DDFI40: Painting in Light
2025-03-05 10:00 - 2025-03-29 17:00 UTC | Williamson Art Gallery, Slatey Rd, Oxton, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH43 4UE, United Kingdom
Williamson Art Gallery is proud to be a participating venue in DaDaFest 2025.
Zoe Partington has created light sculptures featuring slogans which have relevance to disability activism and issues disabled people experience. The work conveys stories, messages and insights into disabled people’s struggles in a world in where society still excludes us from the mainstream. Disabled people still exist ‘on the edges’ and have to fight for equity. These neon signs convey a snapshot of disability history in a simple format with a powerful message.
Her piece ‘Love Not Pity’ will be exhibited in Gallery 4, alongside our current exhibition Philip Wilson Steer: In Conversation. Zoe’s work is based upon the slogans of the British disability movement of the late 1980s and early 1990s. Sitting within an exhibition of nude figures which adhere to conventional beauty standards, the piece makes us question attitudes towards and depictions of disabled people, and charges the slogan with contemporary meaning.
Further pieces from the Painting In Light series will be based in other venues around the Liverpool City Region including The Bluecoat, The Palm House in Sefton Park, Liverpool Lime Street Station, Shakespeare North, Citizens Advice Wavertree and more.
More information about DaDaFest 2025 and Zoe Partington’s work can be found on DaDaFest’s website.
Access: This exhibition can be viewed in person at the venues taking part and will be available to view online (with ALT Text descriptions and supporting audio information). Further access and venue info will be linked here soon.
About DDFI40:
DaDaFest International returns 8th-31st March 2025 to celebrate DaDa’s 40th Anniversary and this time we are coming with ‘RAGE: A Quiet Riot’.
DDFI40 will showcase work by disabled artists that captures all shapes and sides of rage. From the internal quiet frustrations and righteous rage, to overt injustice and activism, DDFI40 will explore disability rights, disability arts, access, ableism and ‘Rage’ in an explosion of creativity.
dadafest.co.uk

Live Music with Annie Long
2025-03-08 14:00 - 16:00 | Williamson Art Gallery, Slatey Rd, Oxton, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH43 4UE, United Kingdom
Popular local jazz and blues singer Annie is back with her smooth velvety tones, accompanied by her talented and versatile musicians for an afternoon session in the Cafe.

Annie Long-vocals
Keith Singleton-guitar
Michael Hughes- vibes

Roots of Fashion - the Betty Smithers Design Collection
2025-03-13 10:00 - 2025-04-02 17:00 | Williamson Art Gallery, Slatey Rd, Oxton, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH43 4UE, United Kingdom
This exhibition showcases specially selected garments and accessories from The Betty Smithers Design Collection, University of Staffordshire, to commemorate the centenary anniversary of the Callister Trust, which resulted in the creation of the Callister Garden.
The Betty Smithers Design Collection (BSDC) is a teaching and research collection of over 7000 objects mainly from the 20th-century housed in the Department of Creative Industries, University of Staffordshire.
Each of the items on display around the Williamson Gallery present the ongoing transience and temporal nature of fashion, reflecting the continual changes within society, culture and politics.
The garments and accessories hold a lived bodily experience, signifying moments in time, revealing varying narratives, telling their own unique story, and ultimately forming a collective inspirational statement of liberation and freedom of expression.
This exhibition is presented in collaboration with Roots of Fashion by The Callister Trust, taking place at the Williamson on 2oth March. Edward Callister championed women, establishing a Girls’ Club in Argyle Street, Birkenhead, in 1925. The Callister Garden was created as a safe place for women and is situated in an area with strong links to the Suffrage Movement. This exhibition celebrates many of the key moments of women’s fashion from every decade of the Callister Garden’s history, beginning from its inception in the 1920s to the present day.
Betty Smithers Exhibition curated by Senior Lecturer Angela Devoti -University of Staffordshire
Exhibition Tour & Talk – Wednesday 2nd April, 10:30am or 2:30pm – FREE
Find Out More
Roots of Fashion

Music by Creative Community Choir and Bebington Bittermen
2025-03-21 19:00 - 20:00 | Merseyside
Creative Community Choir and Bebington Bittermen are local choirs who perform uplifting a cappella music encompassing a number of different musical traditions, led by their musical director James Sills. Expect to hear heavenly harmonies from the around the world, making the most of the beautiful acoustics of our gallery.
Their performances will be during Art After Dark, a night of creative exploration across Birkenhead.
About Art After Dark

Curator Tours: Richards and Steer
2025-03-26 11:00 - 2026-01-09 17:00 | Merseyside
Join our Collections Manager Josh for a tour of the two exhibitions curated from our collection, exploring the works of Albert Richards and Philip Wilson Steer.

These talks will offer the opportunity for you to find out more about the narrative of each exhibition, the stories we wanted each exhibition to tell, and give you background into the lives of each artist. There will be one talk a month throughout 2025. Please consider giving a donation with your booking to support the work of the Williamson.

Click Here to Book Now

Dates & Times:
Friday 22nd August, 6pm
Wednesday 17th September, 11am
Friday 24th October, 6pm
Wednesday 12th November, 11am
Friday 9th January, 6pm

Talk and Q&A with Landlines Studio
2025-03-28 18:00 - 20:00 | Williamson Art Gallery, Slatey Rd, Oxton, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH43 4UE, United Kingdom
Book Now
Join Angela and Nicky of Landlines Studio for a talk and Q&A about their current exhibition Un/Earthed.
Discover more about their creative process, inspirations, and the themes that shape their work.
This is a unique opportunity to hear directly from the artists, gain insights into their practice, and ask questions in an informal and welcoming setting.
Exhibition Information

The Betty Smithers Collection: Exhibition Tour & Talk
2025-04-02 10:30 - 15:30 | Merseyside
Senior Lecturer and Fashion Researcher, Angela Devoti, University of Staffordshire shall be delivering guided live tours and lectures about the Betty Smithers Exhibition on Wednesday 2nd April at the Williamson Art Gallery.

The guided tour and lecture will also include further specially selected handling objects from the Betty Smithers collection which relate to each of the decades the garments are associated with. This is a unique opportunity to encounter and connect with many different Fashion movements and revealing narratives.

Book Now

Open Studios with Steve des Landes
2025-04-04 18:00 - 2025-12-19 20:30 | Williamson Art Gallery, Slatey Rd, Oxton, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH43 4UE, United Kingdom
Throughout 2025, Steve des Landes is Artist in Residence at the Williamson. With a studio in our Art Room, his intention starting the residency was to work on larger-scale paintings.
He will be hosting Open Studio sessions every Friday evening, 6 – 8:30pm. Between these hours you can drop into his studio, see what he’s working on and ask any questions. No booking required, just pop into the gallery on Friday evenings.
You can also follow Steve’s progress on our social media channels
Read more about Steve des Landes’s residency

Live music from Northwestern
2025-04-26 13:00 - 15:00 | Merseyside
Northwestern is a clear statement of intent from two fine musicians and songwriters, who we are delighted to welcome back to the Williamson after their last fantastic performance.
Chris Howarth is a singer songwriter based in Cheshire. After an early history in local bands Chris came back to music after a long career in business and re-launched himself with a bang, recording 6 studio albums in nearly as many years. Chris has enjoyed a productive few years, playing his original songs at venues and local festivals, mainly in the Northwest, most recently at locations like Venue Cymru in Llandudno. Although Chris has been mainly a solo performer, more recently he has been supported by musical friends at many of his performances but his recent creative collaborations with Adrian Hough have been a genuine highlight of the last few months and he can’t wait to bring some of their joint efforts out into the world!
​Adrian Hough is a bottleneck guitarist from Cheshire who has been playing in bands since he was fourteen. Early influences from Paul Kossoff, Duane Allman and Ry Cooder shaped his style, focussing upon emotive playing and an emphasis upon space and hitting the note.

Praise for Northwestern
“acoustic slide specialist…as stunning as it is varied.”-Guitarist Magazine.
“sublime slide work.”-Guardian.
“…tasty slide-work…mighty fine.”[-Bluesmatters magazine].
Find Northwestern on Facebook
northwesternmusic.com

Yoga & Sound: A Wellness Experience by Milap
2025-05-07 12:30 - 2025-05-21 13:50 | Merseyside
Join holistic wellbeing practitioner Siân Griffin for a guided session combining yoga, meditation, and a deeply restorative sound bath.
Each class begins with pranayama—gentle breathwork to centre the mind and ground the body—followed by a movement practice tailored to the needs of the group. Whether a dynamic vinyasa flow or a slower hatha-style session, postures are adapted for all abilities, ensuring everyone feels supported and included.
The final part of the session includes more breathwork and a 20-minute sound bath using crystal singing bowls, yoga nidra and guided meditation to bring about a state of deep calm and inner stillness.
Siân is the founder of Thalassa Therapies and a certified yoga teacher with over a decade of experience in psychotherapy, trauma-informed practice, breathwork, and therapeutic sound healing. Her work supports individuals, groups, and organisations to build self-awareness and create space for personal transformation.
Expect a calm, welcoming environment to relax, reconnect, and reset.

Book Now
About MILAP

Film Screening 'The Nettle Dress'
2025-05-23 18:00 - 20:00 | Williamson Art Gallery, Slatey Rd, Oxton, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH43 4UE, United Kingdom
Book Tickets
Landlines Studio present a screening of the film ‘The Nettle Dress’, as part of the programme of events for their current retrospective “Un/Earthed”.
Textile artist Allan Brown spends seven years making a dress by hand, using only the fibre of locally foraged stinging nettles. This is ‘hedgerow couture’, the greenest of slow fashion and also his medicine. It’s how he survives the death of his wife Alex and how he finds a beautiful way to honour her.
Director Dylan Howitt says: ‘This is a story about the deep value of creativity and imagination, and a slow, mindful craft that is more in tune with the natural world.’
Produced, directed, filmed and edited by Dylan Howitt
Foraged, spun, woven and sewn by Allan Brown
“Exquisite, beautiful and inspiring” – Sir Mark Rylance
This event is part of the programme for Un/Earthed – A Retrospective by Landlines Studio, which runs 12th February – 28th June.
Exhibition Information

Live music from Orange Zebra
2025-05-30 14:00 - 20:00 | Merseyside
Orange Zebra are a six-piece band playing a mix of jazz, blues and rock.
They’ll be playing music all afternoon on Friday 30th May, from 2pm-8pm, in the Williamson Foyer. This isn’t a formal concert, just drop-in whenever you want and stay for as much long as you like.
The performance is free, but charity donations are warmly welcomed.
The Williamson Cafe will be open throughout serving hot and cold drinks, light bites and snacks.

Watercolour Live
2025-05-31 11:00 - 16:00 | Williamson Art Gallery, Slatey Rd, Oxton, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH43 4UE, United Kingdom
To accompany the display of watercolours by JMW Turner, we welcome watercolour artist Janine Pinion to work live in the gallery for a day.
Janine has lived in Wirral for 28 years and takes inspiration from the coastal landscape and sky. She won the Williamson Open Purchase Prize in 2018 and has specialised in watercolour for the past decade.
Her technique is based on natural processes and produces effects of light that echo artists such as Turner. She challenges perceptions that watercolour is a difficult, secondary choice of medium and invites you to witness its magic.
Drop in anytime to watch Janine work and ask questions about her practice.

Ben Youdan 'Mask'
2025-06-05 10:00 - 2025-09-13 17:00 | Williamson Art Gallery, Slatey Rd, Oxton, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH43 4UE, United Kingdom
As part of a series of interventions in our Philip Wilson Steer ‘In Conversation’ exhibition, the Williamson has invited the Liverpool artist, Ben Youdan, to feature a work that contrasts and explores the themes found within Steer’s work.
Youdan’s practice employs a wide variety of techniques and processes including collage, drawing, painting, printmaking and photography, to create imagery that takes inspiration from the iconography and ephemera of popular culture as well as his lived experience. His pieces explore themes such as identity, glamour and sexuality in an unapologetically Queer fashion.

EVENT: On Friday 22nd August at 1pm join Ben Youdan in conversation to find our more about his practice and process. Free, but booking recommended.
Book Now

In Youdan’s own words:
“As an artist, I am interested in exploring the notion that the masks we wear can reveal something intrinsic to our nature. These masks can be physical or psychological. The anonymity of concealing our physical appearance can have a liberating effect, that emboldens the individual to explore their true nature. This inherent contradiction is particularly prevalent within queer sexual subcultures.
Steer’s work is often seen as voyeuristic, whereas mine revels in a more exhibitionist nature, born out of lived experience.
Whilst Steer’s work has a muted, naturalistic colour palette, my work revels in its own artifice. The colours selected are deliberately synthetic, clashing, and even gaudy, but with a self-awareness and exuberance that reflects the unapologetic nature of the subject. In many ways this work is the polar opposite of the muted tones and perceived repression found within some of Steer’s work in this exhibition.
In traditional portraiture, the eyes are typically what the viewer engages with, setting the mood for the piece and revealing a vulnerability in the subject. With ‘Mask’, the eyes are deliberately obscured, presenting my subject in a way that is vulnerable, honest and open in a way that protects them, allowing them to remain indifferent to the judgement they might receive. Where Steer’s subjects are laid bare in a passive, open manner, mine retains their agency and power by presenting an authentic version of themselves and their sexuality – on their terms.
The image of the gas mask can be interpreted in a variety of ways. In this specific intervention it is a device used in sexual role-play in a variety of fetish subcultures which deviate from the mainstream. It often denotes a submissive person who has elected to give themselves over completely to the gratification of a dominant partner. To a mainstream observer, this can often have darker connotations. This piece aims to subvert that presumption. Instead of black shiny rubber, it is presented in pink shiny glitter, challenging preconceived notions of alternative sexual expression.
My complex, handmade, mixed media portraits take inspiration from my lived experience of pop culture, the ephemera of daily life and queer subcultures.”
Part of Independents Biennial 2025

Philip Wilson Steer: In Conversation
Ben Youdan’s website

Artist A & Artist B: The Long Haul
2025-07-09 10:00 - 2025-09-13 17:00 | Williamson Art Gallery, Slatey Rd, Oxton, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH43 4UE, United Kingdom
‘The Long Haul’ is an installation by Jackie Haynes and Heather Mullender-Ross, collectively named Artist A & Artist B. The installation has been commissioned by Wirral Council as part of Liverpool Independent’s Biennial 2025.
The net which hangs in the central space is constructed from a decommissioned cargo parachute and is one of a number of evolving artworks and performances created using this fabric. The audio is a recording of two songs based on traditional sea shanties, arranged and performed by Liverpool Shanty Choir with lyrics by Artist A & Artist B, which will be released as a limited edition 7” single.
‘What Were They Thinking’ is a shanty telling the story of Artist A & Artist B’s artwork. From their purchase of a cargo parachute on Ebay, the song narrates how the parachute became a site responsive artwork; it was cut down and made into blankets to host a public picnic, constructed as table cloths, tent dresses and a tennis court for a Dada-esque performance. In the second shanty, ‘Haul The Old Parachute Along’, Artist A & Artist B use collective protesting through the shanty verse to highlight the often precarious pay and conditions endured by many contemporary artists.
Event: On 13th September there will be a closing event featuring a live performance at the Williamson with Liverpool Shanty Choir, a screening of their film ‘The Surplus Badge’ (2023), and the opportunity to purchase the limited edition single.
Free Tickets to Liverpool Shanty Choir performance
Independents Biennial 2025
Photo credit: Ash Hardman.

I'll Tell You Later: BSL Happy Snappers and Emma Case
2025-07-16 10:00 - 2025-11-01 17:00 | Williamson Art Gallery, Slatey Rd, Oxton, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH43 4UE, United Kingdom
NOW EXTENDED TO 1ST NOVEMBER
An inspiring exhibition showcasing the work of the Happy Snappers, a Wirral-based photography group made up of both Deaf and BSL users.
I’ll Tell You Later explores the relationship between the Deaf experience and the hearing world. It sheds light on the barriers D/deaf individuals face, while showing the Happy Snappers as a powerful example of how inclusive, supportive communities can break down these obstacles. Through their work, the group highlights the importance of creating a more inclusive society that benefits everyone.
This exhibition is an opportunity to engage in meaningful conversation through the lens of photography.
Happy Snappers are a group of friends who are both Deaf and BSL users. They get together and enjoy life outside and explore some of the Wirral’s hidden locations and beautiful scenery, and capture these locations on camera. They are not a professional photography group but share the same love of meeting people, socialising and having fun.
Emma Case is a socially engaged photographer working with local communities focusing on projects that often explore home, identity, memory and place. Emma is interested in building real relationships over time and working collectively, often looking at social issues and their impact but through the lens of changing the narrative through storytelling. Emma is fluent in British Sign Language and has worked with the Deaf community for over 20 years; from support worker with SignHealth to Actress with Deafinitely Theatre. Emma is extremely passionate about accessibility for Deaf audiences and artists within cultural spaces.
I’ll Tell You Later is part of Photo Here, a programme of socially engaged photographic residencies and exhibitions commissioned by Liverpool City Region Combined Authority as part of this year’s Cultural Events Programme. Developed by Open Eye Gallery in collaboration with each of six local authorities: Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St Helens and Wirral.

Broken Grey Wires: Who Wants Flowers When They Are Dead?
2025-07-25 10:00 - 2025-09-13 17:00 | Williamson Art Gallery, Slatey Rd, Oxton, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH43 4UE, United Kingdom
WHO WANTS FLOWERS WHEN THEY ARE DEAD? is a new exhibition by Broken Grey Wires, exploring grief, loss, identity and community.
‘My dad died five years ago, which was a huge shock that I am still suffering with now. Grief is something that I am confused and frustrated by, it is a soul destroying emotion. The drawing on the poster is of my dad, I drew this when I was about 7 years old.’ (Lizz Brady)
The exhibition will offer a space to reflect, connect, and begin processing experiences of loss. It invites audiences to think openly, share their stories, and engage in honest conversations about grief and healing.
As part of the exhibition, a newly designed Comfort Zone space will be introduced in the gallery, along with fresh toolkits to support exploration and dialogue.
Confirmed artists:
Marcelina Amelia
Jacqui Barrowcliffe
Lizz Brady
Candy Chang
Antony Connelly
Harri Harrison
Chris Jones
Jasleen Kaur
Gurinder Kumar
Jess Loveday
Mercedes Lucy
Ana Mendieta
Zayd Menk
Amy Mizrahi
Sophie New
Dolly Sen
Emily Simpson
EVENT Preserving Ghosts: A Workshop About Picking & Grief. Saturday 06 September, 1pm
Book Now

About Broken Grey Wires:
At Broken Grey Wires (BGW) their mission is to create ambitious and inclusive projects where artists with mental health challenges and/or neurodivergent individuals are empowered through creative opportunities.
Their unique approach stems from their leadership, which includes individuals with lived experiences of mental health challenges, disability and neurodivergence—ensuring that radical empathy and authenticity drive their work. Over the years, they have curated ground-breaking visual art exhibitions that push the boundaries of communication, depicting the nuanced experiences of mental health in ways that resonate deeply with audiences and participants alike.
By continuously engaging with their audiences, they encourage people to dismantle the stigma around mental illness, allowing individuals to embrace their identities and manage their mental health with confidence, autonomy and encouragement
Part of Independents Biennial 2025
Independents Biennial 2025

Image © Candy Chang, photo by Ahmed Alameri

Sounds of the Mandolin with Julian Rees
2025-07-25 18:30 - 20:30 | Merseyside
Julian Rees is a teacher, musician and mandolinist, author of the Mel Bay publication, “Welsh Airs and Dance Tunes for Mandolin”, and composer of “Ymdaith Idris/March of Idris,” as featured by award-winning author, Claire Fayers.
Through his YouTube channel, Julian showcases rare and traditional tunes, many unavailable elsewhere, offering a unique musical resource:

Julian’s YouTube Channel
Claire Fayers website

Wirral Theatre Festival - Family Shows
2025-08-15 13:00 - 15:00 | Merseyside
Wirral Theatre Festival aims to showcase local stories and nurture professional talent either entering or re-emerging into the industry.
The Festival takes place at the Williamson on Friday 15th August, and then at the Floral Pavilion on Saturday 16th.
Saturday afternoon is all about family-friendly shows.
1pm: Trapped in Williamson Art Gallery
A group of friends think it’ll be a great idea to hide in the gallery and sleepover. After dodging security and the building being locked down the friends begin to explore. Darkness soon gets the better of them, and they decide to tell some tales to keep themselves from being scared. Will they survive the night, and more importantly, will they set off all the alarms?
Come and help the friends tell their stories and delve into the magical worlds that they create amongst them!
2pm – Spooky Tales
Four friends meet every Friday to share the scariest tales they’ve found that week at the ‘Friday Night Fright Club’. Who will get scared the most, and who has the best story to tell? Featuring local legends and magical myths, this show is family-friendly, but not for the faint-hearted!
This show includes the winning entry from the Wirral Theatre Festival Writing Competition in 2024.

One ticket gets you access to both shows! £8 children, £12 adults, or group booking rates available.
Book Now

Wirral Theatre Festival - Evening Shows
2025-08-15 18:00 - 21:30 | Williamson Art Gallery, Slatey Rd, Oxton, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH43 4UE, United Kingdom
Wirral Theatre Festival aims to showcase local stories and nurture professional talent either entering or re-emerging into the industry.
The Festival takes place at the Williamson on Friday 15th August, and then at the Floral Pavilion on Saturday 16th.
Saturday evening is a showcase of new writing. One ticket gets you access to all the shows performed this evening. The first show starts at 6pm.
Second Chance
A one-man-show about a prisoner on death row. He shares his story – his troubled past, the love that gave him hope, and the moment everything changed. With time running out, he reflects on the choices, the fate, and the justice that led him here. Will he get his second chance? Raw, emotional, and deeply human—Second Chance will leave you questioning everything.
Octavia
A tragedy wherein Paul, the husband, goes to space, leaving Adelaide, his wife, to raise their son on her own. The play utilises multi-roling aside from the two leads. It is a tragedy, with themes of marital issues and grief. It is the first part of a trilogy exploring the stages of grief, this in particular studies depression and anger, but by the end potential hope and acceptance.
Date Night
Back by popular demand, our comedy from 2024 is getting a refresh! Jenna feels trapped, James feels lost, Sonny needs a break and Sheila just wants to be loved. When all these worlds collide, mayhem ensues. These four people were never meant to meet, but fate brought them all together. Date Night is all about love, betrayal, joy, meatballs, but most of all… the need to just communicate!
Love & Revolt
Two stories. Two lovers. Two revolutions. From the shadows of Nazi Germany to the heart of Ireland’s fight for freedom, Beneath the Ashes and Before Dawn explore the resilience of love in the face of tyranny, and the courage it takes to stand against the tide.
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In Conversation with Ben Youdan
2025-08-22 13:00 - 14:00 | Merseyside
Join artist Ben Youdan in conversation to find out more about his process of creating art.

Ben Youdan’s work ‘Mask’ is currently on display at the Williamson as part of the Independents Biennial 2025.
Youdan is a visual artist based in Liverpool, U.K. His mixed media work employs a wide variety of techniques and processes including collage, drawing, painting, printmaking and photography, to create imagery that takes inspiration from the iconography and ephemera of popular culture. His pieces explore themes such as identity, glamour and sexuality.

Book Now

A Duo of Duos
2025-08-29 18:30 - 20:30 | Williamson Art Gallery, Slatey Rd, Oxton, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH43 4UE, United Kingdom
Live Music by E n B a couple who enjoy singing and playing instruments together return to the Williamson. They perform an eclectic mix of songs from the likes of The Houghton Weavers
to the Killers via John Prine and Cat Stevens.
E n B will be joined by Pam & Keith bringing together the sounds of the Acoustic Guitar and Violin. Showcasing original music and covers of your favourite hits.
These two vibrant duos will be performing in the Café which is set to be a fabulous Friday evening.
The Café will be open for drinks and light bites.

Preserving Ghosts: A Workshop About Pickling & Grief
2025-09-06 13:00 - 15:00 | Williamson Art Gallery, Slatey Rd, Oxton, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH43 4UE, United Kingdom
Join artist Emily Simpson for a hands-on, open conversation about grief, through the grounding process of making pickles.

As part of Who Wants Flowers When They’re Dead?, exhibiting artist Emily Simpson invites people who have experienced grief to join them for a workshop centred around a communal ritual of preservation – making pickles. As we chop vegetables and prepare pickle jars together, there will be moments for reflection and conversation about grief. Pickling becomes a metaphor for the magical thinking of grief – how we carry people forward with us as we learn to live with loss. The aim is to find connection, explore grief literacy, and create a space where those living with loss can feel less alone. This workshop forms part of Emily’s artwork in the exhibition; a patchwork tablecloth and place setting for shared conversations.

The work is inspired by Emily’s experience of tending to their Dad’s allotment after his death. It speaks to the magical thinking of grief, how loss evolves, takes root in the landscape, and to a wider sense of ecological grief in our collective disconnection from nature.

Book NowPlease note:Places are limited to 8 participants so please only book if you are certain you can attend. Likewise, please get in touch if you can no longer come, so we can offer your place to someone else.
Please be Aware:
– This workshop is for anyone who has experienced grief and is ready to talk about it, or anyone who is interested in learning more about it.
– The session will focus on our experience of grief and living with loss rather than the details of a person’s death. This is to avoid more distressing subject matter.
– Whilst Emily is an experienced facilitator in this subject, they are not a trained counsellor.
– Participants are invited to be respectful and sensitive towards other people and their experiences. We recognise that taking part in an event like this requires people to be vulnerable and so participants are asked to be mindful of this and considerate of each other’s boundaries and the different stages of grief we may be in.
– The workshop aims to create a positive and affirming space. However, we recognise that it may bring up difficult emotions. Please create space for any thoughts and feelings to settle after your visit. Make time to; go for a walk, drink your favourite tea, cook something comforting, listen to your favourite song, sit by a tree. Please be gentle with yourself

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Liverpool Shanty Choir, 'The Surplus Badge' and The Long Haul
2025-09-13 14:30 - 16:30 | Williamson Art Gallery, Slatey Rd, Oxton, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH43 4UE, United Kingdom
Join Artist A & Artist B and Liverpool Shanty Choir for a live performance of their shanty songs and release of a limited edition 7” single with screen printed sleeve artwork.
Artist A & Artist B will introduce their practice and discuss ‘The Long Haul’, their new commission for Liverpool Independent’s Biennial exhibited in the Williamson’s Maritime Gallery and screen their film, The Surplus Badge, commissioned in 2023 for the British Textiles Biennial.

Book Now

Sunflower Dreams Project
2025-09-17 10:00 - 2026-01-31 17:00 | Williamson Art Gallery, Slatey Rd, Oxton, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH43 4UE, United Kingdom
The Sunflower Dreams Project is a series of exhibitions held across the EU, UK, and North America, organised by a team of international volunteers, all of whom have served in Ukraine since the full-scale war started in 2022.
The project partners with artists Nataliia and Yustyna Pavliuk, who run art healing masterclasses in Lviv, to present a sample of the paintings created by the Ukrainian children they work with. The paintings they create are filled with dreams, joy, and love for family and home.
These paintings are displayed alongside works from the Williamson’s collection by Albert Richards, the youngest official war artist to be killed in action during WWII.
Seeing them side by side offers different perspectives on the impact of war, with The Sunflower Dreams project presenting an important contemporary perspective on how war effects young lives.

More On The Sunflower Dreams Project

Wirral History & Heritage Open Days: Della Robbia and Architecture Talk
2025-09-18 10:30 - 2025-09-27 15:00 | Williamson Art Gallery, Slatey Rd, Oxton, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH43 4UE, United Kingdom
As part of Wirral History and Heritage Open Days, the Williamson will be taking a deep dive into the collection.

Join our Collections Manager Josh as we delve into the early history of Della Robbia ceramics, focusing on the beautiful panels made by the company to adorn buildings in the local area.
FREE to attend, booking required.

Click Here to Book Now

September 18th, 19th & 27th
10:30am & 3pm

Little Chameleons Art Club
2025-09-24 10:30 - 2025-12-17 11:30 | Merseyside
The Little Chameleons Art Club is a fun, hands-on art class for toddlers and young children ages 18 months to 5 years. Sessions are all about creativity, exploration, and sensory play, helping little ones develop confidence and motor skills while having lots of fun.
Expect messy arts and crafts, themed activities designed to spark imagination as well as child led free play.
All materials are provided — just bring your child in clothes you don’t mind getting messy! The relaxed, friendly environment encourages self-expression and social interaction, making it a perfect space for young artists to explore and create.
AUTUMN DATES including Halloween Special:
September: 24th
October: 1st, 8th, 15th, 22th, 29th
November: 5th, 12th, 19th, 26th
December: 3rd, 17th (Christmas Special)
Book Now
The Little Chameleons Art Club Website

The Williamson Open 2025
2025-10-10 08:00 - 2025-12-13 17:00 | Williamson Art Gallery, Slatey Rd, Oxton, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH43 4UE, United Kingdom
The Williamson Open is BACK for 2025! Our much-loved annual exhibition showcases the best in art and photography made by artists across the Liverpool City Region.
The exhibition is now open!
Take It Home: Many of the artworks in the Open are available to buy. You can view and purchase artworks online as well as in-person this year
View the Online Catalogue
On purchases made in the gallery, we offer the Own Art scheme.
Own Art is a national initiative, supported by Arts Council England, to make it easy and affordable for anyone and everyone to buy contemporary art and craft by providing interest-free loans.
Choose the artwork you love, apply for a loan from as little as £100 up to £2,500 and pay it back over 10 months, completely interest-free.

Find out more about the scheme and eligibility criteria: www.ownart.org.uk
Please note that Own Art cannot be applied to online artwork purchases.

The Annie Long Trio
2025-10-17 18:30 - 20:30 | Williamson Art Gallery, Slatey Rd, Oxton, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH43 4UE, United Kingdom
We’re welcoming the ever-popular Annie Long Trio back to the Williamson for another performance.
Welcoming back sultry Wirral jazz diva Annie Long together with her talented and versatile musicians, Keith Singleton on guitar and and Michael Hughes on vibes.
Expect an autumn themed set of popular swing jazz standards, Latin vibes and bluesy ballads.
The Cafe will be open for drinks and light bites.
Cafe Information

Live music with Mark Miller/ EnB
2025-10-24 18:30 - 20:30 | Williamson Art Gallery, Slatey Rd, Oxton, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH43 4UE, United Kingdom
Two acts in one evening bring fantastic live music to the Williamson for a Friday night!
Mark Miller is a talented local musician, singer-songwriter, he is performing solo this evening for us. Mark will be performing some of his own songs along with a set of covers. He should not be missed!
EnB are a couple who sing and play instruments together, The perform an eclectic mix of songs from the likes of The Houghton Weavers to The Killers, via John Prine and Cat Stevens.
The Williamson Cafe will be serving drinks and snacks.
