The art of artists living and working in the Liverpool city region will flood its six boroughs, in unusual, independent and non-traditional art spaces this summer as the Independents Biennial returns. 

The artist-led festival, which runs concurrently with the Liverpool Biennial, is created to showcase the vibrant art and art scene of the city region. Since launching in 1999, it’s had many names – Tracey, Biennial Fringe, Liverpool Independents – but its mission has stayed the same: to give independent artists, studios, and creative networks a platform to showcase their work. 

In 2025, it will host 22 new commissions and over 64 artists whose work will appear in galleries, the public realm alongside non-traditional art spaces. 

Highlights include;

A new commission by artist Les Weston to create a performance and concrete sculpture, tracking memories from moving into Netherley’s Lee Park tower blocks in 1964, to their demolition in the 1970s, and the opening of Belle Vale shopping centre.

The “Drawing Out Hilbre Archipelago.” on Hilbre Island in partnership with Bada artists and Independents Biennial featuring artist residencies, workshops, exhibitions, and performances delving into the history, heritage, ecology, sustainability, times and tides of Hilbre Island, which is part of the restoration of Hilbre Island off the coast of Wirral and the creation of a new arts centre. 

Miniature Dioramas across empty units in St Helens Town centre by artist Joao Koelho. 

Ghost Art School in Kensington will explore a sense of place and an old social club. 

The main locations in each borough are:

Wirral

Hilbre island, with the Drawing out Hilbre Archipelago project, led by artist Terry Duffy, Bidston Observatory with artist Tom Stockley, 

Dibbinsdale nature Reserve with artist and warden Rod Dillon

Fort Perch Rock in New Brighton with Landline Studios

Sefton

Bootle Town Hall, Crosby Library with Rule of Threes, Crosby beach, The Atkinson, 50MV artist space and studio, Smollett Street in Bootle and the Poet Streets. 

Knowsley

Shakespeare North, the public realm in Huyton, Heart of Glass and Make. 

Liverpool

Fabric District, Bridewell Studios, Make North Docks, CBS, Open Eye Gallery, Bluecoat Arts Centre, Ratshack, Old International Social Club in Kensington, Belle Vale Shopping Centre, MDI on Hope Street

St Helens

Public realm venues across the borough

Halton

Hazlehurst Studios

Patrick Kirk Smith is Director of Art in Liverpool and Lead Producer of Independents Biennial said:

“The nature of independent art currently is that while networks and scenes may be thriving, access to traditional art spaces is a challenge. What artists tend to do, in those circumstances, is to create and display art anywhere they can. This is an artist-led festival in the way that it is the artistic communities of the Liverpool city region who define where they want to exhibit. And for many, it is bringing art out of galleries and instead bringing art directly into the public realm, into former community spaces and empty buildings, onto neglected high streets and shopping centres”. 

The print magazine Art in Liverpool will act as a programme for the festival, alongside digital platforms, allowing people to find out what’s on and read more about the art and artists in the newspaper.

You can find more about the festival here.

READ MORE: This summer’s outdoor and cultural events at Calderstones Park