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Open Eye Gallery http://www.openeye.org.uk Open Eye Gallery is one of the UK’s leading photography spaces. We’re located on the Liverpool Waterfront. Pop by and see us!

Join us to celebrate the launch of Firehawks – a photography project by Stephen King, the first of its kind and the culm...
04/09/2025

Join us to celebrate the launch of Firehawks – a photography project by Stephen King, the first of its kind and the culmination of years of research, uncovering real life-experiences of children involved in firesetting behaviour.

Launch: 25 September / 6–8pm / Open Eye Gallery /
RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1605794567779

Rarely spoken about, the term ‘firesetting behaviour’ is not widely known or understood. In England, tens of thousands of deliberate fires are recorded each year. Often regarded as arson or acts of vandalism, many are started by children.

‘Firehawks’ seeks to raise awareness of firesetting through a visual exploration of why individuals are drawn to this element as a silent language of survival, often due to a traumatic experience or environment that is challenging to speak about. It will also shine a light on the people and services who help to understand and overcome the complexities that can be indicated by firesetting behaviour.

Featuring 20 images, displayed in a narrative of three phases; destruction, communication and renewal; ‘Firehawks’ is the culmination of years of work for Stephen, who himself has lived experience of firesetting as a child. After collaborating with London Fire Brigade Firesetting Intervention Scheme, Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service and Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service as well as numerous conversations and workshops with individuals with lived experience, he has developed an exhibition of work borne out of his innate ability to listen and respond to people’s experiences and sensitively transpose their accounts into visual, metaphorical depictions.

Stephen said: “The visual language of photography can break barriers and destigmatise what is an incredibly sensitive subject, and the culmination of this project will hopefully bring a positive platform to those who are working through their trauma, who have overcome it, and show audiences that the work of frontline services is much more beyond ‘putting out fires’.”

Exhibition continues 26 September – 16 November. Open Tuesday – Sunday, 10–5, free, all welcome!

🌿TreeStory Photography and Printmaking workshops 🌿13 and 14 September / 10.30am – 2.30pm / Low Hall Nature Reserve / fre...
27/08/2025

🌿TreeStory Photography and Printmaking workshops 🌿

13 and 14 September / 10.30am – 2.30pm / Low Hall Nature Reserve / free

Book your spot: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1577957837369

Join an exciting community art project that celebrates the incredible trees that shape Wigan’s landscape and heritage! Artist Lizzie King will lead photography and print making workshops as part of the TreeStory Wigan project.

TreeStory: The Story of Wigan Through its Trees is an exciting community project that invites everyone in Wigan to discover and celebrate the incredible trees that shape our borough’s landscape and heritage.

From the remarkable wetlands of the Flashes of Wigan and Leigh National Nature Reserve – where nature has beautifully reclaimed former coal mining sites – to the cherished trees in our parks, streets, and green spaces, this project will bring together local schools, community groups, and residents to share their personal TreeStories through photography, creative workshops, and outdoor adventures.

Image by Everyday Wigan

New exhibition: Emergence at Victoria Park Butterfly House and Garden!Launch: Thursday 4 September / 4.30pm–6.30pm / Vic...
26/08/2025

New exhibition: Emergence at Victoria Park Butterfly House and Garden!

Launch: Thursday 4 September / 4.30pm–6.30pm / Victoria Park Butterfly House

🦋 Emergence is the outcome of a socially engaged project between volunteers at Victoria Park Butterfly House and visual artist Anna Wijnhoven.

🦋 Through a series of photographs and collaborative work, Emergence celebrates the often unseen efforts of those who sustain this unique urban sanctuary. The project highlights the value of volunteering, the power of community, and the role small green spaces play in supporting urban sustainability.

🦋 Entirely volunteer-run, the butterfly house and gardens are a community-led space where people come together to care for both nature and one another.

🦋 Lady Fern, project participant, said: “In a world where life and news can be unsettling, often even chaotic, leaving us confused and worried, I found a secret garden within a park. The glass building that day glistened. I entered as it seemed to call me in. A place of real peace, much beauty, true calmness and many glimpses of magic that give hope of boundless possibilities and it was that something special that drew me in."

🦋 Emergence 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.

Unsung Heroes: Celebrating Liverpool’s Grassroots BoxingLaunch Event: Friday 29 August 2025 / 6–8pm / St George’s Hall S...
21/08/2025

Unsung Heroes: Celebrating Liverpool’s Grassroots Boxing

Launch Event: Friday 29 August 2025 / 6–8pm / St George’s Hall Stable Gallery

🤼‍♀️ In partnership with Open Eye Gallery, Culture Liverpool, and England Boxing, this exhibition celebrates 16 local boxing clubs and gyms, coinciding with the World Boxing Championships taking place in Liverpool from the 4th – 14th of September 2025 at the M&S Bank Arena.

🤼‍♀️ Photographers Emma Case and Katie Richardson, alongside filmmaker Susannah Fletcher, have captured portraits and stories, highlighting the vital voices shaping Liverpool’s boxing community. This exhibition offers a unique insight into the faces and stories of those creating a lasting impact and legacy within local clubs, capturing the spirit, resilience, and community impact of the sport at its roots.

At a grassroots level, boxing is about far more than competition. These clubs offer safe spaces, structure, and support, especially for young people, fostering resilience, self-belief, and connection. They are places where confidence is built punch by punch, and where champions are measured not only by medals, but by the positive change they inspire.

The exhibition includes 19 portraits, each one featuring an individual nominated by their club for their outstanding dedication and contribution, both inside the ring and beyond. Action shots explore the communities created within the clubs alongside a short film expanding narratives of those who work hard to provide resources and a safe space for aspiring boxers.

More than just a celebration of sport, this project is a tribute to the people and places that keep grassroots boxing alive, often unseen, yet profoundly felt in communities across our city.

🤼‍♀️ Emma Case is a Liverpool-based photographer known for her socially engaged and community-driven practice. With a background in documentary and portrait photography, her work often explores themes of identity, belonging, and grassroots culture. Emma has led major projects such as The RED Archive, celebrating Liverpool FC supporters.

🤼‍♀️ Katie Richardson is a Warrington-based sports photographer specialising in capturing the raw energy and emotion of grassroots athletes and community sports. Katie is a disabled artist and first worked with Open Eye Gallery as a participant through a project with Community Integrated Care. Since this time Katie has gone on to work professionally in sports photography and now, as a commissioned artist working with Open Eye Gallery.

🤼‍♀️ The portraits and film are on display at St George’s Hall – Stable Gallery from 29 August to 20 September 2025, Mondays – Saturdays, 9am – 4:30pm. Free entry for all.

Upcoming events in the gallery 🍂🍂 Poetry Reading: Chris McCabe and Nine Arches Press Sunday 7 September, 2 – 4 pmRSVP: h...
20/08/2025

Upcoming events in the gallery 🍂

🍂 Poetry Reading: Chris McCabe and Nine Arches Press
Sunday 7 September, 2 – 4 pm
RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1254628570829

Chris McCabe reads live for the Liverpool launch of his new book Hedonism. Part-written in Scouse dialect and invented languages, Hedonism offsets the comic with the elegiac in a haunting and polyphonic work exploring the intersection of grief, place, memory and imagination.

🍂 Local Nature Recovery Strategy – School Nature Map Exhibition
Monday 1 September, 4pm–6pm
RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/local-nature-recovery-strategy-school-nature-map-exhibition-launch-tickets-1465318329569

Launching an extraordinary collaborative project that brings together young voices from across Liverpool City Region to reimagine our natural world.

🍂 Book Launch: ‘into the Wyld: Re-imagining Sir Gawain & the Green Knight’
Saturday 13 September, 5.30pm – 9pm
RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/book-launch-into-the-wyld-re-imagining-sir-gawain-the-green-knight-tickets-1559741140739

Into the Wyld:Re-imagining Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is the comprehensive official catalogue record of the project, featuring vivid visual documentation and a series of specially commissioned essays, new creative writing, poetry, and full transcripts of selected performances. Event includes screenings and perfomances!

Work at Open Eye Gallery!💙 Operations Manager (Job Share / Maternity Cover)💙 Closing Date: 23.59, Sunday 28 September 20...
18/08/2025

Work at Open Eye Gallery!

💙 Operations Manager (Job Share / Maternity Cover)

💙 Closing Date: 23.59, Sunday 28 September 2025

💙 Full description: https://openeye.org.uk/work-with-us-operations-manager-job-share-maternity-cover/

💙 Equivalent of 3 days a week (24 hours) Flexible working via agreement – including occasional evening, weekend and bank holiday cover. Fixed term for 12 months.

💙 The Operations Managers will hold responsibility for the overall day-to-day operational administration including human resources, building maintenance, health and safety and team coordination. Working closely with the Finance Manager who has responsibility for the management accounts, you will also process day-to-day financial transactions.

💙 We strongly encourage applications from all backgrounds, and we fully recognise the value of a team that is made up of diverse skills, experiences and abilities. We are particularly keen to hear from people of colour, and those living with disabilities.

Crossing Sectors 2025 | Digital Window Gallery | Until 14 SeptemberCrossing Sectors is a development training programme ...
15/08/2025

Crossing Sectors 2025 | Digital Window Gallery | Until 14 September

Crossing Sectors is a development training programme for creative practitioners to explore the multiple ways culture can be co-authored with others.

Full review: https://openeye.org.uk/crossing-sectors-2025-embedding-collaboration-and-care/

The programme mirrors the gallery’s wider way of working, actively collaborating with and bringing creatives together with experts outside of the art sector, to better inform our role within the areas of health, social care, justice, migration and climate change.

Care has become a recurring theme throughout this year’s programme.

Here are some of the works by the Crossing Sectors participants:

➡ Bodies of Water by Antonina Mamzenko.

Bodies of Water was born out of the frustration with the lack of visual representation and the perpetuation of societal stigmas surrounding people living in larger bodies.

➡ This Land of Mine by Andreea Chitan

Navigating the English landscape as an immigrant, the artist reworks the family album to carry fragments of home.

➡ Don’t mention the war – Wish you were here by Susanne Hakuba

The artist examines the shadows the Third Reich still casts on her native country Germany, its people and her own life.

➡ Everyday Motion by Saffron Lily

Through abstracted performance, the project explores the impact of our individual movement and how this shapes our collective spaces.

➡ Coastal Space by Elaine Smithies

Living by the coast enables physical and artistic space to breathe, and the project explores themes of symmetry, stillness and negative space.

➡ Find Your Happy by Michelle Webster

Cost of living is at an all time high and the overall number of people reporting mental health issues has risen in recent years, Michelle Webster explored how people are living and if they are living at all.

➡ Dear Moon by Karema

People from diverse cultures and walks of life share intimate reflections addressed to the Moon.

➡ ZERT+S / ‘’body’ by Eda Emirdag

Works where the body and contact relations are highlighted and various readings.

Ghostie Street Map is a guide to the Spirit(s) of Dreams exhibition by Evyn Seaton-Mooney and the children of Garston Ad...
12/08/2025

Ghostie Street Map is a guide to the Spirit(s) of Dreams exhibition by Evyn Seaton-Mooney and the children of Garston Adventure Play.

The exhibition consists of a 7 stop trail that will take you along St. Mary’s Road, Garstons High Street, beginning at the Village Motors building and culminating at the old Garston Empire. Along the way you can have fun with family activities at the Coffee Vault and look out for “Garston Ghosties” – little characters that the children at the Venny have dreamt up, that represent the life spirit of their neighbourhood. Can you find them all?

On until 1 September.

Ghostie Street Map and Spirit(s) of Dreams Activity Book (by Miriam Flüchter and Evyn Seaton-Mooney) are available to download on our website: https://openeye.org.uk/whatson/spirits-of-dreams-garston/

Locations:
📍Village Motors (190-194 St Mary's Rd, Garston, L19 2JJ)
📍The Cheese Cellar (136-138 St Mary's Rd, L19 2JJ)
📍Laundrette (110 St. Mary's Road, L19 2JG)
📍Garston Garden Centre (71 St Mary's Rd, L19 2NL)
📍Topaz (Heald House, Heald St, L19 2LY)
📍 The Coffee Vault (78 St Mary's Rd, L19 2JG)
📍The Garston Empire (Chapel Rd, L19 5PA)

Join us for an in-conversation with Liverpool’s very own John Stoddart, speaking with Open Eye Gallery’s Director Sarah ...
07/08/2025

Join us for an in-conversation with Liverpool’s very own John Stoddart, speaking with Open Eye Gallery’s Director Sarah Fisher. They will discuss the photographer’s relationship to the Liverpool music scene, his specialism in portraits of key cultural figures and the development of his photographic style.

Thursday 21 August 2025 / 6pm–8pm / Open Eye Gallery / free

RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/in-conversation-with-photographer-john-stoddart-tickets-1559527321199

John Stoddart is recognised as one of the world’s most renowned photographers. Born and raised in Liverpool, he is known as “the photographer to the stars”.

Stoddart began his photography career in 1980s Liverpool, capturing daily life in the city during a time of transition, and spending his nights shooting upcoming bands like Frankie Goes to Hollywood.

He quickly cemented the style and created some of the most iconic images of the music and cinema worlds.

Currently showing on our Digital Window Gallery: Recovery In Focus (on until 15 August)Recovery In Focus is a therapeuti...
06/08/2025

Currently showing on our Digital Window Gallery: Recovery In Focus (on until 15 August)

Recovery In Focus is a therapeutic project working with people in early recovery from addiction to drink and drugs. Looking through the lens of a camera gives them a new and creative way to tell their stories of addiction and recovery.

https://openeye.org.uk/whatson/recovery-in-focus-dwg/

The project includes workshop sessions where they learn photography skills alongside tools to help move into long term, stable recovery. They also have photography shoot days when they put their new skills into action in places around North Wales and the North West.

Participants are all in early recovery and new to photography. All photos are taken on phone cameras.

Participants: Conner, Emily, Saffron, Arwel, Tammy, Lorraine, Judith, Martin, Wayne, Lewis

Here are some of their works:

🌿 Recovery by Conner

Being at peace in my mind, which is where my battle is.
Everything good will come.
Grandad, I will make you proud.

🌿 Recovery by Saffron

Go down to the water
Be still in the trees
Picture warm light
Let go and breathe

🌿 Recovery by Emily: Footprints to Recovery

Though paths my bend and shadows fall
I find my strength standing tall.
With gentle steps, I climb the hill.
Recovery’s grace my heart will fill

Environment, Empowerment and Engagement: two years of Open Eye Hub in WiganOpen Eye Hub was set up in Wigan by Open Eye ...
01/08/2025

Environment, Empowerment and Engagement: two years of Open Eye Hub in Wigan

Open Eye Hub was set up in Wigan by Open Eye Gallery in partnership with Wigan Council and Wigan & Leigh College. It’s working across Wigan Borough, North West England and online, dedicated to sharing photography, championing local voices and developing skills.

💙 https://openeye.org.uk/two-years-of-open-eye-hub-wigan/

From 2023–2025, Open Eye Hub Wigan worked with seven photographers at different stages of their careers, on a mixture of commissions and developing their own practice. These have included explorations of different environments; socially engaged practice with women from SWAP (Supporting Wigan Arrivals Project) and the Global Friends youth group; a schools project with Lowton High School and mentoring of personal projects and support for two fellows – young early career photographers.

openeyegallery
Environment, Empowerment and Engagement: Two Years of in Wigan

Open Eye Hub was set up in Wigan by Open Eye Gallery in partnership with Wigan Council and Wigan & Leigh College. It’s working across Wigan Borough, North West England and online.

Open Eye Hub Wigan worked with seven photographers at different stages of their careers. This has included explorations of different environments; socially engaged practice with women from SWAP (Supporting Wigan Arrivals Project) and the Global Friends youth group; a schools project with Lowton High School and supporting young early career photographers.

Some of the highlights:

Mario Popham was exploring new ways of working with the landscape through the use of coal, archive, and most recently, fire, as well as looking into how local heritage meets conservation and is intertwined in the larger human planetary story.

Lizzie King has been developing her practice exploring co-creation with other species and alternative processes around the various bodies of water in the borough, particularly the canal and flashes at Wigan Flashes.

Ciara Leeming was working with the women’s group at SWAP, an asylum seeker support project, offering different activities including polaroid photography, photo collages and mapping. A big map where women plotted their journey to the UK led to some interesting conversations and was recreated within the This Must Be The Place exhibition.

Ruby Ramelize worked with the Global Friends Group, many of whom are vulnerable, global majority children from working class backgrounds – they explored what it’s like to be an artist, photographer and videographer.

Andy Yates worked with students from Lowton High School: they explored darkroom and cyanotype photography, had some photowalks and a curation workshop.

Open Eye Hub Fellows Sara Lawlor and Mia Joyce developed their own body of work, worked as curatorial assistants and were exhibited at This Must Be The Place exhibition.

Open Eye Hub is currently supporting Tree Stories Wigan – new project exploring the history of Wigan through its trees. This heritage initiative, funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, will celebrate communities and local nature through workshops, tree planting, school visits and outdoor photography exhibition.

Images: This Must Be The Place exhibition, photos by Sara Lawlor

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Opening Hours

Tuesday 10:00 - 17:00
Wednesday 10:00 - 17:00
Thursday 11:00 - 16:00
Friday 11:00 - 16:00
Saturday 11:00 - 16:00
Sunday 11:00 - 16:00

Telephone

0151 236 6768

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WHO ARE WE?

WHY WE'RE HERE

We believe photography is for everyone and can be meaningful, informing our present and inspiring positive futures.

Open Eye Gallery works with people to explore photography’s unique ability to connect, to tell stories, to inquire, to reflect on humanity’s past and present, and to celebrate its diversity and creativity.

Right now, we’re working towards becoming a more useful gallery for all, and developing socially engaged photography practice both locally and internationally.