An old fire station in Port Sunlight, a room in a former New Brighton greengrocer’s and a Georgian town house in Hamilton Square are just a few of the exciting spaces visitors are invited to explore during this year’s Wirral Open Studio Tour.
Taking place over the weekend of 13-14 June 2026, the event will see more than 90 artists across the peninsula welcoming the public into their creative spaces.
Founded in 2009, this will be the 16th edition of the annual celebration of Wirral artistic talent, which is a rare opportunity to meet artists, find out more about their creative processes and even take home a piece of unique art.
The artists’ work spans a wide variety of styles, media and subjects, including painting, printmaking, ceramics, sculpture, glass, textiles, photography, woodworking and jewellery.
A free tour brochure is available online at wirralarts.com or you can pick up a printed copy at galleries, cafes, community centres and libraries in the run-up to the event.
Helen Smith, organiser of Wirral Open Studio Tour, said: “Wirral Open Studio Tour is a fantastic day out because it strips away the formality of a traditional gallery. You get to chat with the artists, see behind-the-scenes of the creative process and discover the incredible talent hidden right on your doorstep.
“Whether you’re a serious art collector or just looking for a unique way to explore the peninsula, there is a real sense of adventure in seeing where the magic happens.”
Artists taking part include:
Ling Warlow, who creates sculptures of British wildflowers using paper, wire and glue and will be greeting visitors to her space at Wood Street Studios in Hoylake.
She said: “I love being part of Wirral Open Studio Tour – this is my sixth year. It’s a great chance to meet the local community and share my passion for wildflowers. A lot of visitors don’t really know what they are looking at when they come in, and then I see them slowly start to focus on all the flowers.”
Phil Pike, who is taking part in Wirral Open Studio Tour for the first time. A contemporary pop artist, whose work is inspired by 1980s music, colour and creativity, he will be opening up his home studio near Eastham Country Park.
He said: “I moved to the Wirral from the South West a few years ago and quickly fell in love with the peninsula – its character, its coastline, its green spaces and the sense of community that runs through it. Being part of the tour feels like a way of giving something back to the place that has become home.”
Lonn Landis, who makes beautiful hand thrown ceramics using clay foraged in Wirral. He will be welcoming visitors to his new studio in the historic Old Fire Station in Port Sunlight.
He said: “WOST has always been and will always be the highlight of my year. The people of the Wirral are my people and I love the opportunity to interact with such a broad audience over the weekend.
“They will be able to see my work space, including some of the upcycled machinery that I use to grind the foraged rocks into powder to be used in my glaze. There is the possibility that I will also be doing throwing demos, but history has shown that I often don’t get the chance to do this as there are too many visitors wanting to chat.”
