19 – 29 April 2014
Open daily 11.00 – 17.00
Free (booking required for events only, family events just turn up!)
What lies behind the closed doors of Liverpool’s empty buildings? What stories and memories do these fantastic buildings hold? How long have they lain empty and why?
This Easter, Hidden Liverpool, a year-long programme funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund delivered by Liverpool based social enterprise PLACED, will launch its’ second exhibition – People’s History Exhibition at Liverpool Albert Dock. The interactive exhibition will feature some of the memories, stories and images people have shared over the last six months, bringing to life some of Liverpool’s public buildings which now stand empty.
The exhibition comprises images, memorabilia and interviews of fascinating, funny and touching stories gathered by the Hidden Liverpool team. Stories include romantic tales of people meeting their husband in the State Ballroom, witnessing landmark events from the roof of the Cunard Building and taking afternoon tea upstairs in the Forum Cinema.
Local campaigns working to resurrect some of the cities empty public buildings also feature, including Save the Futurist Cinema in Lime Street, the Jewel on the Hill project with Everton Library and Save Woolton Pool where John Lennon learnt to swim!
Throughout the eleven day exhibition visitors will be invited to share their own memories and stories as well as hearing those of others.
A number of free events are also running during the exhibition. An evening event with a panel featuring Joe Anderson will discuss the value of our empty buildings in ‘Our empty buildings – why not knock them down’.
There will be a focus on the Lime Street area in a free design workshop. People will be invited to share their ideas for the key gateway into the city which has long lost its’ grandeur of days gone by. People will be invited to look at how they would improve the street and make it an area the city could be proud of as part of a hands on creative workshop.
Photographers have the opportunity to take part in a workshop and attend an evening talk with Andrew Brookes, who will be sharing tips for photographing the empty and hidden parts of the city.
Other events include two fun drop-in workshops, where families can get involved by coming up with new designs for some of our empty buildings. Hidden Liverpool walking tours that share some of the stories in the exhibition will also be launched during the exhibition.
The People’s History Exhibition  taking over a vacant retail unit at the Albert Dock (C7 next door to Natures Treasure). Booking is essential for many of the events and can be made through visiting the news and events pages on the Hidden Liverpool website www.hiddenliverpool.org.uk