Now in its 6th year, Liverpool Art Prize exhibition opened on Thursday 25 April.

Shortlisted artists: Kevin Hunt, Tabitha Moses, Julieann O'Malley and Laurence Payot

This year's judging panel was made up of Sally Tallant (Artistic Director and CEO of Liverpool Biennial), Tim Etchells (Visual Artist and Writer), Robyn Woolston (Visual Artist, Winner of LAP2012) and Laura Davis (Arts Editor, Liverpool Daily Post) More info here.

Liverpool Daily Post article here.

All four artists are exhibiting their work at the Liverpool Art Prize exhibition 26 April - 8 June 2013, at Grand Hall (next to 'What's Cooking?'), The Colonnades, Albert Dock, Liverpool, L3 4AA.

Opening times: Tues-Sat 11-5pm. Free Admission.

Download the brochure HERE.

PRIZES

The Art Prize: £2000 plus solo exhibition at The Walker Art Gallery Liverpool

The People's Prize (in memory of Joe Bampton): £1000 selected by the audience during the exhibition of shortlisted artists

METAL RESIDENCY AWARDS

Metal are giving artists the chance to apply for a residency in Liverpool and Shanghai. This is not part of the prize for the shortlisted artists therefore all artists are encouraged to apply.

Metal studio residency award: Supported studio space for a period of 1 year at Edge Hill Station. Available for all artists based anywhere in the UK.

Metal international residency: To Shanghai in partnership with Shanghai Art School for 1 month. This residency is only offered to artists based within the NorthWest of the UK.

Artists images above: Courtesy of the artist, Laurence Payot image credit Ian Poulson

Photos from the opening: Courtesy of McCoy Wynne

We're creating a community garden amongst the sunny platforms and abandoned arches of Edge Hill Station, and we want you to get involved!

The garden will be a peaceful spot amongst the train tracks for people to come and enjoy - but we need volunteers to come and help build it, and then tend it on an ongoing basis... You can come down as often or as little as you like - its a lovely space where you can spend a few peaceful hours gardening by yourself, or join in with a group if you need a hand.

It doesn't matter if you've never picked up a shovel before, adn you don't need to have green fingers. Although if you have, we'll treasure you forever.

Email or call Jodie Mellor This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it 0151 707 2277 and come down and see us. . . .

A memorial gate to the Blitz will be installed as the entrance to the garden. Click here for more information

Find us on facebook

Project Dirt Liverpool

Many thanks to Gemma Jerome

Metal runs a programme of Culture LABS each year that brings together groups of artists and thinkers in exploratory, week-long, intensive residencies around different themes and subjects.  Artists come from a variety of disciplines, types of practice and different places around the UK and overseas.

LABS this year have included investigations into; Digital work with emphasis on new software and hardware development;  Comedy in Live Art; Protest and Propaganda in relationship to the modern Olympic movement. 

We host LABS from both our spaces in Liverpool and Southend-on-Sea.  They are designed to help artists examine and develop their practice, assist with knowledge exchange and expertise, and to provide the opportunity for time and space to develop new ideas.

Culture LAB:  Protest and Propaganda was hosted in Liverpool from 6 - 10 February 2012.  Artists Janie Nicoll, Nicki Mccubbing, Laurence Payot, Sam Wiehl, Penny Whitehead and Daniel Simpkins took part in a week that included a series of talks from visiting artists, development sessions around skills, group discussion, time slots for individual work and some shared meals, facilitated by the Metal team.  The artists focused on the theme of protest and propaganda around the modern Olympic movement, with an eye on the 2012 London Olympics with an invitation to develop ideas for new pieces of work to be presented at Metal's Village Green festival in Southend On Sea in June.

Those ideas are currently in development.  In the meantime here are some photographs and video feedback from participating artists on the process.

Metal has just finished delivering a Literacy and Football project with five times Champions of Europe, Liverpool Football Club. The scheme of work focused on improving levels of attainment at Key Stage 3 and especially but not exclusively, amongst boys.

Metal invited three schools to participate in this pilot project, St Francis of Assisi Academy (Liverpool), Christ The King Academy (Knowsley) and Rainford High Technology College (St Helens). Some 60 pupils particpated and as well as getting to take advantage of the excellent facilities at LFC's Reducate suite and their brilliant education leader, Keith White,, Metal arranged workshops in each of the schools with TV writer Arthur Ellison, songwriter Alun Parry, the poet and actor Curtis Watt and with drama practioner Eliza Brittles. Run over a six week period, the project was a great success and Metal is now working with LFC, teachers, writers and other partners to widen its reach to at least 20 schools across Merseyside in 2013.

Future Station is a regular, informal evening hosted by Metal for artists working in all disciplines to come together to discuss ideas, meet other artists and learn new skills.

The format of each evening is as follows:-

6pm – 7pm: Practical session / ‘surgery’ run by experts on different (useful) subjects for artists.
7pm – 7.30pm: 3 Minute Wonders - Up to 10 x 3 minute ‘open mic’ spots for artists to tell you about new ideas, existing projects, opportunities coming up etc.  If you want to sign up for a slot, email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
7.30pm: Invited guest speaker with opportunity for Q&A

8pm – 9pm: Food

Artists, working in all disciplines who think they may benefit from engaging with a dynamic, ambitious, artist-led environment are welcome to drop by.

This is a FREE event but booking essential - BOOK HERE.

Contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call [0151] 7072277 for more information

3 Minute Wonders take inspiration from 'Pecha Kucha' an event devised in Tokyo for young designers to meet, network and show their work in public. At each Future Station meeting we will be inviting artists/performers/musicians or people interested in culture to do a 3 minute wonder presentation about their work or ideas for the other attendees. This is a great opportunity for people to get feedback about their work/ideas from a diverse group, initiate collaborative projects and more. Most of all though this is a chance to practice presentation skills, it is a format that requires thought, editing and careful planning and rehearsal to make the most of the short time available. It also keeps presentations concise and things moving at a rapid pace.

Each participant will choose 10 images with 20 seconds to talk for each one, resulting in a 3 minute, 20 second presentation.

Please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it if you would be interested in presenting at any of the Future Station meetings.

FUTURE DATES:

Please RSVP to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it if you plan to attend

Wednesday 8th May 6pm:

Surgery: How to write a good press release

Guest speaker: The Singh Twins

Wednesday 4th September 6pm:

Surgery: Fundraising Surgery: Arts Council Grants for the Arts

Guest Speaker: TBC

Wednesday 6th November 6pm:

Surgery: Workshop on Final Cut Pro

Guest Speaker: TBC

Wednesday 12th February 2014 6pm:

Surgery: How to present my work online

Guest Speaker: TBC

FREE - Tickets available from futurestation.eventbrite.com

Just ask if there's a particular topic you'd like us to cover or an inspiring speaker you'd like us to invite to future Future Station evenings and we’ll try to help.

HISTORY:

Future Station began as an open network of local artists, residents and creative thinkers who met regularly at the station to develop programme ideas and initiate collaborative projects. A typical meeting would involve attendees sitting around in a circle, each person would introduce themselves and then we would engage in an informal discussion. Discussions involved information about the programme at Metal and invited the group to feedback their ideas, an opportunity for people to share their own work and ideas and initiate collaborative projects with other artists. After the discussion we would share food. We also held The Future Station Festival two years running, this was a number of events and a visual art exhibition programmed by regular attendees of the Future Station meetings. Events included film screenings, talks, workshops and performances. These meetings began the discussion to create the Edge Hill Archive project, The Community Garden at Edge Hill Station and more. The meetings now have a new format but remain free and open to all.

PAST DATES:

Wednesday 20th February 6pm: 'The Art of Invention' Drawing workshop with Richar d Meaghan & 3 minute wonders

"Art has any number of differing elements that go into the making of it. In this workshop we'll explore the importance of imagination and the ability to invent. 'Disegno' from the Italian word for drawing or design, carries a more deeper and complex meaning in art involving both the ability to make the drawing and the intellectual capacity to invent the design. During the Renaissance this ability to invent or create put the artist on a footing with God, the ultimate creator and was a means of raising the status of painting from Craft to Art. This workshop will give you the opportunity to develop your powers of invention through drawing. All are welcome, Just remember to bring your imagination with you."

During this workshop we will not be looking for a finished piece, rather an idea/memory/experience in the form of a sketch.

We had a full house for the return of Future Station. The regular meetings open to all began again yesterday evening (20th Feb) with a fresh new format and a great mix of people, local residents, visual artists, musicians, actors and even a wood turner! The event began with a talk and drawing workshop by visual artist Richard Meaghan, currently based in the studio at Edge Hill Station. Then there was a series of 3 minute wonder presentations (fast paced presentations about work and ideas) and later we shared delicious bean stew and social time.

Many thanks to everyone that came along and also those that presented: Richard Meaghan, Ian Brownbill, Claire Weetman, Legends of Flight, Julie and Izzy, D.Amos and Dennis Outten from The Lemon Collective.

The next meeting will be held on Wednesday 8th May at 6pm and as usual is FREE and open to ALL

Click here for more info about Future Station

Film screenings at Metal, Edge Hill Station in the buildings on platform THREE.

FREE ADMISSION Performances start at 6:30pm, bring your own refreshments.

Seats are limited so please call 0151 707 2277 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to reserve yours.are looking for local/artist's short films (Max 20 mins) to show before features. please submit DVD's, short synopses or web-links to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or hand them in at a film screening.

Upcoming films:

Friday 21 June 6:30pm

Down By Law (15) (Director Jim Jarmusch)

Friday 5 July 6:30pm

The Panic in Needle Park (18) (Director Jerry Schatzberg)

Friday 19 July 6:30pm

Hallelujah, I'm a Bum (PG) (Director Basil Dearden)