Williamson Art Gallery

Coming soon- Leonard McComb: Nature & Humanity
2026-08-14 10:00 - 2026-10-31 17:00 UTC | Williamson Art Gallery, Slatey Rd, Oxton, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH43 4UE, United Kingdom
The Williamson Art Gallery & Museum will present the largest ever exhibition of work by one of the most important British artists of the 20th century, Leonard McComb.
Leonard McComb: Nature and Humanity will include the best works from the artist’s estate, as well as choice loans from major public and private collections, over 60 of the artist’s best pieces, including painting, watercolour, drawings, and sculpture, will be brought together. These will include ‘Rock and Sea Anglesey’, from Oriel Môn, which, measuring over 10 metres long, is the largest drawing on paper held by any UK public collection. There will also be a selection of choice loans from Manchester Art Gallery and the Royal Academy.
The loans are supported by the Weston Loan Programme with Art Fund. Created by the Garfield Weston Foundation and Art Fund, the Weston Loan Programme is the first ever UK-wide funding scheme to enable smaller and local authority museums to borrow works of art and artefacts from national collections. The exhibition is a collaboration with Art Space Gallery| Michael Richardson Contemporary Art and the Estate of Leonard McComb RA.
Leonard McComb RA (1930-2018) received acclaim and accolades throughout his career for his work in different mediums including painting, drawing and sculpture. This exhibition at the Williamson will have a particular focus on McComb’s ecological outlook, which can be found throughout his work. Whether portrait, still life, landscape, or sculpture, McComb’s work demonstrates his beliefs on the beauty, energy, and interconnectedness of all life.
Curator Josh Mackarell says that “we are delighted to be able to bring this major exhibition of an important and celebrated artist to Merseyside. McComb’s work is not just relevant to our modern times for its beauty and technical brilliance, but also because its environmental outlook speaks to the fundamental debates of our time.”
The exhibition will open on Friday 14th August 2026 and run until Saturday 31st October.

Life Drawing
2026-08-14 18:30 - 20:30 | Williamson Art Gallery, Slatey Rd, Oxton, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH43 4UE, United Kingdom
Liverpool Life Drawing will be returning for their next Friday night session at the Williamson.
Open to all abilities, no experience needed as the tutors can guide you through the session. Basic materials will be available, though you are also welcome to bring your own or let the tutors know if there’s anything specific you require.
£10 cash or card payment on the night. No booking required.
Sessions will be on the second Friday of every month on an ongoing basis.

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Books and Banter
2026-08-14 18:30 - 20:30 | Williamson Art Gallery, Slatey Rd, Oxton, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH43 4UE, United Kingdom
Love books? Love talking about books? Love Books & Banter!
Books and Banter is an opportunity to talk about books guided by theme, with no specific book set to read. Discussions around the subject are facilitated but not restricted, and tangents are welcome.
The theme for August is Ancient Classics – then & now.
Free to all – no need to book, just come along!

Take a look at the list from July’s session

The Williamson Café will be open and serving refreshments, including alcohol.

Children's Story Time
2026-08-17 12:30 - 13:30 | Williamson Art Gallery, Slatey Rd, Oxton, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH43 4UE, United Kingdom
A NEW Community Monday summer reading group is starting at the Williamson with local children’s author Alicia Steens and Benny!

Join Alicia for a magical Benny & Friends family experience.
Children can:

Meet Benny, the cuddly storybook bunny, and take photos with him.
Take a photo with Benny.
Help Benny find his lost picnic basket.
Enjoy colouring activities.
Listen to a reading from Benny and the Lost Picnic Basket.

Come along to discover the magical world of Benny & Friends and enjoy a fun, interactive experience for young children and their families.
For children aged 3-7 years old
Click the link to join the Benny & Friends Club and receive free colouring pages, updates on new books, family activities and future events.

Become friends with Benny

Community Monday Noticeboard

Live Music From E'n'B & Friends
2026-09-04 18:30 - 20:30 | Williamson Art Gallery, Slatey Rd, Oxton, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH43 4UE, United Kingdom
Two acts in one evening bringing fantastic live music to the Williamson for a Friday night!
“EnB” are a duo who play ukelele, guitar, bass and drums to sing along to; they enjoy all types of music, only performing songs they enjoy singing. Performing an eclectic mix of songs from the likes of The Houghton Weavers to The Killers, via John Prine and Cat Stevens.
They are returning for another performance with their “Friend” the accomplished singer, songwriter, Mark Miller.
He is a talented local musician whose deft guitar playing is always a joy to listen to. A singer-songwriter, Mark will be performing some of his own songs along with a set of covers. He should not be missed!

During the concert E’n’B will be raising money for the charity Alzheimers UK and hope the audience enjoy supporting the charity while listening to some fantastic music.
FREE ENTRY
The Williamson Café will be serving drinks (including alcohol) and snacks.

Kaboodle Choir & Kab'Ukes
2026-09-25 18:30 - 20:30 | Williamson Art Gallery, Slatey Rd, Oxton, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH43 4UE, United Kingdom
Kaboodle Community Choir were formed in 2007. Their performances at the gallery are always entertaining, and they’ll be performing a broad range of popular songs.
They are supported by Kab’Ukes, a small band of Ukelele players, who are all members of the choir. They’ll be performing their own fun and energetic set in the middle of the show.

Follow Kaboodle Choir here

Friday 25th September
FREE
The Williamson Cafe will be open for refreshments.

You Gotta Get a Gimmick: The Paul O’Grady Story
2026-12-04 10:00 - 17:00 | Merseyside
“This free exhibition will be Paul’s gift to his hometown”
A major exhibition delving into the private archive of Paul O’Grady, revealing his life in front of and behind the cameras will open in his hometown of Birkenhead at the end of this year. You Gotta Get A Gimmick – The Paul O’Grady Story will be a free exhibition at Williamson Art Gallery and will open on 4 December 2026.

The exhibition, featuring a wider community and participation programme, will give a first glimpse into the extensive archive of Paul, contextualising him as an LGBTQIA+ icon, an award-winning broadcaster, passionate activist and someone who gave a voice to the voiceless, particularly those with four paws. From Tranmere to the Royal Vauxhall Tavern, the “blonde bombsite of Birkenhead” to Battersea Dog’s Home, the exhibition will present Paul O’Grady is one of Britain’s most cherished, and significant cultural figures.
Birkenhead is at the heart of Paul O’Grady’s story, whether it is the acid tongue of Lily Savage, the humour and activism of Paul as a presenter and entertainer, the determination to stand up for a cause and the working-class identity at his core. Premiering the exhibition in the town has been the central ambition of the curatorial team, and The Paul O’Grady Estate with a commitment to keeping access free.

Early Years
Paul James O’Grady was born to Molly and Paddy on 14 June 1955 in Birkenhead and was brought up in a close-knit Irish Catholic household in Tranmere. The youngest of three children, he first attended St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School in Prenton and then St. Anselm’s College in Birkenhead, which was founded by the Christian Brothers. After leaving school Paul worked in a variety of jobs including being a clerk in the Magistrates Courts and a care worker in a Children’s Convalescent Home in West Kirby.

Crossover into mainstream
Set against the turbulent social and political landscape of 1980s Britain, the exhibition charts the rise of Lily Savage within the context of Section 28 and widespread homophobia. Lily Savage emerged as a defiant response to the era’s unrest, channelling working-class resilience into high-glamour, razor-sharp satire.
As we mark the 60th anniversary of the 1967 Sexual Offences Act, the exhibition places Paul O’Grady at the vanguard of LGBTQIA+ visibility. It maps the moment queer culture crossed over from the pub and club underground into the collective heart of the British public, forever altering the national cultural fabric.
Lily’s television career included hosting “The Lily Savage Show” (BBC); “Lily Live” (ITV); and “Lily Savage’s Blankety Blank”. After resting Lily, Paul O’Grady’s career flourished in many directions from the BAFTA award-winning “The Paul O’Grady Show”, “Paul O’Grady: For the Love of Dogs” and “Paul O’Grady’s Little Heroes” to name but a few. He also had a definitive decade-long residency on BBC Radio 2, making him one of the most significant cultural figures of his generation.
He has written four volumes of his autobiography and in 2017 “Paul O’Grady’s Country Life” was published. Paul’s children’s books about Eddie Albert focus on a boy who lives with his dad after his mum has died and who finds he has the ability to talk to animals. They are his friends and they have adventures together which include rescuing a baby orangutan from a cruel owner. Paul wanted his books to encourage children to be kind to animals as well as wanting to support children who are bullied in school or who feel they don’t fit in.
Despite all his success which undoubtedly changed his life he remained passionate about speaking out when he considered people were being treated unjustly and in his TV series about the Working Class and “The Sally Army and Me” he wanted to highlight the day to day struggles of ordinary people and show the hard work that goes on often unnoticed by the powers that be.

The Archive: Craft, Costume, and Character
For the first time, the public is invited to engage with the meticulous craft behind the persona. The exhibition brings together a unique selection of items from Paul O’Grady’s archive:

Iconic Wardrobe: Original Lily Savage and pantomime costumes that defined an era of British drag.
Media: Rare footage, scripts, photography, and oral histories documenting LGBTQIA+ activism and working-class life and entertainment.
Private World: An intimate look at Paul’s personal eclectic collection of objects, figurines, and puppets, revealing the influences that shaped his creative psyche.

A Living Heritage
Thanks to The National Lottery Heritage Fund, this exhibition will spread from behind the gallery walls to document Paul’s legacy and the lived experience of his peers and community. Through a series of oral history sessions, the exhibition documents the lived experiences of the local LGBTQIA+ community, ensuring Paul O’Grady’s legacy is intertwined with the heritage of the Northwest and the Royal Vauxhall Tavern. The exhibition will be accompanied by a year-long public programme of Talking Heads, music, performance and cabaret to inspire and platform the next generation of queer talent alongside reading clubs of Paul O’Grady children’s books in libraries across the Wirral. good causes by National Lottery players to make a decisive difference for people, places and communities.
With thanks to National Lottery Heritage Fund and Arts Council England
