome sanctuary from the rush of the Liverpool business district and there's a small exhibition inside the church. They have regular exhibitions here now, there will be a series of artists residencies later in the year commissioned by Dying Frog.

A Bit of history:

The ancient parish church of Liverpool was St Mary’s Walton on the Hill, 3 miles (5 Km) from the present location. In 1699 Liverpool, with a population of about 5000, was created an independent parish with two churches: Our Lady and St Nicholas (often called the ‘Old Church’ or simply St Nicholas) and a new parish church of St Peter. In 1734 the first of many daughter churches was built; by 1865 there were 27 in the parish, which by then housed about 275,000 people. Since 1916 Our Lady and St Nicholas has been the Parish Church of Liverpool. St Peter’s, which stood in Church Street, was demolished in 1922.

The current show has small pictures and sculptures created by the Whitechapel Centre service users in collaboration with Tate Liverpool and Hope University.

Much of the work is unfinished, it is a work in progress, a period of transition for the artists, some of whom are homeless, vulnerably housed or living in supported accommodation.

Also at the church on Saturday 1 July the Liverpool Metropolitan Opera are staging their concert 'Operability, a recital of arias and choruses from well-known operas. Admission £5 concessions £3 pay on door

The artists are: Brian, Annette, Sue, Don, Ellie, Kate, Julie, Becky, Jeff, Eddie, Mark, Annette, & Tom.

At St Nicholas Church, Chapel Street until July 20th 2006. Open daily 10.00 - 16.30 (closed lunchtime 12.00 - 13.00) Closed on Saturday July 8th

This years "Sea Cycles" parade will be on Sunday 17th September 2006, 11am outside Liverpool Museum, William Brown Street.

The parade co-incides with the start of the Liverpool Biennial, and European no car week. For those with a bike, which is getting rusty, in their garage come along and join the parade to celebrate people powered transport, the roots of Liverpool in the pool, and perhaps even decorate your bike with a maritime theme.

There may be workshops to help people invent new wheely good ways of moving under people power.

Further details from Pool Parade Commodore, Lewis Lesley,

St Helens Open Art Competition Exhibition 2006 open to the public until 8 July

Saturday 17 June heralded the opening of this year’s exciting local Open Art Competition. The first day saw a great number of visitors in both the exhibition venues - the Rainford Gallery, above the main library and 5athegallery at 5a Bickerstaffe Street – who came to view, enjoy and purchase new and original selected art works from talented emerging and established local artists. Visitors can see an excellent array of works created in various traditional and contemporary styles, including sculpture, oils, acrylics, embroidery, charcoal, glass, watercolour and photography. Visitors of any age are encouraged to vote for their favourite work to win the People’s Choice Prize which will be announced on July 8 at the St Helens Arts Festival.

The selection process proved to be a really tough job again for this year’s judges, as 180 artworks were received from busy St Helens artists who were all hoping to have their work chosen for exhibiting. The invited judges included Jeremy Ford the President of the S.A.A., Lynn Ben-Youseff Northwest based Artist, Ken Martin owner of View Two Gallery, Liverpool, Rachel Bishop Carmel College Art Student and Godfrey Pilkington owner of Picadilly Gallery, London.

The two galleries are only 5 minutes walking distance from each other. The Rainford Gallery is situated above the main library in Victoria Square and 5athegallery is opposite the NHS Walk-in Centre on Bickerstaffe Street between the towns main bus and train stations.

For further information and gallery opening times please call Cathryn Hegarty 01744 455492 or Jess Bowstead 01744 20466.
The Open Art Competition is part of the St Helens Arts Festival.

So, thanks to the trusty Google Calendar I remembered to go to my wedding on Saturday and what a fantastic day it was. The weather wasn't brilliant but the rain just couldn't force its way through all the beaming smiles that surrounded us all day. That will certainly be one of the lasting memories, that so many people were there and all so genuinely happy for us both. A big thank you from Minako and me to everyone who was there or sent us messages, so many lovely people

Of course, we were a bit nervous but it was a reasonably relaxed and informal do, we just wanted people to have a fun day. I don't think I embarrassed myself too much but I don't really care anyway.

As I don't wear rings, we thought it would be a cool idea to exchange a ring and a pin (as I do like badges). There was a bit of a problem getting the pin onto my lapel (it went fine in rehearsals) but we think they look great together. Our friend the local jewellery maker Alice Hughes created them for us.

The reception at Blackburne House went very well, the staff were very good and the food was excellent, it was all vegetarian or vegan and everybody, even the most carnivorous guests, agreed it was delicious.

We have to thank Nicole Bartos for helping us decorate the hall and Eri for the bouquet and lots of other people who helped including Minako's team of dress, hair and make-up people. It takes hours to get into that beautiful kimono you know. I was left on my own to try and make myself look the true dandy that I am.

So now its back to the old routine of updating the website and blogging about art in Liverpool.
There will, of course, be loads more pictures up on the website somewhere in a few days.

See Wedding Part 2

DREAMSPACE

Despite the setback caused by vandals damging the structure, Maurice Agis and the team have been working hard to repair Dreamspace, and the good news is that Dreamspace re-opened again last Friday night June 23rd.
Open daily fron Noon to 19.00

There was quite a gathering at View Two tonight for the launch of this exhibition of nearly 40 humorous illustrations by Tony Hall and Peter Grant.
Tony, syndication manager for Trinity Mirror and Peter, ECHO TV editor have collaborated a bit like Elton John and Bernie Taupin. Tony does the illustrating, Peter is more of the ideas man.

I like The Galaxy's Guide to Hitch-Hikers series featuring how famous people might thumb a lift, including Paul McCartney, Ken Dodd and King Kong.

All the prints are for sale, the exhibition runs until July 8th 2006.
Open: Thursday 12-16.00 Friday 12-16.00 Saturday 12-17.00 or by appointment with Ken Martin. 0151 236 9444
www.viewtwogallery.co.uk

Some very nice embroidery and crochet here as well as paintings, just in the back half of 52 Roscoe St.

'The wonders of Connecting Cultures' showcases the artistic talent of the refugees and asylum seekers communities in Liverpool.

The newly formed group 'Connecting Cultures' consists of musicians, poets, writers, painters, embroiderers and dancers.
This exhibition, which celebrates Refugee Week 2006, is open from 12-5pm from Monday to Friday at the MentaConceptual Gallery, 52 Roscoe Street (off Leece Street)

To complement the exhibition, there will be a performance on Wednesday 28 June from 6pm with music, dance, poetry and multicultural food.

Information from Sola Arts www.solaarts.org

Exit Review Debate 06

4pm – 5.45pm Thursday 22nd June 2006

Just how good are Liverpool’s art students?
Just how good are Liverpool’s art institutions?
What criteria for quality can we employ?
What types of written language do we use to discuss art?
Who is exposed more in the review, the critic or the artist?
Who holds the power?
Does the artist’s work reflect the quality of the education received?

To discuss these issues and many more, the Exit Review Debate 06 will be Chaired by John Byrne of Liverpool School of Art.
Static invites the reviewers, the reviewed graduates and interested parties to come face to face and debate the main issues raised by the project.

The full team of reviewers to cover the fine art students graduating from Liverpool Art School 2006 are:

Lewis Biggs Liverpool Biennial
Fiona Boundy A Foundation
John Byrne Liverpool John Moores University School of Art and Design
Paul Domela Liverpool Biennial
Adrian Goerge Government Art Collection
Ceri Hand FACT
Sean Hawkridge The Royal Standard
Gill Henderson FACT
Patrick Henry Open Eye Gallery
Joe Riley Liverpool Echo
Becky Shaw Artist, London
Jo Spitzner Syracuse University, New York

Previous Exit Reviews can be seen at http://www.static-ops.org under projects.

For more information please contact Paul Sullivan at Static.

Static, 23 Roscoe Lane, Liverpool, L1 9JD. T: 0151 707 1703

UK Projects Co-ordinator, Gaynor Evelyn Sweeney, in the coming weeks is to fly out to consolidate links with Paris and Barcelona Arts Collectives and Galleries, 2006.

Transvoyeur has already established contacts with Italy and New York. The objectives are to forge new modes of creative expression and artistic enlightenment of global culture. To realise exchange and explore the autonomy of diversity, which forms the unification of similarity by difference.

Founded in 2003 between Gaynor Evelyn Sweeney (Liverpool, England) and Michael Ricardo Andreev (New York, US), the programme of Transvoyeur has evolved to form new opportunities for like minded artists and collectives globally. Keep an eye on the Transvoyeur programme to learn about the exceptional affiliations made to advocate new and innovative research and development in contemporary arts and practice. Further information will soon be posted. The next association currently being established after her cultural research in Paris and Barcelona are to Australia.

There is an array of art projects and cultural initiatives which artists from each country can contribute too over the next twelve months. One of the next large scale projects will be part of the Independents in the Liverpool Biennial 2006. In this programme there will be an exhibition, performance art platform and workshops to enable others in the arts and community to share in the experience of art.

For further information of Transvoyeur and Sweeney's expeditions, please email transvoyeuruk@hotmail.co.uk.

'Men's Grooming Studio' ! What the?

Shame this new place in Wood St. isn't open yet as I'm going to be a groom on Saturday so perhaps they can tell me how to go about it.

That's right, things are going to be quiet on the blog this weekend as I am getting married.
I wish I could invite you all to the wedding but space is limited.

There will, of course, be a full report on the blog next week with lots of pictures which you may or may not find interesting, moving, maybe even artistic.

The honeymoon will have to wait till after the Biennial we're far too busy to take an extended break just now.

Upholland in Lancashire have an active artist's society and they have just produced a very nice website. I'd like to see a lot more like this.
They say...

UphollandArtists.com is the online home of Upholland Artist’s Society. We’re a small group of amateur and professional artists based in Upholland, Lancashire, UK.

We meet up every Wednesday in Hallgreen Community Centre to work on paintings, chat and have a cup of tea and biscuits.
Exhibitions

We hold two yearly exhibitions showcasing the art of Upholland Artist’s Society members:

* A spring exhibition – usually in April
* A winter exhibition – the weekend around Armistice Day

UNFINISHED

June 22 - July 20 2006

Liverpool Parish Church of Our Lady & St Nicholas
Chapel Street, Liverpool L2
9.30am – 5pm daily

Private view 3 - 4.30pm Wednesday 21 June

Continues Thursday June 22 – Thursday July 20
Please note: Exhibition closed Saturday 8 July

The Whitechapel Centre is pleased to announce details of Unfinished; a special exhibition of sculpture and art created by service users. Originating from two separate projects run at Tate Liverpool and Liverpool Hope University, the exhibition forms part of Whitechapel’s 30th birthday celebrations.

The exhibition represents the ideas, experiences, thoughts & emotions of Whitechapel service users on canvas and in plaster. Much of the work is unfinished: the sculptures for example, have yet to be glazed or cast to be bronzed. It is work in progress - a period of transition for the artists – some of whom are homeless, vulnerably housed or living in supported accommodation. Unfinished is an expression their struggle and triumph in often the most adverse circumstances living with one or a combination of mental health, substance or alcohol issues.

Both projects were developed and delivered respecting the experiences and ideas each participant had about ‘art’. What is art? What does it say about my life? How is it created? Where do ideas come from? What is an artist? These were the questions that challenged each person on their journey to becoming art-lovers, art critics and above all, artists.

The exhibition is presented in association with Liverpool Parish Church – St Nick’s. An apt partner, the Church has been central to the spiritual evolution of Liverpool’s city centre. A place of worship has been sited on the edge of the river Mersey for almost 750 years.

Whitechapel Chief Executive, Maureen McCarthy says, “Whitechapel has long recognised the power of art as a route to seeing the world from different perspectives and how this can help our service users understand and come to terms with their own experiences. Unfinished the exhibition is part of that and also part of a wider web of support that Whitechapel has been providing for Liverpool’s homeless population for 30 years. By participating in the project, our service users are empowered and enabled to make other choices through the development of new skills – it is a real achievement that they can be proud of and I applaud it”.

For more information contact Andrew Winder on 0151 207 7617 visit www.whitechapelcentre.co.uk

What can I say, its all so depressing. I went to the opening on Friday and really enjoyed it, I was about to write about it and urge people to visit. Now I'll wait to see if/when its repaired.

From tonight's Echo...

A KNIFE-wielding gang has trashed a prestigious art exhibition in the grounds of Liverpool's Roman Catholic cathedral.
The yobs destroyed the Dreamspace project within hours of it being opened.
Up to 15 youths climbed the steps to the Metropolitan cathedral plaza and broke through hoardings.
A security guard tried to stop them but was threatened by the armed mob who then went on the rampage.
They ripped up the massive air-filled dome causing damage which will cost thousands of pounds to re-pair.

Distraught artist Maurice Agis says the plastic material was torn using knives or blades.

Organisers are facing a race against time to repair the dome and are predicting it will reopen on Wednesday.

Mr Agis said: "A lot of blood, sweat and tears has gone into the project so it's galling to see it ruined just 24 hours after opening.
"It's shattered me as this was the biggest exhibition I've done and it's being premiered here in Liverpool."

I spent most of Saturday evening watching videos in the internet (no, not what you're thinking) as I was happy to be one of the judges for the Liverpool48 film challenge which was taking place as part of Liverpool Downtown week

It was good fun and great to see so many enthusiastic film-makers in the city.
Here's the results...

On Sunday 18th June, the Liverpool48.com film challenge was officially concluded with an awards ceremony at the 3345 Lounge Bar in Parr Street.

The ceremony was very well attended by our entrants and was a great opportunity for everyone to get together, compare notes about their experiences in completing the challenge and also to forge new links with their fellow film makers.

At the end of the voting period, the entrants films had been viewed over 5,000 times from our website and over 2,000 votes had been cast by members of the public.

Congratulations must go to all of those who took part in the challenge and, of course, to the eventual winners of the awards.

Although the 48 hour film making challenge is now complete for 2006, we will shortly be issuing a news update about an exciting new challenge for film makers.

Best Film
Winner : Day Of The Jackanape

Nominated : Weekend Warriors, Clerical Error

Best Script
Winner : Weekend Warriors

Nominated : Benchmark, Clerical Error

Best Director
Winner : Clerical Error

Nominated : Weekend Warriors, Run For Your Life

Individual Award
Winner : Run For Your Life (awarded for cinematography)

WAREHOUSE SPACE REQUIRED - AERIAL DANCE REHEARSALS
The Pool of Life project /funded by the Liverpool Culture Co- supports Liverpool as a diverse multi-cultural city embarking upon a major regenerative programme to leave it's mark for the rise to becoming a European Capital City of Culture 2008.

The major event is Chinese New Year 2007 - Sunday February 18th - this is a public street event free to over 20,000 people. It is an aerial dance/martial arts and music performance that will invite artists from China (musicians, dancers, aerial martial artists etc) to perform with Liverpool artists to celebrate the journey of the Liverpool - Chinese in the city of Liverpool.

The first collaborations with the Chinese are about to begin this July 2006 and the Pool of Life is now looking for a suitable warehouse type space to rehearse. We would need a space approx 20- 25ft high with good ceiling suspension whereby we could build our own rig from (of which we can provide all risk assessment etc) and approx 10m x 10m floor space. We would require a space from the period of July 12th - Sept 11th 2006 (and then at a later date in early January up until February 17th 2007).

We are ideally looking for a company who may be interested in part sponsoring us and/or coming to a more reduced fee regarding hire of space. If there are any companies interested in supporting us please contact

Jacqueline Jones
Project Manager: Pool of Life
24 Hope Street
Liverpool
L1 9BQ
T: 0780 31 678 21

Email: info@thepooloflife.co.uk

There was quite a host of celebrities at the Liver Building Atrium last Wednesday. Apart from myself, of course.
Pictured here are
Prof. John Ashton - North West Regional Director of Public Health,
Steve Burnett - Royal Liver Assurance Chief Executive,
Dean Sullivan - Actor,
Chris Vine - The artist,
Alex Corina - artist and campaigner for Garston Cultural Village
Mike McCartney - Cultural Ambassador for The Wirral
Joe Riley - Liverpool Echo Arts Editor

As well as discussing the series of prints, they also pledged their support for the Garston Cultural Village and the plan to bring the SuperLambBanana back to Garston where it was built, at least for a period of time.

Also the actor, Ricky Tomlinson, took time out from filming to admire the Meccano Liver Bird print and support the launch of the 'Made In Garston' Capital of Culture Series of Prints.

The Meccano Liver bird is the latest in the series which are available from Alex Corina
website: www.alexcorina.com/printclub.htm
email: Alexatartworks@aol.com

Actually, I'm only posting this because I love the address.. Giant's Basin, Potato Wharf !

Administration Officer (£15,000pa + Pension):

Culture Northwest, the Regional Cultural Consortium for England's Northwest, is looking for an organised person to provide administrative support to the organisation and team members which will include diary co-ordination, assisting event organisation and communications, servicing meetings and assisting with financial administration.

This is a great position for someone wishing to start a career in the culture sector.

For further information and an application form contact Mick Barlow, Culture Northwest, Giant's Basin, Potato Wharf, Manchester M3 4NB /
mick.barlow@nwda.co.uk

Closing date: 7 July 2006
Interview date: 14 July 2006

View our website at http://www.culturenorthwest.co.uk

You can now download audio recordings of some of NML's free talks, including Dr Paul O'Keeffe's entertaining re-creation of John Ruskin's controversial Pre-Raphaelitism public lecture.

You'll need broadband as the files are quite large. As they are podcasts you can subscribe through Itunes and download them to your ipod (I really must get one!) or just listen to them on your PC.

LINK: www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/podcasts

Jerwood Artangel Open

A new £1million commissioning initiative for the contemporary arts in association with Channel 4 and Arts Council England The Jerwood Artangel Open is a major new £1million commissioning initiative that offers an unparalleled opportunity for emerging artists of all disciplines to propose ideas for exceptional projects in relation to specific sites across the UK.

The new £1 million fund will make three outstanding new commissions possible. Arts practitioners including visual artists, filmmakers, choreographers, composers, writers, theatre practitioners, applied artists and producers living anywhere in the UK are invited to imagine ambitious transformations of specific sites and situations - urban, suburban and rural.

The selection panel includes artists Jeremy Deller and Shirin Neshat, theatre director Emma Rice and Artangel Co-Directors James Lingwood and Michael Morris.

Closing date for submissions 6 October 2006.

For more information see www.jerwoodartangelopen.org.uk

Soundwalk (Dawnchorus & Sunset Special) in Liverpool, England,
Meet at Otterspool Gates Aigburth Road/Jericho Lane
Wednesday June 21st 2006 04:30 am !
Wednesday June 21st 2006 21:30 pm !
£2.00 per walk or for both (BOGOF)
www.lr.frakture.org

SPECIAL OFFER: participants can receive a CD recording of the walk(s) for £5.00.
The recordings and walks are part of the on-going project facilitated by Phil Morton , "Take me to the river" will eventually result in CD/CD rom releases in 2008.

A soundwalk is a practice: it is walking without talking, focussing on the sound around, focussing on being there rather than talking about it.
The Listening Room takes you to undiscovered places: means of transport, your senses.
Sessions usually consist of 3 x 20 minutes sessions with light intermission to share thoughts and reflections and then move on.

Take me to the river: Slow soundwalk
"When was the last time you went somewhere just to hear the sounds there?
Whether experienced as private meditation or as collective silence SOUNDWALKS refresh your ears and reset your sensual awareness to where you are, live or work.........

TAKE ME TO THE RIVER: is a special slow walk: a path that lasts 10 minutes at a brisk pace will take an hour. A path down Otterspool Park Path to the river taking in the sonic delights of the wood as we leave the road behind,
and finally open out into the great blue horizon of the Mersey Estuary:

A rare chance to slow down in the urban rush.

All welcome: avoid noisy bags and clothing, bring a friend and you won't have to explain the journey to them later! Surprise yourself"

Links:
Listening Room http://www.lr.frakture.org
http://www.frakture.org/Venues/otterspool.htm

Streetmap : The postcode location is L17 5AN. This map is OK but

Think you know nothing about contemporary art and want to know more? Intrigued by what you’ve heard about the artist Bruce Nauman?

Tate Liverpool will be shedding light on the work of a modern master with an introductory-level tour of the current exhibition Bruce Nauman: Make Me Think Me. Tate Liverpool curator Laurence Sillars will present an insightful and illuminating tour of the exhibition on Wednesday 21 June from 6.00 – 8.00pm. Tickets cost £5 (£4 concessions) and can be booked by calling the Tate Liverpool Box Office on 0151 702 7400.

Visitors can enjoy an after-hours exploration of the exhibition, spending time learning about each art work on display. All of those ‘Why has that art work been put next to that one?’ questions will be answered as visitors move around the gallery space.

Forty years since his first solo exhibition, American artist Bruce Nauman has produced a prolific body of work in a range of media, including video, installation, photography and neon works. Bringing together a comprehensive selection of works from 1966-2005, Laurence has chosen to focus on the artist’s investigation into the human condition through the use language and physical behaviour. Regarded as one of the most influential artists working today, Nauman has been a significant inspiration for many artists over several decades.

At the end of the tour visitors can enjoy a glass of wine and fruit juice and discuss their ideas – to find out if they agree with the critics!

The exhibition Bruce Nauman: Make Me Think Me runs at Tate Liverpool until 28 August 2006. To find out more about the exhibition and related events please contact Tate Liverpool on 0151 702 7400 or visit www.tate.org.uk/liverpool.

Music from (half of) Lemon Jelly and interactive visuals from Airside at The Walker Art Gallery!
Oh, I am so, so looking forward to this year's Biennial.

STEP INSYDE
Biennial installation for the Walker Art Gallery
16 September – 26 November 2006

The Walker Art Gallery is delighted to present Insyde – a unique interactive installation created by multi-disciplinary design collective, Airside. The artwork is specially commissioned for the fourth Liverpool Biennial.

The piece is designed specifically for the upper hall in the Walker - a spectacular marble- lined thoroughfare between galleries that is part of the original building, dating from 1877. The installation responds to the atmosphere and architecture of the area and the movement of people passing through it.

Insyde envelops the exterior and interior of a large, cubed space built within four existing neo-classical columns. On entering the space, visitors are transported to a fantasy world– a mixture of actual and virtual objects where the distinction between reality and fantasy is blurred.

The world is styled as a futuristic woodland glade, co