Local talent to shine at Borough of Culture launch event at World of Glass

Article date: March 1 2023

The special free event at the World of Glass will see talented local performers providing entertainment for visitors throughout the day, showcasing a packed programme of activities that will be unveiled in the coming months.

Among the local talent taking centre stage this weekend will be St Helens very own UC Crew who will be delivering a head spinning, body popping break dancing performance in the morning, while there will also be special glass blowing demonstrations throughout the day for visitors.

In addition the local Artists Together group, led by St Helens artist Claire Weetman, will be taking over the education suite at the venue to host special workshops and share a pop up exhibition as part of their 'Reside' project which seeks to empower local artists throughout the year to create their own work as part of the BoC year.

Elements of the fascinating heritage of St Helens Borough will also be celebrated at the launch. This will include a special display by St Helens Archive Service including unique artefacts from the borough collections; Saints Heritage Society memorabilia relating to the history of the club to mark the 150th year of Rugby in St Helens as well as new painting commissioned by the Sankey Valley Project, including illustrations of Rocket locomotive creator George Stephenson and his wife at the Sankey Viaduct in 1830.

In addition, Re-Dock will be on hand to discuss their collaboration with St Helens College, as part of the National Lottery Heritage Fund project, 'Creative Underground', coordinated by St Helens Library Service.

Local music talents Pilkington Choir, St Helens Singers and the Haydock Brass Band will also be providing entertainment throughout the day, while there will be an opportunity to catch a glimpse of award-winning playwright Christine Marshall's new work set in St Helens during the 1984 miners' strike.

They will join a wide range of other key attractions at the event including a lavish Comic Art Exhibition, 10 Years to Save the World, staged by Lakes International Comic Art Festival, which will feature comic artwork by artists from across the UK and the Philippines.

Also appearing will be the internationally acclaimed Liverpool based physical theatre company Teatro Pomodoro, who will be providing spectacular and colourful and fun performances at the event.

There will also be a special family friendly cabaret performance for all the family from Natasha Moonshine and Velma Von BonBon, including unicycle and hula hoop displays.

This specially curated cabaret line up will be hosted by Sister Sister, originally from St Helens and now Liverpool based - as featured in the TV show Rupaul's Drag Race UK Season 2.

Entry to the launch event this Saturday will be free to all residents and there is no need to book tickets in advance.

The event will lead off a full programme of official Borough of Culture events which will take place in St Helens during the coming months, highlights of which so far include:

• Tate on Tour Truck which visits St Helens week beginning March 27th
• The Amazing One Day - April 29th
• St Helens Heritage Festival (May)
• Armed Forces Day, Victoria Park (June)
• Irish festival (October)

Details will also be revealed at the launch event on how residents can apply for special grants to help stage their own Borough of Culture events.

Councillor Anthony Burns, St Helens Borough Council Cabinet Member for Wellbeing, Communities and Culture  said "It is totally fitting that some of the finest local artistic and cultural talent in the borough will be on show this weekend and we would encourage all residents to come along and support what promises to be a really exciting event.

"This second Borough of Culture year offers us in St Helens the perfect opportunity to show just how much local talent is to be found in the borough through its arts, heritage, culture and sports. So please come along and enjoy the day if you can."

For the full running order of St Helens Borough of Culture launch please visit: https://www.sthelens.gov.uk/article/4336/What-s-on

The St Helens Borough of Culture launch is funded by Arts Council England as part of St Helens Library Service's Cultural Hubs: Arts in Libraries programme.

Other funders for our Borough of Culture year include National Lottery Heritage Fund, UK Shared Prosperity Fund, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and Arts Council England.