Art on Wirral: Newsletter February 2024

Abscraft

February 22, 2024

Welcome

Thanks to Gweni-Louu for the image

Many thanks to you all for coming to our first gathering for 2024. I promised to share some of the information that was discussed from our different speakers and contact details of our host venue Byrne Avenue Baths. Many thanks to Jane, Jan and Luke for enabling our meeting. Apologies for the length of this missive. Maybe grab yourself a cup of tea and settle down for a good read.

Borough of Culture

Our first speaker was Jo Burrell from Wirral Borough Council. Wirral is Borough of Culture for the Liverpool City Region in 2024 and an exciting programme in collaboration with creative organisations and individuals is being developed. The impact of Wirral’s first year as Borough of Culture in 2019 was immense but sadly overshadowed by “The Covid Years”. Over half a million people took part and new cultural venues opened their doors as a result. The aim is to create a similar long-lasting impact from Wirral Borough of Culture 2024.

This year’s programme will show how culture plays a role in creating places that are desirable to live, work and spend time in. This year will give a platform to tell Wirral’s story – past, present and Future. As part of Borough of Culture, Wirral Borough Council are committed to making arts, culture and heritage accessible to all during the year and are making grants available for projects across the borough. They want to celebrate all art-forms and the creativity, people and places that make Wirral unique.

These grants are made possible through funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and with support from Wirral Council.

If you are a creative or a member of a group or organisation who can help tell Wirral’s story during this special year and into the future, these grants are for you. Organisations must have a bank account which is used solely for the purpose of that organisation. We will not be able to award grants to organisations without a bank account. Applications from organisations outside Wirral must demonstrate how their projects will leave a lasting legacy and deliver new activity in the borough.

Applications must include a named Project Lead who will be responsible for the overall delivery and financial management of the project. Joint bids are welcomed but there must be a named Project Lead.

You must be over 16 to make an application on behalf of an organisation or as a self-employed person. The deadline is the 15th of March – click here to apply

For the Wirral Culture & Heritage updates, click here and sign up for their newsletter

The Convenience Gallery

Our second speakers were Ryan and Andy of The Convenience Gallery who started in exhibition and creating opportunities in Wirral during the Borough of Culture in 2019. Convenience is a not for profit, creative arts platform based in Birkenhead, Merseyside, producing high quality arts and culture programmes to enrich and empower communities.. They are a flexible organisation and nimble on their feet. Check out their video on the first page of their website.https://www.conveniencegallery.org

We will have more information to share shortly about their current project “The Town is the Gallery’.

Instagram , Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and for more info join their mailing list! Click Here

Wirral Arts and Culture Community Land Trust

Our third speaker was Jane Bennett who is a board member of WACCLT – a mouthful but stands for Wirral Arts and Culture Community Land Trust. Many of you may not have heard of WACCLT but will have heard of Ron’s Place by now – the rented home of the late artist Ron Gittins. The space is not available to view by the public and the intention is to conserve and restore his immersive artwork, plus renovate the flats above. Whilst the building work is being done, there will be some community outreach programmes happening.

From the attendees

Many people mentioned that they were part of Wirral Open Studio Tour on the 8th and 9th of June and opening their spaces. Some new spaces were mentioned as venues including Future Yard which will host two artists. The tour seems to grow year on year.

The Williamson Open included works by several people who were with us on Friday and this is open to see and also for the public to vote for their people’s choice for the Kriterion Award. The Williamson is open Wednesdays to Saturday and has a late night on Fridays.

Phil Houghton of the Wirral Society of Arts and Dennis Boyd spoke of Mayer Hall and the hope to have the space available as a gallery space in Bebington. Mayer Hall was built by Victorian philanthropist Joseph Mayer for the Bebington community.

Graham Thew spoke about Wirral Urban Sketchers and has announced the forthcoming dates.

February 25th. Liberty Bell Coffee Hamilton Street Birkenhead. Civic buildings, Station, Woodside Ferry. City Park

March 31st. Ellesmere Port. Boat Museum. Quick return in order to use the year passes that many bought at our last visit. Good for inclement weather, plenty of inside things to sketch as well as the boats, locks and industrial buildings.

April 28th. Byrne Avenue Baths. Birkenhead. Exciting new venue. A Community trust are trying to restore the Baths.

All Sundays, meeting at 10.15.

Finally from me

We have had several offers of new venues for forthcoming meetings and working with Quirky Community Hub in Hoylake for the next meeting on Monday the 25th at 10am and Future Yard for the April meeting on St George’s day 3-5pm 923/4/24 – also Shakespeare’s birth and death day. I have invited several speakers as it seemed to work last time.

Let me know of other venues that will not charge us to meet and would quite like 20-40 creative types to visit their sites.

Alison Bailey Smith

BA Hons, Dip Des Edinburgh College of Art

Contemporary Craftsperson, facilitator of local arts networking and promotion

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