Culture Diary w/c 25-04-2016
What’s hot this week? Our pick of the arts listings from around Liverpool and the rest of the UK…
Monday – Leeds Digital Festival @ Venues across Leeds — Events Individually Priced & FREE
Leeds Digital Festival is back again this year until 29 April, with exciting events in venues scattered all over the city. Curated to showcase the latest innovations in technology and celebrate everything digital, some of the highlights include the Hey! Lecture Series, the Lumen Prize, and the Friday Panel in collaboration with Live at Leeds music festival.
Liverpool Biennial Talk: Ukraine/Liverpool Artists-in-Residence 6.30pm @ The Bluecoat, Liverpool — FREE (Booking Required)
Ukrainian artists Mitya Churikov, Kateryna Berlova (below), Oleksander Burlaka and Alevtina Kakhidze will be at the Bluecoat tonight talking about the contrast of the arts scene in Liverpool versus the Ukraine. Part of an eight-week residency organised by the British Council and Liverpool Biennial, the artists will take questions as they reflect upon the different cultures and the effect this have upon the arts.
Wednesday — Exhibition Opening: The Youth 6.30-10.30pm @ Universal Satellites, London — FREE
Discover the works of up-and-coming London artists in this new exhibition showcasing diverse pieces — from film to fine art — created by a distinctive range of young creatives. Curated around the theme Transition and Transformation, and situated inside an unused property, expect an art installation a little different to the norm.
Thursday — Week 53 Arts Festival @ The Lowry, Salford — Events Individually Priced (Average £10 Per Ticket)
Week 53 (below) features a staggering 200 international artists and 63 performances and exhibitions across 11 days. Filled with absorbing events such as Last Resort, which deals with the subject of terrorism, to juxtapositional stories of immigration in 17 Border Crossings, Week 53 doesn’t shy away from hot topics, making it a festival for the artistically and politically curious.
Richard III Plus Live Satellite Q&A With Ian McKellen 7.30pm @ FACT, Liverpool — £13-15.50
Ever fancied asking Sir Ian McKellen about what it was like to star in any of his 100+ films, including Lord of The Rings? Or about wild nights out with his BFF Sir Patrick Stuart? Well now you can: this Thursday, FACT will screen the 1995 adaptation of Richard III, to commemorate 400 years since Shakespeare died. The post-screening discussion between McKellen and director Richard Loncraine will be broadcast live from BFI Southbank, and the audience will be able to ask the pair questions through social media.
Friday — Liverpool Art Fair 11am-6pm @ The Gallery, Liverpool — FREE
Now how about some fantastic, affordable and original works from local artists? Starting at only £20, Liverpool Art Fair is an accessible and encouraging starting-point for wannabe collectors with a small budget and/or who are unsure of where to begin; highlighting that art doesn’t have to be elitist. Showcasing artists from Merseyside and the North-West, make sure to get your favourite piece before it get’s snapped up. Until 2 May.
Saturday — Matisse After Dark 6-9.30pm @ Tate Liverpool — £30
Possibly the most cultured dining event in Liverpool? This is the last chance to see the exhibition Matisse in Focus, only tonight it will accompanied by French classical music performed by St George’s Hall’s resident orchestra, L’Orchestra dell’arte. Delicious hors d’oeuvres and a fine supper will follow.
PICK OF THE WEEK: Sunday — Sounds From The Other City 3pm-4am @ Venues Across Salford — £20
We’re spoilt for choice this weekend, because there are not one, but TWO, cracking, affordable one-day-only music festivals to choose from. Those who live in Greater Manchester have a cracking alternative festival on their doorstep; with a reputation of being one of the best annual indie events in the UK. Hosted in a variety of Salford’s best, tiny venues, from breweries to churches, and known for pushing an interesting sideline in performance and art, Sounds from the Other City features some of the best upcoming bands you’ve never heard of — but that’s part of the charm. Discover new music and revel in a zine-library, a dance-a-thon, and a BBC Philharmonic x Ex-Easter Island Head exclusive performance.
FESTEVOL @ Camp And Furnace, Liverpool — £25
And so to Sunday Festival Part II… If more recognisable British and US players are more your bag — their stellar line-up includes Juliette and the Licks, Steve Mason , Blossoms, Helen Marnie, Hooton Tennis Club, The Vryll Society, By The Sea, Poltergeist and Baba Naga — then jump on a quick train to Liverpool this weekend for FESTEVOL. As it’s hosted by the city’s most exciting, up-and-coming creative area, the Baltic Triangle, treat yourself to a few pre-fest drinks in the Botanical Garden or Black Lodge Brewery.
Vanessa Wheeler
