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MEMBER BULLETIN
Dear Jackie
Your VIP August scoop is here! This members-only bulletin is packed with your insider info. In a rush? See the quick-hit highlights in the shorter roundup here.
Big Welcome to our newest Members:
Andrea and the team at The Black-E Rebecca, Anu and the team at Liverpool Lighthouse
Plus, saying a big farewell and all round thanks to Keith Saha after 19 incredible years at 20 Stories High.
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| OUR 365 DAY A YEAR CULTURAL FESTIVAL FILM
Remember my numerous requests for your Hero images. Well here's the film, give it a watch and a share. It celebrates our first year of growth, collaboration and creativity across LCR's arts and culture sector, and brilliantly produced by member organisation First Take. Please share using #CultureNetworkLCR.
ACE REVIEW ROUND TABLE FOR YOUNG CREATIVES (AGED 21-30)
18 August 2025, 1.00-3.00pm Toxteth TV, Windsor Street, L8 1XE
Building on the recent Round Tables with Baroness Hodge, this session is focused on young creatives aged 21-30 to share their input into the review. Wendy and the team from DCMS are keen to chat to young creatives from across our Culture Network, and to ensure the group is representative of our city region communities. There’s space for 15 young creatives to attend in person. Please email lea...@20storieshigh.org.uk to request attendance by 12 Aug latest.
If anyone is struggling with transport costs, please include in your email, as we don’t want that to be a barrier to attendance.
ROUND TABLE #11
Access; Are we going backwards? 5 September 2025, 3.00-4.30pm World Museum Liverpool
Hosted by Zoe Partington, Culture Network LCR Participation & Skills Working Group Member, CEO of DaDaFest. In person booking link here.
ROUND TABLE #12
Let's Talk About Safety; Keeping Public and Staff Safe: Inclusion, Threats, Community, Shared Solutions. 3 October 2025, 3.00-4.30pm World Museum Liverpool
Hosted by Lisa Allen, Culture Network LCR Skills & Participation Working Group Member, CE of Shakespeare North Playhouse. In person booking link here.
ROUND TABLE RECAP & REMINDER
Round Tables are your specially themed sessions,offering a safe space to discuss a major topic. Taking place on the First Friday of the month, you attend in person at the World Museum Liverpool. Please book here up to December, or join online using this Team’s Link.
Need help with travel costs to attend a Round Table in person? Please don't hesitate to ask.
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| WORKING GROUP UPDATES
We have 5 action focused Working Groups supporting you all, updates this month:
1. EDIA - Are currently working on advancing allyship, our support of disability rights, looking to boost financial literacy, and strengthening race equality efforts through links with the Race Equality Action Group.
2. Strategy - Working with DCMS to engage as many members as possible in the ACE Review Workshops, whilst looking into freelancers fair pay, AI ethics, arts education policy and ethical fundraising, plus looking at opportunities during the Labour Party Conference that could influence key cultural policy conversations.
3. Joint Promotion - Continuing their work to support members even more by expanding the reach and streamlining promotion via Uncoverliverpool.com.
4. Shift: LCR Sustainability Network led by Metal - Launched in 2021 as the environmental sustainability network for all cultural organisations and now Culture Network’s Environmental Working Group, it aims to exchange knowledge, bring expertise for decarbonising buildings and operations, whilst inspiring environmental actions in the arts. Next meeting Tues 7 Oct – want to join? Please email Jon Davies (Metal).
5. Participation & Skills - Last call to join. Keen? Email Leanne and Charlotte. First meeting on 19 Sept 10am-12noon (hybrid). Then meeting every 2 months on the 3rd Friday of the month. This group's aim is to work together to deliver inclusive, ambitious skills and participation opportunities, align regional community offers, grow investment in cultural projects, and build a sustainable cultural skills pipeline across the Liverpool City Region.
CALL FOR YOUR CAPITAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS
During the July Capital Infrastructure Round Table, ably hosted by Helen Legg of Tate Liverpool, the group decided a clear action was to gather data to better understand the cultural infrastructure projects Culture Network members are undertaking now, and are planning in the future. Please complete this super quick form by 30 September to share headlines on your capital project plans, even if they're still in early stages. Having this information helps build our one advocating voice, plus create a strong, unified case and need for capital investment. |
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| DIARY DATES
Catalyst #3 is online on Thursday 11 September 2025, 1.00-2.30pm
Catalysts are your online whole network meetings taking place every 6 months. Share your big idea, ask or update to the whole network in a quick fire 3 minute online presentation.
Click here to book your slot now - only 15 presentation slots available, so get in quick!
Please note, the event times have changed from the morning to the afternoon.
Connect #3 is in person on Thursday 11 December 2025 2.30-5.00pm
Connect’s bring us all together in real life twice a year in June and December, creating connections in specially curated whole network events. Connect #3 is themed on allyship. Please ink the afternoon of 11 Dec 2025 in your diary!
FIRST FRIDAY SOCIAL (FFS)
First Friday of the month, 5.00-7.00pm Circle Bar, Royal Court
FFS is open to all members, plus all LCR creatives. Please spread the word. No formal invite or RSVP required. Small number of free drinks, plus vegan snacks courtesy of Royal Court and a curated playlist. Charlotte, the Board and Working Groups are on hand to introduce you to each other. FFS - what's not to like! |
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| FIRST WEDNESDAY MORNING MEET UPS (FWMMUPs) - REMINDER THEY ARE PAUSED
We’ve tried 3, but attendance was low, so it felt best to pause for now.
MEMBERS CONTACT LIST
Here's your JULY Member list. This is constantly updated as organisations join and staff change. There's 2 Tabs with 2 versions of the same list, the 2nd tab for easy cut and paste. Got staff to add or remove? Please email.
JOIN OUR NEW WHATSAPP COMMUNITY
A safe, member-only space for advice, questions, updates, and connections. No spam – just useful info and support. Quick updates via Announcements, plus Groups can be set up for projects, networking, and more. Click this link to join (please say who you are when you join!). |
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| ARTS EDUCATION AT A TURNING POINT?
In case you missed this news, the government is launching a National Centre for Arts and Music Education, a new enrichment framework, and AI taskforce to boost creativity, digital skills, and opportunities for all young people across England. The centre is expected to be operational by September 2026. See the Government press release here. Plus, the Culture Learning Alliance (CLA) has their July update on it all here.
CULTURAL WELCOME GUIDE
Created by Metal with and for migrants and refugees in the Liverpool City Region, the Cultural Welcome Guide helps newcomers access free galleries, venues, and festivals. It was developed after workshops revealed many weren’t aware these spaces were open to all and for them. Written in plain English, Arabic and Ukrainian. Please share widely, click here to access the digital guides. Please email edge...@metalculture.com to receive copies if you support groups and communities where English is their second or other language.
LCR ANTI-RACISM STRATEGIES
Liverpool City Council are consulting on their Anti-Racism Strategy. Deadline to respond 6.8.25, see here. Please note, the LCR Combined Authority are also developing an Anti-Racism Strategy, Emy Onoura presented to the Arts & Culture Race Equality Action Group at the July Manifesto Pledge session, see Emy's presentation here. More info to follow as and when we receive.
NML ACCESS AND REPRESENTATION GROUP
NML invites Culture Network LCR members to their quarterly Access & Representation meetings. Next one 13 Aug, 10–11:30am at The Pilotage, Liverpool. You can share updates, ideas, and opportunities on accessibility, disability, neurodiversity, and inclusion. RSVP to Dr Rebecca Loy.
BSL LEVEL 1 COURSE, 18-25 SEPT
DaDaFest are inviting you to join award-winning BSL teacher John Mancini for a 5-day intensive British Sign Language Level 1 course in Liverpool, 8-12 Sept, £350 including assessments. Perfect for arts professionals ahead of International Week of Deaf People. Limited places, find out more here.
FREE VISITENGLAND COURSE: WELCOMING LGBTQIA+
Tourism businesses across Liverpool City Region can now access VisitEngland’s free e-learning course, Welcoming LGBTQIA+ Customers. This self-paced training offers practical tips on offering an inclusive service, marketing, and representation. More info here. |
| TRANS WOMEN WELCOME - HOMOTOPIA X SOPHIE GREEN
Culture Network Member Homotopia commissioned artist Sophie Green to launch a new campaign promoting trans inclusion encouraging arts spaces, venues and businesses to display inclusive signage in their buildings following the Supreme Court ruling. The Free prints of this inaugural artwork "Trans Women Welcome" are available at FACT Liverpool. Pick one up to show your support. Find out more or download the free digital print here.
ARE YOU SUPPORTING FREELANCERS?
DCMS plans to appoint a Creative Freelance Champion, as part of the government’s £380m Creative Industries Sector Plan, to advocate for freelancers, improve conditions, influence policy across departments, aiming to support fairer, sustainable careers in the sector, which we know is needed more than ever!
Reminder: March for the Arts 2021 ‘Working Guidance for Arts Freelancers & Organisations’ can be found here. Much of it still rings true and is important to follow, with the overarching practice points - Communication, Formality and Flexibility. In the Autumn the Strategy Working Group is planning to look at this again, working with freelancers, to see if it requires a refresh.
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| 20 Stories High Change Makers at Connect #2. They helped devise and led our first Presentation Game. |
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| YOUR TICKETING SOLUTIONS WITH ACC LIVERPOOL’S TICKET QUARTER
Ticket Quarter has operated the ticketing at M&S Bank Arena & Exhibition Centre Liverpool since 2008. Did you know they can provide your ticket service solutions too? Based locally, with a 4.7 Trustpilot score, they provide full scale ticketing to promoters, events, venues & more. They also have the largest regional database of ticket buyers, bringing audiences to your programme! Want to find out more? Email Business Development Manager: Sophi...@ACCLiverpool.com and Marketing Account Manager: Ashley...@ACCLiverpool.com.
SEEKING FUNDING?
Then Grants Online alerts you to the latest UK grants, from government, Lottery, trusts and more - updated daily, and can be tailored to your needs.
NEED FREE BUSINESS HELP? TAP INTO LJMU’S BUSINESS CLINIC
Whether you are exploring new markets, developing your product offering, or conducting competitor research, LJMU’s business students provide in-depth research and practical recommendations tailored to your business needs.
LJMU’s free research-driven support can help you unlock new opportunities and drive your future growth. Interested? Check out Liverpool Business School’s Business Clinic here or email LBSBusin...@ljmu.ac.uk.
FREE, CHEAP OR DISCOUNTED TRAINING SPACES AVAILABLE?
Got spaces you can share with Members? Don't let them go to waste, either email everyone via the Members Contact list, or email Charlotte to share via the Monthly Bulletin. |
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| AUTOMATED LISTINGS ON UNCOVER!
Great news! The purpose built Uncover Liverpool automated listings system is now live, with a number of Culture Network members already benefiting from having their events automatically added to the website, saving their valuable time and effort. If you'd like to streamline your event promotion and get your automated feed set up, please email SJ.
SHOUT ABOUT YOUR UNCOVER
Do you read your weekly curated Uncover Bulletin that lands in your inbox every Tuesday morning? We do hope so, it keeps you up to date on all our members upcoming events, jobs, news, call outs and much more!
Not sure of the full breadth of your exclusive Uncover Member Benefits from this specially built promotional platform that is for all Culture Network LCR members, large or small. Click the above link to find out!
Display Uncover Posters in your Venues: Print and put up Uncover Liverpool posters encouraging everyone to sign up for the Uncover Arts Bulletin. Have Digital Screens? We have ready-to-go digital artwork for your building screens. This is our power - promoting each other!
Download the poster and digital assets here. Need printed posters? Please email Clare who leads all things Uncover. Let’s work together to keep our Liverpool City Region creative offer well promoted. Fight your FOMO with Uncover Liverpool.
SHOUT ABOUT YOUR CULTURE NETWORK Use #CultureNetworkLCR, follow us on LinkedIn, upload the Culture Network's logo to your websites, signature and more. Find the Brand pack here. Talk about your Membership and your participation in your funding bids! Share our first film. |
| BIG HINT REMINDERS FROM APRIL
Membership Renewal Form
Please complete this short form, it will ensure your organisation's information is up to date for your Member Directory entry. Plus, there's 4 super simple research questions on Access, Race Equality, Sustainability and Fair Pay. We've kept the form brief as we appreciate you are all busy people!
2024 Achievements & Impacts Document
In case you missed our 2024 Achievements & Impacts Document which included your at glance 25/26 exclusive Member Event Dates on p12. Please give it a read, lots for you all to shout about, including in funding bids. Together we really are stronger! |
| | | | | Dive in, bring your voice, and make the most of your membership. Got ideas? We’re listening! |
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| | If there is anything we’re missing in your Bulletins, then please do let us know.
THANKS FOR READING! |
| Best wishes, Charlotte Corrie Executive Director
The Culture Network LCR Board of Directors: Emma Smith - Liverpool Irish Festival Gillian Miller - Royal Court Theatre Jay Farley - First Take Laura Pye - National Museums Liverpool Lucy Byrne - dot-art Madeline Heneghan - Writing on the Wall Nicola Triscott - FACT Patrick Fox - Heart of Glass Rob Sanderson-Thomas - Norton Priory Museum & Trust |
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