Special Pride Events To Be Hosted At The Royal Liver Building This Month

The Royal Liver Building is the most famous building in Liverpool and the team there are keen to use its iconic status as a platform to show solidarity with the City’s LGBTQIA+ community. Frequently lighting up its majestic towers to support inclusive days, the building has also hosted a number of events to help raise awareness for all kinds of positive causes. 

Since April the riverside reception of RLB has housed an arts installation called Dip Into Pride Bath, a rainbow tiled roll top bath designed by photographer and arts producer Laura McCann and brought to life by local mosaic creative Natasha Ellis (aka @titsupartistliverpool).

Originally conceived for Pride 2023, the idea of the DIP Bath was to encourage people to immerse themselves in the spirit of equality. During the time the bath has been at RLB numerous people from the queer arts scene have been photographed by Laura sat in the artwork and as the LCR Pride weekend draws closer, on Monday the 22 July the public will be given the opportunity to do the very same. 

If you would like to have your photo taken in the bath by Laura, who was recently been shortlisted by the National Portrait Gallery for the Taylor Wessing Prize, she’ll be at the riverside reception of the Liver Building between 11am – 2pm on the 22 July. You’ll also be able to donate to the charity Sahir who Laura and the mosaic artist Natasha Ellis are supporting throughout this project. 

In addition to the public photoshoot, people will also have a chance to create art of their own at The Royal Liver Building when local artist Tony O’Connell hosts a special Pride life drawing class there on the 25 July at 6.30pm. 

Tony, who’s exhibited his own artwork around the country has over two decades of lecturing experience and his life classes have become a much loved staple in his home city. Tony met Laura McCann when she asked him to be part of an exhibition she curated for Pride 2023 and since then the pair have worked on various projects together. Laura, who also organised the Paul Curtis exhibition at The Royal Liver Building, thought the location was perfect for one of Tony’s arts events.

As Laura explained, “The Royal Liver Building are really proactive in supporting local creatives and engaging with the community. The building is steeped in history and tradition but the team who manage it are very progressive and inclusive. Given that the LCR Pride march will finish at the pier head and Pride Classical will take place there, RLB seemed the perfect location for a special Pride life class ran by Tony”.   

Ian Edwards, General Manager for CBRE who manages The Royal Liver Building said, “We love hosting events that involve the public and although the building is seen as a heritage site, we want to make sure it is truly representative of Liverpool today and is a place where everyone feels welcome”.  

Tony who’s recently exhibited at Kirby Gallery and is currently displaying pieces in New Mils commented, “It’s great to be hosted in such as iconic space and important for LGBTQIA+ representation to expand. It hasn’t always been that way across the UK. We’ve made huge progress in my lifetime but there is still much work to be done, so Kudos to RLB for inviting us in to make art”. 

The class will feature model Eve Howlett who in addition to modelling is an artistic performer and the director of Liverpool Life Drawing.

The Pride life class is happening on Thursday the 25 July from 6.30pm and tickets are available via Eventbrite here or go to lauramccannphotos.com for more information.