Workshops at Bluecoat

Bluecoat is the oldest building in Liverpool city centre, dating back to 1716. Once a school, it’s now one of the city’s liveliest arts hubs, it is an art gallery showing work by major national and international artists that also stages regular performances, readings and a busy schedule of arts, crafts and family-focused workshops. 

You can find seasonal workshops like autumnal wreath making and spring inspired botanical art as well as more year round fixtures such as the cyanotype and screen printing workshops. You’ll be walked through step-by-step processes, following the instruction of one of the Bluecoat’s resident professional artists. Sessions are open to all abilities and experience levels with enough creativity built into them so as to allow people’s self expression to come through in the process. 

Often the workshops take place in the dedicated print studio. This open source studio can be used by anyone for their own creative practice as well as being home to longer courses of printmaking and one-off workshops. They also hold more informal print socials where you can bond with like-minded graphics enthusiasts while doing smaller scale prints. These events are relaxed and a great way to connect with other artists in the city. 

Whilst you spend time unwinding your mind and being creative at Bluecoat it’s well worth checking out the garden. Held within an interior courtyard, it’s a green suntrap filled with benches, picnic tables and plants that’s open all year round. It’s maintained by volunteer gardeners and it’s one of Liverpool’s (admittedly not very well kept) secrets – a lovely place to sit a while, even if just to escape from the hustle and bustle of the world outside. You can order food at the café to eat outside, or just bring your own packed lunch.

Follow the link to find specific details for individual workshops.