Williamson Art Gallery

Guest Craftsperson: Alison Bailey Smith
2024-08-09 08:00 - 2024-12-21 17:00 UTC | Merseyside
Our current Guest Supplier is Alison Bailey Smith.
Born in Scotland to thrifty post-war parents, Alison was taught not to waste anything and to see the potential in everything. Alison was a huge fan of the section on Blue Peter where the presenters showed viewers the astonishing range of things that could be made from toilet rolls and yogurt pots. She was always keen to have a go and was not deterred when she didn’t have the same supplies shown on TV. She discovered a talent for creative thinking to turn materials found around the house into her own version of what she saw on screen.
Alison initially trained in jewellery at the Edinburgh College of Art, before diversifying into textiles, costume and fashion. Much of Alison’s work incorporates wire salvaged from inside old televisions, leading her to be described as a ‘techno cannibal’ by BBC journalist Clare English. Alison has found over a hundred different colours of copper and aluminium wire inside old TVs, although unfortunately it is becoming harder to find the vintage sets. Other materials used in Alison’s work include charity shop finds, scrap paper and sweet wrappers. Alison continues to develop her skills, most recently learning how to weld so that she can create larger scale pieces that are integrated into the summer displays for children at Eureka! Science & Discovery in Seacombe in Wirral.
Her recent challenge has been working with ball chains from roman blinds to create the capsule collection currently on display in the gallery foyer, with theme’s that relate to our current exhibition Into The Wyld.
Alison has seen recognition for her work, including winning Scottish Fashion Designer of the Year, being a finalist in the Environmental Art Awards in Liverpool, and receiving an award for Nurturing Community Talent from Wirral Met College. She has a dedicated studio in Oxton in Birkenhead and will be returning for Oxton Art Fair at the Williamson at the end of November.
To purchase pieces from Alison’s collection please speak to staff at the gallery. Purchases may qualify for the Own Art scheme, where you can spread the payment interest-free over 12 months. Speak to gallery staff to find out more.

Into The Wyld: Weavers Events
2024-08-03 08:00 - 2024-09-13 17:00 | Williamson Art Gallery, Slatey Rd, Oxton, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH43 4UE, United Kingdom
Weavers is a programme of performances, talks, workshops and readings curated by Dr Silvia Battista. It’s part of Into The Wyld, a festival of contemporary art exploring the legacy of the medieval poem Sir Gawain And The Green Knight.
Find out more about Into The Wyld
The festival is divided into three themes: Nature, Chivalry and Spirituality. The events below are all connected to the theme of NATURE.
All events are FREE to attend but must be booked in advance via the link below (except the first half of Alice Colquhoun’s performance 2-3:30pm, which is drop-in)
Saturday 3rd August, 3 – 4:30pm Talk by Sarah Peverley on Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.
Join Professor Sarah Peverley for some quality time with one of the most famous pieces of literature produced in medieval England.
Info & Booking

Friday 9th August, 6:30 – 8pm Reimagining The Wirral: Poetry reading by Eleanor Rees.
Internationally-recognised poet Eleanor Rees will read two long, immersive poems which seek to take you into another world, alongside several short new poems written with the evocative landscapes of Bidston Hill and Birkenhead.
Info & Booking

Saturday 24th August 10am – 12pm Children’s Workshops led by Madeleine Smart
A storytelling performance and creative workshop for children and families. Follow Gawain’s journey from King Arthur’s court, through the wildness of the Wirral and onwards. Will Gawain keep his oath to the fearsome Green Knight and submit to his deadly axe or will he lose his head?!
Info & Booking

Friday 6th September 5 – 8:30pm (slots available for 1:1 performances) Kissing Booth: performance by Izzie Major
Immerse yourself in this interactive, one-to-one, appointment-only performance from Izzie Major, accompanied by a seductive soundscape mixed by artist Craig Sinclair.
Info & Booking

Saturday 7th September 2 – 5pm Her Alchemy Matters: Performance by Alice Colquhoun (2-3:30 drop-in performance no booking required, 4-5pm 1:1 performance slots available to book)
In this walkabout performance Colquhoun draw upon representations of the wild feminine in the Williamson, interacting with the public and the heritage exhibition on display. The performance walkabout will finish with ‘prophetic offerings’ towards the end of the day, where audience members can book in for 1.1 for a session with the character.
Info & Booking

Friday 13th September 6:30 – 8pm Conversations With The Artists moderated by Dr Catherine Morris
At the end of the exhibition the public is invited to participate in a round table conversation with the artists and the curators of the exhibition together with Dr Catherine Morris, who will moderate it. This will offer the opportunity to both the public and the artists to share ideas and explore further the cultural relevance that the tale of Sir Gawain and The Green Knight have for our complex times.
Info & Booking

Into The Wyld
2024-08-02 10:00 - 2024-12-21 17:00 | Williamson Art Gallery, Slatey Rd, Oxton, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH43 4UE, United Kingdom
Material Matters presents Into the Wyld: a festival of contemporary art exploring the continuing legacy of the medieval poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and its unique connection to the Wirral.
Into The Wyld will feature a residency by the Material Matters Collective, and work from over 20 invited artists across the region. There is also an associated programme of performance art, poetry readings, children’s workshops, film screenings and a symposium.
Material Matters’ artists will respond to key themes in the Gawain poem across three exhibitions:

Nature curated by Patric Rogers from 2nd August – 13th September
Chivalry curated by John Elcock from 19th September – 25th October
Spirituality curated by Angelo Madonna from 7th November – 21st December
Weavers a parallel programme of performance, talks, workshops and readings will be curated by Silvia Battista.

Gawain is a masterpiece text of the Middle Ages. The poem tells the story of King Arthur’s headstrong young nephew who after a dramatic bargain with a mysterious figure faces a long journey in which he must, quite literally, keep his head. Sir Gawain’s quest ‘into the wilderness of the Wirral’ is a fourteenth century narrative that will be given a radical 21st century interpretation by the artists.
Featured artists for Into the Wyld include: Angelo Madonna – Silvia Battista – John Elcock and Patric Rogers in collaboration with Amodali – Abbie Bradshaw – Nick Ball – Alice Colquhoun – Kris Darby – Will Dickie – Ryan Gauge – Anna Jane Houghton – Adrian Jeans – Oak Luca – Brendan Lyons – Izzie Major – Piotr Marchewka – Paul Mellor – Margaret O’Brien – Attila Olah – Nicky Perrin – Eleanor Rees – Sarah Jane Richards – Andrew Shaw – Craig Sinclair – Camille Smithwick – Pierce Starre – Angela Stringer – Serah Stringer – Catherine Swire and Niamh Tam.
Professor Sarah Peverley (Liverpool University) will open the programme on the 3rd August with a talk on the poem’s history and textual brilliance and the real and imaginary landscapes that Sir Gawain passes through. Each exhibition will offer a family workshop led respectively by artists Madeleine Smart and Alexandra Hales. Associate Professor Catherine Morris (Liverpool Hope University) will moderate artists’ conversations with the public at the end of each exhibition.
The symposium Spirits of Place will take place as part of the programme on 12th October – find out more and book via the link below.
Material Matters is an artists’ collective and co-operative engaged in artistic and curatorial practices that explore the inter-relationship between materiality, aesthetics and performativity under a collaborative praxis the artists call ’emotional minimalism’.
Into the Wyld is supported by Wirral Borough of Culture 2024 and Liverpool Hope University.
Weavers Events: Spirituality
More about Material Matters
More about Wirral Borough of Culture 2024

The KD Club Exhibition
2024-08-02 10:00 - 2024-09-14 17:00 | Williamson Art Gallery, Slatey Rd, Oxton, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH43 4UE, United Kingdom
An exhibition and participation space to inspire design enthusiasts this summer.
The KD Club, established by Liverpool-based designer Kirsty Doyle, has recently been working with hundreds of school pupils from across Merseyside. Children and young people have been applying their creativity to the world of design, and creating their very own outfits for mini mannequins.
Over 350 of these creations will be on display at the Williamson this summer. Visit to find a particular piece, or to admire and celebrate the talented and original visions of local young people.
If you feel inspired to flex your own creative muscles, there are dedicated spaces for activity in the exhibition. The gallery will be transformed into an atelier of artistry, as visitors contribute their own works to the walls.
Suitable for ages, this celebration of design and young people’s ingenuity is not to be missed.

About The KD Club
Kirsty Doyle has over 20 years of experience in the fashion industry, from winning Project Catwalk UK in the 2nd year of university to owning a store in Liverpool One aged 22. She has created ranges for children, women and now luxury bridal pieces.
She believes that fostering a creative mindset can profoundly impact the confidence and self-belief of young individuals, The KD Club is designed as a place where children and thrive and grow securely.

Children's drop-in workshop
2024-07-25 10:30 - 12:00 | Merseyside
Join Julie for a fun morning of arty activities suitable for all ages.
Drop into the Art Room anytime between 10:30am and 12pm to get involved with crafts and creations which you can take home.
No booking required. Donations to support activities warmly welcomed.

Absolute Beginners Upholstery Workshop: July course
2024-07-20 09:30 - 2024-07-27 13:30 | Merseyside
A two-session course on Saturday mornings, includes all materials and a footstool.
Ever wanted to try out some upholstery but not been sure where to start? This is the perfect course for you!
This is a comprehensive course with a balance of both theory and practical instruction ensuring you have the confidence to repeat at home and/or progress to the next level.
At the end of the two-session course you will have your own footstool ready to be taken home!
Book Now

The KD Club
2024-06-28 09:00 - 2024-07-05 17:00 | Williamson Art Gallery, Slatey Rd, Oxton, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH43 4UE, United Kingdom
Introducing an exciting opportunity for children and young people this summer!
The Kirsty Doyle Club are giving budding fashion designers the chance to showcase their creations in a prestigious gallery setting. Participants will have the opportunity to attend a class with Kirsty, where they created a 3D fashion look on a mini mannequin.
The completed pieces will then be displayed at the Williamson over the summer.
The aim of this project is to boost self-confidence and nurture creativity, offering a truly unforgettable experience.
If you’re inspired to become a young fashion designer, get involved by contacting us. Entries close 5th July.
Get in touch
Find Out More About The KD Club

North Wales Society of Fine Art
2024-06-26 10:00 - 2024-07-20 17:00 | Williamson Art Gallery, Slatey Rd, Oxton, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH43 4UE, United Kingdom
The North Wales Society of Fine Art was established in 1990 by founder president Margaret Stevens. Its purpose was to encourage the promotion of botanical artwork across North Wales and into the North West of England. The Society has since thrived and evolved into a more eclectic mix of artists, who display a wide range of inspiration and ideas through diverse styles and media.
Artists invited to join the Society demonstrate both technical excellence and individual creativity in fine art. The subject matter varies from botanical, landscape, portraiture, still-life and wildlife. Media used include oil, acrylic, and watercolour paints, ink, pencil and pastels, textile artwork and sculpture.
This exhibition will showcase recent work by members of the society.
Meet The Artists: On Saturday 29th June the Society will be holding a Meet & Greet in the gallery. Drop in 1-3pm to meet the artists and learn more about their work.

Take the work home! Many of the works included in the Williamson Open 2024 – including those by the guest judges – are for sale. Williamson Art Gallery is a participating gallery in Arts Council England’s Own Art scheme. Own Art makes purchasing original artworks more affordable by making it possible to pay in 10 equal, interest-free monthly payments. Amounts between £100 and £2500 can be applied for.
To find out more and to apply for the Own Art scheme, please make an appointment at the front desk.

Make Music Day with Medical Negligence
2024-06-21 18:30 - 20:30 | Williamson Art Gallery, Slatey Rd, Oxton, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH43 4UE, United Kingdom
Bringing their great music back to the Williamson, we’re pleased to welcome back Medical Negligence for another live performance.
The band put their own unique twist on well-known songs from recent decades, from the Everley Brothers in the 60’s to 80’s music like Erasure and more recent songs by the Foo Fighters. There’ll be something for every taste!
The Cafe will be open for drinks (including alcohol) and light bites (last hot food orders 8pm).
This performance will be live-streamed online as part of Make Music Day, an annual celebration of music-making that takes place in communities across the world on the 21st June.
Make Music Day

Mallory & Irvine – 100 Years
2024-06-06 18:00 - 20:00 | Williamson Art Gallery, Slatey Rd, Oxton, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH43 4UE, United Kingdom
SOLD OUT
2024 marks the 100th anniversary of the first British attempt to reach the summit of Mount Everest. But did you know that both George Mallory and Andrew ‘Sandy’ Irvine both spent time in their childhoods in Birkenhead?
To commemorate this anniversary we will welcome Julie Summers to the Williamson for a talk on Sandy Irvine, his life at Park Road South, Birkenhead, and his role in this historic expedition. Julie will speak about Sandy’s early life in Birkenhead, his rowing career and his successful crossing of the Norwegian Island of Spitsbergen before focusing on the 1924 Mount Everest expedition. There is no mystery in British mountaineering more famous than the story of George Mallory and Sandy Irvine. Julie will give background to the early Everest expeditions (1921, 1922) before zooming in on 1924 and sharing her thoughts on whether or not the two Birkenhead men reached the summit of the world’s highest mountain 29 years before Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary.
Julie Summers is Sandy Irvine’s great niece and biographer. She started working on the 1924 Mount Everest expedition over 25 years ago and published Fearless on Everest: The Quest for Sandy Irvine in 2000. It remains in print. Since then she has written 13 more works on non-fiction, worked a stint as the Chairman of the Mountain Heritage Trust and is currently the Royal Literary Fund Fellow at Kellogg College, Oxford.

Wirral MakeFest 2024
2024-06-01 10:00 - 16:00 | Merseyside
Wirral MakeFest, the highly anticipated festival celebrating creativity, innovation, and community, returns for its 2nd annual event. Taking place across the Williamson Art Gallery & Museum and Birkenhead Central Library. Wirral MakeFest promises to be a day filled with inspiration, learning, and hands-on experiences for all ages.
With a wide array of activities, workshops, and exhibits, Wirral MakeFest 2024 offers something for everyone. From technology enthusiasts to artists, scientists, crafters, and hobbyists with a theme of sustainability. This year’s event is set to be the most diverse and engaging yet and is part of the Liverpool City Region’s Borough of Culture programme.
The one day free festival will feature:

Drop in and scheduled workshops : Engage in interactive workshops covering topics such as coding, 3D printing, and sustainable living. We are delighted that the team from Seacombe’s Eureka! Science and Discovery will be sharing their “Chew to Poo” activities all about digestion throughout the day from the library.
Exhibits: Explore a variety of exhibits showcasing technology, art, and DIY culture.
Demos: Witness fascinating demonstrations from local makers and the UK, including virtual electronics, woodcarving, model making and more.
Hands-On Activities: Dive into hands-on activities, including crafting, upcycling, Lego building and experimental projects.
Performances from local poets and musicians at both venues.
An exciting use of space inside and out with a pop up cafe in the library’s pocket park and integration of the wonderful “Going to the Match” Lowry exhibition into some of the activities at the Williamson.
Community: Connect with fellow makers, creators, and innovators from the Wirral area and beyond.

Wirral MakeFest 2024 is free and open to the public, welcoming families, students, professionals, and hobbyists alike. Whether you’re a seasoned maker or just starting, there is something for everyone to enjoy at this year’s event.
“Wirral MakeFest is a celebration of the incredible creativity and innovation within our community,” said Alison Bailey Smith, director of Wirral MakeFest C.I.C. “We are thrilled to provide a platform for people of all ages and backgrounds to come together, learn, and be inspired. Very pleased to be part of the Borough of Culture programme and to have secured some funding through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund”.
www.wirralmakefest.co.uk.

Schultz/Chatterton Music & Poetry
2024-05-31 18:30 - 20:30 | Merseyside
Alison Schultz is a poet and musician from Wirral, with a background in teaching up to postgraduate level. She is one of the team who deliver Wirral Poetry Festival annually, curates a monthly performance night The Wordsmithery, and is currently working on her third collection. Her two previous volumes Eyes on the Bright Horizon (2018) and Observatory (2021) are available on Amazon.
Since 2022, Alison has been performing at Arts Centres and galleries with acclaimed guitarist John Chatterton. John specialises in atmospheric and emotive semi-improvised pieces, here accompanying the poems. The result is a dance between words and music which is hypnotic.
Each of them will do a short set separately, and then a longer, joint set.
Wirral Poetry Festival
The Wordsmithery
Alison Schultz’s books on Amazon

Wirral 3Ls Choir
2024-05-24 18:30 - 20:30 | Williamson Art Gallery, Slatey Rd, Oxton, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH43 4UE, United Kingdom
The Wirral 3Ls Choir is part of an organisation of daytime learning and leisure activities, ranging from Art to Languages and Pilates. The ‘3Ls’ in the name stands for Learning, Leisure and Laughter, and the choir epitomises these principles.
Made up of people from all over the Wirral, this adult mixed voice choir includes those who have sung in choirs all their life and those for whom singing is a new adventure.
Their repertoire includes well-known songs from the Musicals, pop songs and the classics. They will showcase some of these, led by their Music Director, Stella McGann.

At The Match: Book Launch & Artist's Talk
2024-05-23 18:00 - 20:00 | Williamson Art Gallery, Slatey Rd, Oxton, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH43 4UE, United Kingdom
Book Tickets
To celebrate LS Lowry’s famous painting ‘Going to the Match’ being on display to the public here at Williamson Museum and Art Gallery, photographer Colin McPherson will be staging a talk contrasting visual representations of football supporters now and in the past.
McPherson will draw on his own photography featured in ‘At The Match’, a newly-published compendium of images of contemporary football culture from the photography archive of When Saturday Comes magazine, to discuss how the rituals and routines of going to the match have changed through the generations.
‘At The Match’ showcases the work of Wirral-based McPherson and his colleagues Simon Gill and Paul Thompson have made over the last 20 years covering matches across the United Kingdom and Ireland at all levels from international to grassroots football. Copies of the book will be available for purchase on the night.
At the event, McPherson will also present a new piece of work inspired by Lowry’s masterpiece. Titled ‘Going to the Match (after Lowry), 2024’ it is a reimagining of the painting, taken this year at Bolton Wanderers’ Toughsheet Community Stadium (the original was a representation of the club’s former Burnden Park home).
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Colin McPherson is a photographer, filmmaker and writer whose work has appeared in When Saturday Comes since the magazine’s launch in 1986. Over the last 35 years, his photography has been published and exhibited internationally and he worked for 20 years on assignments and commissions for The Independent from 1995-2016. He is a member of the Merseyside-based SixBySix photography collective and contributes regularly to Nutmeg, the Scottish football periodical and The Blizzard.

Jazz with Mark Jones & Gerry Harrison
2024-04-26 18:30 - 20:30 | Merseyside
Gerry Harrison (piano) and Mark Jones (woodwind) is a blend of different instruments, playing hot, cool and modern jazz!
They have been playing together for many years, in a variety of jazz ensembles and duets instrumentally covering the best of the Great American Songbook hits! Venues they’ve played include Bluecoat, Liverpool ONE, MelloMello, Ship & Mitre Pub and Capstone Theatre.
Their set at the Williamson will take place in the Cafe, which will be open for drinks and light bites (last hot food orders 8pm).
Photography welcome, however no flash please.

Going To The Match On Tour
2024-04-19 10:00 - 2024-07-27 17:00 | Williamson Art Gallery, Slatey Rd, Oxton, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH43 4UE, United Kingdom
Going to the Match, painted in 1953, is LS Lowry’s best-known and most popular picture. Although he painted football-themed scenes before and after this date it is Going to the Match which has become iconic – an enduring representation of what match day means to fans.
The 1953 work shows fans arriving for a Bolton Wanderers game at their former home, Burnden Park. The painting’s iconic status has been recognised and loved by visitors of all ages: especially those who love football and those who celebrate this quintessentially Northern experience.
This hugely important and much-loved work of art had been on public display at The Lowry, Salford since it opened in 2000, courtesy of a loan by the then owners the Professional Footballers Association (PFA). Following a high-profile campaign, Going to the Match was purchased by The Lowry in Salford for The Lowry Collection at the Modern British & Irish Art Sale at Christie’s in London in October 2022, thanks to the generous support of The Law Family Charitable Foundation. The painting returned to public display at The Lowry in November 2022 as part of Salford’s Lowry Collection and The Lowry is now working with galleries and venues across the North West to ensure that the piece can be enjoyed by the widest possible audience across the region. Supported by a £95,000 grant from Arts Council England through its National Lottery Project Grants programme and additional support from the Sir Bobby Charlton Foundation, the tour will mean this iconic painting can be enjoyed by the widest possible audience across the region.
The painting is being displayed at the Williamson alongside other works by Lowry and a selection of pictures from the Williamson’s collection which place Lowry in the wider context of painting in Northern England in the mid 20th Century.
#LowryGTTM
Image Credit: LS Lowry, Going to the Match, 1953
© The Estate of L.S. Lowry. All Rights Reserved, DACS 2024

Ceramics Workshop
2024-04-17 13:00 - 16:00 | Williamson Art Gallery, Slatey Rd, Oxton, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH43 4UE, United Kingdom
Book Now

Join ceramicist Jo Williams for a ceramics workshop where you will be able to hand build and form 2 plates of differing sizes and coat in coloured slips.

You will pencil simple shapes or images on your plates then carve away the background with carving tools while your plate is leatherhard, a relaxing and mindful experience leaving you with beautiful plates to use or display.
Jo will take your plates away to clear glaze and fire and will bring them back to the Williamson for you to pick up 2 weeks later.
Suitable for all abilities including absolute beginners. All materials included.

David Clapham: The River Runs Through
2024-04-06 10:00 - 2024-06-15 17:00 | Williamson Art Gallery, Slatey Rd, Oxton, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH43 4UE, United Kingdom
Clapham’s recent work has been inspired by views of places he has lived in London and Portugal. These paintings explore the sense of how the landscape dominates the everyday experiences of life in these places, united by the common theme of the river.
Two views in particular dominate these current works. Clapham’s studio in central Portugal, where all of these works have been made over the past three years, overlooks the Ceira valley. The density of the mountainous forests contrasts with the views from Clapham’s recent London residence in Canary Wharf, a severe built environment of its high quality of marble, granite, and glass. These two contrasting views have, in their separate ways, both dominated Clapham’s recent lived experience. With canvases divided into full-scale windows the views they represent are divided, sliced into contrasting images, yet eventually reconciled. In this way Clapham explores how combinations of colours and textures may trigger unlooked-for emotional responses.
The most recent work combines these images with the black-and-white news coverage of the Ukrainian conflict that has dominated the news cycle in recent years.

Jacob Chan: Talk & Demonstration
2024-03-16 13:00 - 14:00 | Williamson Art Gallery, Slatey Rd, Oxton, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH43 4UE, United Kingdom
Join ceramicist Jacob Chan for a Saturday afternoon talk and demonstration. You’ll have the opportunity to learn about Chan’s process and the inspirations behind his work.
Chan is based in Birkenhead, and his work is heavily based around his cultural background and heritage. Being half Chinese and half English his ceramics take inspiration from traditional Chinese shapes and forms, whilst the surfaces are heavily decorated in slips and oxides that contain other raw materials such as sand, slate and broken pottery collected from around the coastlines and mountain ranges of Britain. He uses these materials to represent his Western culture and his cultural journey through his creativity.
We recently acquired a brand new work by Chan – a Foo Dog, which can currently be found in our Foyer.
Find out more about this acquisition
However the dog currently doesn’t have a name, and we’re asking our visitors to pick from the following selection:
Zhang Wei – Strong & Powerful
Wang Jun – King & Ruler
Longwei – Dragons might & Power
Jingjing – A cute & powerful name for a foo dog
Yu Shi – Jade Lion
Yu Ling – Jade Spirit
Lucheng – Journey
Xiaolong – Little Dragon
You can case your vote for your preferred name in the gallery.
A selection of Chan’s work is also available to buy. Purchases over £100 qualify for the Own Art scheme, which makes it easy and affordable for anyone and everyone to buy contemporary art and craft. To find out more speak to a member of the Front of House team.

Music by Liverpool Guitar Society
2024-03-15 18:30 - 20:30 | Williamson Art Gallery, Slatey Rd, Oxton, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH43 4UE, United Kingdom
Enjoy live music from the talented musicians of Liverpool Guitar Society.
Relax in the Williamson Cafe and enjoy an evening of classical guitar.
The Williamson Cafe is open for drinks and light bites (last hot food orders 8pm).

Spring Wreath Workshop
2024-03-15 14:00 - 16:00 | Williamson Art Gallery, Slatey Rd, Oxton, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH43 4UE, United Kingdom
Welcome in the lighter days of Spring and explore the world of floristry during a relaxed floristry workshop with Funk & Bloom!
Learn how to create a fresh Spring wreath, using sustainable techniques, and seasonal flowers and foliage.
All tools and materials supplied and leave with a colourful wreath to adorn your door or table!
Book Tickets

Craig Easton: artist talk and exhibition tour
2024-03-07 14:00 - 15:00 | Williamson Art Gallery, Slatey Rd, Oxton, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH43 4UE, United Kingdom
Book Now
To celebrate the current exhibition at the Williamson Museum & Gallery, “Craig Easton: Is Anybody Listening?”, we invite you to join a one-hour conversation delving into the ethical considerations and the evolving role of social documentary photography in contemporary society.
Craig Easton challenges conventional stereotypes of Northern communities by authentically representing them in his work. “Is Anybody Listening?” showcases two award-winning series, namely Bank Top and Thatcher’s Children, both aimed at shining light on and challenging stereotypes.
To set the stage, Craig will lead a guided tour of the exhibitions, introducing the two projects.
We encourage active participation in the discussion, exploring topics such as the role of the ‘outsider’ photographer, ethical and critically engaged approaches to community collaboration, and the growing responsibility of photographers in an era where social media alters the dynamics of storytelling.
“Is Anybody Listening?” is presented by the University of Salford, generously supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. The exhibition includes a dedicated engagement programme, “Our Time, Our Place,” – including a body of works produced by photographers mentored by Craig throughout 2023 – with the goal of inspiring and elevating the aspirations of young people across the North West region.

Is Anybody Listening? Symposium
2024-02-29 09:30 - 16:00 | Merseyside
Book Tickets
A thought-provoking exploration of socially engaged photography, inspired by the touring exhibition and engagement programme Is Anybody Listening? Our Time, Our Place.
Hear from award-winning photographer Craig Easton and socially-engaged practitioners and educators Liz Wewiora, Suzanne St Clare, and Gwen Riley Jones. Discover the impactful projects, learn about the young talents, and emerging photographers they supported, and the profound effects these initiatives had on the communities involved.
Facilitated by Sarah Lovell (Culture Lead for Liverpool City Region), the symposium will explore the ethical considerations of socially engaged photography and ask “What should we be collecting?”
Expert Speakers include Sarah Fisher (Open Eye Gallery), Lindsay Taylor (University of Salford Art Collection), Laura Jamieson (LeftCoast) and Abdul Aziz Hafiz (Blackburn College). Free to Attend.
Is Anybody Listening? Our Time, Our Place is presented by University of Salford Art Collection and generously supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Special thanks go to National Lottery players.

Choral Performance Afternoon
2024-02-24 13:30 - 15:30 | Williamson Art Gallery, Slatey Rd, Oxton, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH43 4UE, United Kingdom
An afternoon of a cappella with Creative Community and Bebington Bittermen
Join Wirral-based choirs Creative Community Choir and Bebington Bittermen for an afternoon of inspiring a cappella. Both groups perform uplifting music from around the world: you will hear songs from South Africa, Georgia and Jamaica alongside gospel, folk and classic pop. Both groups were founded over a decade ago by musical director James Sills, who is a passionate advocate for the wellbeing benefits of singing and author of the book ‘Do Sing: Reclaim Your Voice. Find Your Singing Tribe.
Performances will start at 1:30 and 2:30pm, each lasting about 40 minutes.

ENDED: The Williamson Open 2024
2024-02-16 10:00 - 2024-03-16 17:00 | Williamson Art Gallery, Slatey Rd, Oxton, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH43 4UE, United Kingdom
For 60 years the Williamson Open has celebrated the talents of artists with connections to the Wirral peninsula. In recognition of the plethora of artistic talent within the wider Liverpool City Region of which we are part, however, in 2024 we extended the eligibility criteria to all artists working in or with connections to Wirral, Liverpool, Sefton, Knowsley, Halton and St Helens.
Entries have been submitted and selections made, and we’re now looking forward to welcoming you to the Williamson Open exhibition 2024!
News: Winners of 2024 Williamson Open Revealed
Alongside this year’s entries will be special displays by this year’s guest judges Gareth Kemp and Lucy Elizabeth Jones, and Birkenhead-born artist Pete Hoida (1944-2023) – more information on these coming soon.
Take the work home! Many of the works included in the Williamson Open 2024 – including those by the guest judges – are for sale. Williamson Art Gallery is a participating gallery in Arts Council England’s Own Art scheme. Own Art makes purchasing original artworks more affordable by making it possible to pay in 10 equal, interest-free monthly payments. Amounts between £100 and £2500 can be applied for.
To find out more and to apply for the Own Art scheme, please make an appointment at the front desk.

Pete Hoida
2024-02-16 08:00 - 2024-12-21 17:00 | Williamson Art Gallery, Slatey Rd, Oxton, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH43 4UE, United Kingdom
Gallery 11 is currently home to an exhibition of work by Birkenhead-born artist Pete Hoida (1944-2023).
The paintings of Birkenhead-born Hoida are known for strong colour relationships alongside tonal subtlety and a unique approach to textures. Hoida studied Landscape Architecture followed by Art School at Hammersmith, priory to graduating from the extended diploma course at Goldsmiths. His work has been authoritatively endorsed in essays by Mel Gooding and Chris Stephens, and is well regarded by his peers. Hoida lived and worked in Stroud, for over 40 years in the same hillside studio.
The Williamson has acquired his painting ‘Uisghe’ for our collections, but all other paintings currently on display are for sale (however, please note that the are not eligible for the Own Art Scheme).
Please note this exhibition may not be accessible when meetings are in progress.
Own Art

Craig Easton: Is Anybody Listening?
2024-01-26 10:00 - 2024-04-06 17:00 | Williamson Art Gallery, Slatey Rd, Oxton, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH43 4UE, United Kingdom
Williamson Art Gallery & Museum presents Craig Easton: Is Anybody Listening?, a touring exhibition from the University of Salford Art Collection which showcases two award-winning series of photographs; Bank Top and Thatcher’s Children.
Craig Easton: Is Anybody Listening? seeks to challenge typical stereotypes of northern communities through authentic representation and raise aspirations of young people within the region through an accompanying engagement programme called Our Time, Our Place.
The engagement programme, Our Time, Our Place being exhibited alongside Easton’s work, has empowered young people to explore their own history and share it through pathways in photography and associated practices.
Is Anybody Listening? Our Time, Our Place is presented by the University of Salford and generously supported by The National Heritage Lottery Fund.

About Craig Easton

Easton won Photographer of the Year (2021) at the Sony World Photography Awards with his series Bank Top, a collaboration with writer, poet and social researcher Abdul Aziz Hafiz, examining the representation and misrepresentation of northern communities. Commissioned by Blackburn Museum & Art Gallery, the work focused on a small, tight-knit community in Blackburn.
He also took second place in the documentary category for Thatcher’s Children, which explores the inter-generational nature of poverty and economic hardship as experienced by three generations of one family across the Northwest.
A passionate believer in working collaboratively with others, Easton also conceived and led the critically acclaimed SIXTEEN project with sixteen leading photographers exploring the hopes, ambitions and fears of sixteen-year-olds all around the UK, in which Williamson Art Gallery also participated as an exhibiting gallery.
He often tackles stereotypes and responds to the negative way in which the mainstream media can portray Northern communities. The relevance of Easton’s work has resurfaced in a new light as communities endure the cost-of-living crisis and face new challenges and segregation.
The exhibition comes at the same time as the launch of Easton’s new book centred on his award-winning Thatcher’s Children series. Quotes from successive prime ministers demonstrate how deprivation is connected to the social policy failures of successive governments.
The exhibition marks the start of Wirral’s year as Borough of Culture for the Liverpool City Region. Wirral Borough of Culture 2024 is a year of incredible experiences in incredible places, reflecting Wirral’s story and celebrating its people. The programme features a diverse line-up of culture, arts and heritage across the whole borough and shines a spotlight on Wirral’s creative community and the regeneration of the Left Bank of the River Mersey. Wirral Borough of Culture 2024 is led by Wirral Council and local cultural partners, with support from Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Worst Record Covers
2023-11-15 10:00 - 2024-01-27 17:00 | Williamson Art Gallery, Slatey Rd, Oxton, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH43 4UE, United Kingdom
15th November 2023 – 27th January 2024
From the unintentionally funny to the completely bizarre, Steve Goldman’s collection of more than 500 record covers are something to behold. Collected over a seven-year period from charity shops and online marketplaces, Goldman’s selection criteria is stringent: Is this one of the worst record covers in the world? The exhibition of this collection, Worst Record Covers is a unique celebration of some of the most questionable design choice in music history.
Goldman explains that to get into his collection, a cover “has to make me laugh! There are plenty of covers which are bad for the wrong reasons – sexist, homophobic, racist, gory etc – you won’t find any of these. I want records where the designers have tried to do something that’s gone horribly wrong”.
Visitors will have the opportunity to have their say on which is the best – or worst – via a public vote to select a favourite. This is an exhibition which can be enjoyed by the whole family, and younger visitors can enjoy games and activities, including designing their own worst record covers.
The exhibition will run 15th November 2023 – 27th January 2024. Free entry – but Goldman is a stroke survivor and is staging the exhibition in aid of Different Strokes, a charity helping younger stroke survivors.
EVENTS:
Saturday 13th January, 2pm: Talk ‘Designing the Worst Album Covers’ with Simon Robinson (text author of The Art Of The Bizarre Vinyl Sleeve). Book on Tickets Wirral
Thursday 18th January, 6pm: ‘Pull Back The Covers’ with Brian Biggs, Alan Dunn & Steve Hardstaff. Book on Tickets Wirral.
Book events on Tickets Wirral
The exhibition’s opening will also mark the publication of Goldman’s book “The Art Of The Bizarre Vinyl Sleeve”, published by Easy On The Eye Books. The text is written by Simon Robinson at Easy On The Eye, who has produced many sleeve designs himself (happily none of which feature in Steve’s collection!) with a foreword written by comedian Stewart Lee.

The New Light Prize
2023-10-14 14:00 - 15:00 | Williamson Art Gallery, Slatey Rd, Oxton, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH43 4UE, United Kingdom
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ENDED: The New Light Prize
2023-09-30 10:00 - 2023-12-22 17:00 | Williamson Art Gallery, Slatey Rd, Oxton, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH43 4UE, United Kingdom
THIS EXHIBITION ENDED ON 22ND DECEMBER 2023
We are proud to host the launch of the New Light Prize exhibition 23/24.
Established in 2010, the New Light charity celebrates and promotes Northern art, supporting both well-known and emerging artists by offering some of the region’s best awards and opportunities with the biennial New Light Prize Exhibition. It provides Northern artists with an unparalleled platform to showcase their work and reach new audiences.
The New Light Prize exhibition tour 23/24 begins with this show at the Williamson, open 30th September – 22nd December 2023. Free entry, check our Visit Us page for full visiting information.
Following its time at the Williamson the Prize exhibition will tour to London’s Bankside Gallery, The Gallery at Rheged in Penrith, The Biscuit Factory, Newcastle and finish at The Mercer Art Gallery in Harrogate on 31st December 2024.
All artwork is available to purchase, and every purchase supports the viability of participants artistic careers. We are a member of the Own Art scheme, which makes it easy and affordable for anyone to buy contemporary art by providing interest-free loans. Speak to staff in the gallery for further information.
FREE EVENTS:
Saturday 14th October, 2-3pm, POSTPONED until Saturday 11th November 2-3pm, FREE: ‘Unlocking New Light Art’ exhibition tour & talk with Sara Riccardi. SOLD OUT
Friday 3rd November, 6-8pm FREE: ‘Assembled Interiors’ workshop with Josie Jenkins. SOLD OUT
