Now we are 10
ONE of the pillars of the city's cultural life is celebrating its 10th birthday this weekend – and that's a FACT.
The award-winning £10m home to the Foundation for Art and Creative Technology is hosting a party to mark a decade of pioneering new media art in groundbreaking exhibitions, events, education and research projects. And we're all invited.
Like all the best parties, there will be a bouncy castle, but not just any old bouncy castle – this one responds to people with lights and sound – plus games, workshops and a makers fair.
The family fun day, on Saturday, will also see the final of FACT's Battle of the Bands ping pong tournament using the interactive art work Noisy Table.
Since 2003, when it became the city's first purpose built cultural project for over 60 years, FACT has bought some of the world’s leading artists to Liverpool, including Isaac Julien, Piplotti Rist, Semiconductor, Quentin Tarantino, Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Bill Voila and Nam June Paik.
Housing gallery spaces and an independent cinema, FACT has welcomed over three million people through its doors and become a big part of Liverpool’s cultural life. It has worked with a wide range of people to engage in, and be part of, the creative process particularly through its community engagement programme.
To mark its 10th anniversary, FACT is holding a special programme of events and exhibitions throughout the year.
FACT director Mike Stubbs said: “Since it opened in 2003 FACT has become a vital part of Liverpool’s cultural ecology and the creative hub of the Ropewalks area. This year’s programme is one of our most exciting yet, fittingly for our 10th year.”
Heavy heavy monster sound
WHAT do you get if you cross ska with Frank Sinatra? Ole Skaface, perhaps?
The answer is Baked A La Ska – it works better if you say it with a posh accent – an 11-piece ska band featuring top Sinatra tribute act David Knopov.
And if you think the name of the band is a bad pun, you should hear what they do to songs like Gary Numan's Cars (“Here in my ska”) and a Bowie classic (“a skaman waiting in the sky”).
The “heavy heavy sound” of Manchester, with a Liverpool frontman, are at Studio 2 at Parr Street Studios on Saturday night to play their trademark mix of spaced out and spooky originals plus quirky covers, such as the above, that have been put through the ska machine.
Knopov tells us that once we hear the latest CD we'll be dancing naked around the kitchen.
Remind us to turn the chip pan off first,
The band, plus DJ Coops are on from 9pm, tickets £6.
Erotic ArtPrivates on parade
From perfectly upstanding sculptures to well-hung wall art and photography, a third exhibition of erotic art is coming, so to speak, to The Gallery, Stanhope Street, Liverpool this weekend.
Gallery chiefs say there will be much to digest and appreciate for “the discerning lover of art” - plus a few chaps in macs, one suspects.
A spokesman added: “When Michelangelo said that 'in art, immorality cannot exist', he hadn't seen this work! For the more risque, we have created a fetish/bondage corner."
The show is, of course, strictly for adults only (and adults who enjoy strictness) and you are advised to leave your inhibitions at the door.
The exhibition can be seen from Saturday, with a privates view tonight (Friday).
