Where paint deceives and asserts itself, Brendan Lyons makes the familiar feel unexpectedly alive… At first glance, Brendan Lyons’ work appears to flirt with the familiar. Tape, plastic, folds, fixings — the everyday language of the studio and the street. But linger for a moment longer and that certainty begins to slip. What looks like one thing quietly reveals itself as another. Paint becomes object, surface becomes substance, and perception is gently but persistently unsettled.…
Liverpool is set to be transformed into the jazz capital of the UK this February as Liverpool International Jazz Festival takes over the city once again. This festival, now in its 13th year, will be the biggest yet — with no less than 14 events showcasing both international and local talent in a week-long programme. The festival’s main events featuring international stars are taking place at The Capstone Theatre from Thursday 26 February until Sunday 1…
Past, politics, people — Unity carries them all into a future that’s safe and fiercely of it’s own making. There are buildings in Liverpool that don’t just hold memories, they argue back. Unity Theatre is one of them. Tucked just off Hope Street, it’s a space that has always felt slightly out of step with the city’s grander cultural institutions — and proudly so. Born out of the Merseyside Left Theatre in the 1930s, Unity’s roots…
Sophie Grace is an emerging artist on the North West music scene with her upcoming single i still need you. set to be released today (30 January). Based in Liverpool and currently studying at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts’ School of Music, Sophie Grace is at the centre of a city defined by its musical success, which is helping her find her own as a rising Indie Folk artist and producer. Originally from the…
A tender look at family, ageing, and the gentle freedom found in grandparenthood from one of Liverpool’s community storytellers… Tom McClennan is a Liverpool storyteller in every sense: a retired English teacher, a poet, a playwright, and a fixture in the local theatre scene. As chair of the Board of Trustees at Valley Community Theatre, his commitment to community art is as deep as his love of words. Valley Theatre itself is more than just a stage — it’s…
Sound City has revealed a major new wave of emerging talent for its 2026 edition, cementing its reputation as the UK’s leading inner-city new music discovery festival. Joining previously announced headliners Jalen Ngonda, Keo, Westside Cowboy and Brooke Combe, the latest announcement adds 21 rising artists to the bill, spotlighting the next generation of artists tipped for breakthrough success. Among the newly confirmed names are Arctic Monkeys collaborator Tom Rowley, Bristol’s upbeat pop outfit Adult…
The first Knock Twice Cabaret didn’t feel like a show – it felt like a secret. A prohibition-themed night of jazz, drag and comedy, the debut edition welcomed just fifty people into a hidden room with a clear stage, an electric atmosphere and a sense of shared discovery. It sold out fast. But for Franz Genau – the enigmatic Emcee and enfant terrible of Liverpool’s cabaret scene – the real magic wasn’t just the performance.…
Liverpool city centre is getting a new all-day dining destination this week as Botanico officially opens its doors on Friday 30 January at 8.30am on Duke Street. To mark the occasion, the first 100 customers through the doors will be treated to a free coffee and freshly baked croissant. There will be additional treats available for guests visiting throughout the day, opening this new restaurant with the warmth and true Italian hospitality that owners P&D…
Dear Somebody, Liverpool City Council has launched a new grassroots music venues support programme designed to strengthen and sustain the city’s small live music spaces — the vital places where new talent is discovered, developed and championed. The grants scheme marks the start of a year-long programme to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of Liverpool’s status as a UNESCO City Of Music. Grassroots venues across the UK have faced significant pressures in recent years, including rising…
Growing up as an autistic person, I always felt different. It was like my brain functioned on a different frequency to everyone else’s. For as long as I can remember I had the most fantastical, weird and wonderful thoughts going through my head. Colours, sounds and textures felt deeply intense, and I would always be coming out with things that other people found super odd. Being autistic can feel like you’re on another planet. As…
The start of the 2025/26 season was historic for women’s football, as Goodison Park was dedicated to being the fulltime home for Everton women. However, since moving in September, it hasn’t been a pretty reality. The Blues are yet to pick up a point in the league since moving to Goodison and have only picked up 1 point against WSL2 side Nottingham Forest in the league cup. While it is unfair to define the season…
Since 2006, dot-art has been at the heart of the Liverpool City Region’s cultural landscape, championing local artists and making art accessible to all. To celebrate their 20th birthday in 2026, the social enterprise is planning a series of events and exhibitions, as well as reflecting on their impact over the past two decades. February will see the launch of two exhibitions. At the dot-art space at INNSiDE hotel on Old Hall Street, TWENTY will showcase large…
Kittel: Doktor Faustus of the Third Reich emerges from the pen of Charlotte Pickering — the alter ego of Liverpool writer and music tutor Catherine Harrison — whose earlier novel Messiah of the Slums marked her as a storyteller unafraid of moral complexity. This piece plunges audiences into the chilling true story of Gerhard Kittel: a brilliant theologian, a celebrated interpreter of Jewish scripture, and a man who willingly bartered his integrity to serve Hitler’s…
BOXPARK Liverpool is bringing the energy this February with the city’s biggest Super Bowl LX Live Screening Party, on Sunday 8 February from 7pm until 4am! The award-winning venue will transform into the ultimate American Football fan zone, combining live sporting action from the USA with an all-out BOXPARK party atmosphere. Guests can expect a full production viewing experience with huge screens, surround sound, and an unbeatable atmosphere from start to finish. The night will…
New Brighton’s The Dream Machine know their way around a great record – especially when it’s been unearthed from a charity shop crate. For this piece, frontman Zak McDonnell digs through his favourite second-hand vinyl finds, from doo-wop classics to sun-bleached soundtracks, sharing the stories, sounds and small obsessions that make each record special. Welcome to The Dream Machine’s Best Charity Shop Vinyl Finds – proof that some of the best musical treasures are hiding…
A Liverpool husband-and-wife duo have launched a new natural beauty brand, Lip Fix, offering a thoughtfully crafted range of organic and natural lip products designed to nourish, protect and elevate everyday lip care. Matt and Kayleigh, based in Litherland, created Lip Fix in response to the growing demand for clean, ethical make-up and beauty products. Although the idea for the brand was born in 2024, it officially launched in late 2025 following extensive research, formulation…
Merseyside charity Autism Together is partnering with a number of regional attractions to offer relaxed activities for children or teens with autism, or who are on the pathway to receiving a diagnosis, free of charge. The specialist autism charity, based in Bromborough, has launched a twice-monthly series of ‘Family Adventures’, new for 2026. A wide range of family-friendly attractions have already signed up to be part of this new initiative, which will create relaxed and…
Frankie Reed blurs history, divinity, and the body to uncover sweetness in the places we least expect it. There’s a certain charge that runs through Frankie Reed’s work—an electricity that comes from holding history, divinity, and the strange machinery of the human body in the same quiet breath. A Liverpool-born poet and visual artist, Frankie moves easily between mediums, stitching together symbolism, emotion, and physicality with an instinct that feels both scholarly and instinctively visceral. Their background in…
OH ME OH MY is bringing the sparkle to tea time in 2026 with the return of its feel-good Disco Afternoon Tea – a high-energy twist on a much-loved British tradition. Set inside the venue’s stunning downstairs space at West Africa House, overlooking the Three Graces and just moments from the River Mersey, OH ME OH MY has long been known for its twinkly, tucked-away atmosphere. Now, the team are combining that magic with disco…
Dear Somebody, Word on the street is that £100,000 taken from criminals under the Proceeds Of Crime Act (POCA) is now available for projects that strengthen our communities and prevent hate crime. Over the past three years, more than £300,000 cash and assets stripped from criminals has been reinvested back into good causes in communities across Merseyside through the Community Cashback Fund, supporting grassroots initiatives that make our region safer and stronger. Around 20 grants…