Skip to content
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Weather
  • Contact
  • Account
  • Log In
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Weather
  • Contact
  • Account
  • Log In
Explore Liverpool logo white
  • WHAT’S ON
  • OFFERS
  • GUIDES
  • JOBS
  • FOOD & DRINK
    • Best Restaurants
    • Hawksmoor Liverpool
    • Sub Rosa
  • THINGS TO DO
    • Strawberry Field
    • Liverpool Watersports Centre
  • HOTELS
    • Malmaison
  • DIRECTORY
  • LIVE
  • WHAT’S ON
  • OFFERS
  • GUIDES
  • JOBS
  • FOOD & DRINK
    • Best Restaurants
    • Hawksmoor Liverpool
    • Sub Rosa
  • THINGS TO DO
    • Strawberry Field
    • Liverpool Watersports Centre
  • HOTELS
    • Malmaison
  • DIRECTORY
  • LIVE

The Bluecoat announces Yoko Ono event for Heritage Open Days

  • August 17, 2023
  • Editor
The Bluecoat announces Yoko Ono event for Heritage Open Days

Liverpool city centre’s oldest building will hold a talk on the artist, plus a series of behind the scenes building tours and open studios.

This September the Bluecoat will celebrate Heritage Open Days, England’s largest festival of history and culture, with a talk on the arts centre’s long relationship with iconic artist Yoko Ono.

The Bluecoat announces Yoko Ono event for Heritage Open Days

A leading figure in conceptual and performance art, experiemental film and music, Ono first visited the Bluecoat in 1967, when she presented an event, Music of the Mind and the world premiere of The Fog Machine, to a packed hall. Featuring audience interaction, it included people being invited to wrap her in bandages. Returning to the venue in 2008 during Liverpool’s European Capital of Culture celebrations, she referenced this previous event by asking the audience to this time unwrap her.

Responding to this year’s Heritage Open Days theme of ‘Unwrapping Creativity’, the Bluecoat’s Director of Cultural Legacies, Bryan Biggs, will explore both these events in a fascinating free talk. This will be illustrated by archival material including some relating to other events at the arts centre associated with Ono, such as Bed-In at the Bluecoat, 2010.

Bryan Biggs says:

“The events by Yoko Ono are key moments in the Bluecoat’s history, and an important part of our cultural legacy. We are delighted to be able to take the opportunity of Heritage Open Days to revisit them, and bring them to the attention of people who may not have been able to visit at the time.”

Heritage Open Days also sees two tours of the Bluecoat’s Grade I listed building take place, when its 300 year history and transformation from charity school to arts centre will be revealed. There will be a particular emphasis on the last century of creativity that has included a wide-ranging cast of characters who visited or presented their work at the Bluecoat including Picasso, Matisse and Stravinsky, through to contemporary artists like Sonia Boyce, Jeremy Deller and John Akomfrah.

The work of the Bluecoat’s studio artists will also be ‘unwrapped’ during Heritage Open Days, as they open their doors to the public. This will be a great opportunity to meet some of our creative community and find out about their practices, which range from painting and photography to jewellery and illustration. Our printmaking studios will also be open for demonstrations.

The full schedule of events is as follows:

Yoko Ono, Unwrapped, Friday 8 September, 7pm.

Heritage building tours, Saturday 9 September and Sunday 10 December, 2pm.

Intaglio studio tour, Saturday 9 September, 12-3pm.

Open Studios drop-in, Saturday 9 September, 12-4pm

Etching Demonstrations, Saturday 9 September, running on the hour at 12pm, 1pm and 2pm  

For full details of all events, and to book, visit the Bluecoat’s website thebluecoat.org.uk

Lead image shows Yoko Ono’s 1967 performance at the Bluecoat. Photo by Sheridon Davies.

READ MORE: LIVERPOOL’S BLUECOAT WELCOMES NEWS OF THREE YEAR FUNDING COMMITMENT

Share:

Facebook
LinkedIn
X
WhatsApp
Threads
Email

Social Media

Facebook-f Youtube X-twitter Instagram Linkedin Threads

Related Posts

LFC Stadium Tours & Museum unveil exciting Summer lineup

LFC Stadium Tours & Museum unveil exciting Summer lineup

August 7, 2025
Bowring Park unveils packed programme of Family Fun this August

Bowring Park unveils packed programme of Family Fun this August

August 7, 2025
Summer holiday family fun with FREE canal fishing events

Summer holiday family fun with FREE canal fishing events

July 30, 2025
Indoor Funfair returns to Liverpool this August

Indoor Funfair returns to Liverpool this August

July 28, 2025

Latest Posts

Liverpool FC and adidas celebrate record-breaking kit launch

Liverpool FC and adidas celebrate record-breaking kit launch

Everton fans to enjoy extensive food & drink options at Hill Dickinson Stadium

Everton fans to enjoy extensive food & drink options at Hill Dickinson Stadium

The Whitechapel Centre awarded a grant to mark 50 years

The Whitechapel Centre awarded a grant to mark 50 years

LFC Stadium Tours & Museum unveil exciting Summer lineup

LFC Stadium Tours & Museum unveil exciting Summer lineup

Stay in the loop
Never miss a thing! Stay up to date with all the best articles, events and offers from across Liverpool!

By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Conditions and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Explore Liverpool about news, events, offers and partner promotions. We never share your information with anyone.

Stay in the loop

Never miss a thing! Stay up to date with all the best articles, events and offers from across Liverpool!
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Follow Us ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Twitter Facebook-f Youtube Linkedin-in Threads Instagram
Explore Liverpool logo white

Explore Liverpool is a central hub for the Liverpool City Region, helping not only visitors and students but also residents of the city.

EXPLORE MORE

  • Directory
  • LIVE Webcam
  • WhatsAppenin'
  • Newsletter
  • Weather Forecast

USEFUL LINKS

  • About
  • Advertise
  • Login
  • Add Listing
  • Contact
To find out more, please visit our Terms and Conditions page here.

© 2025 Explore Liverpool. All rights reserved.

 
Change Location
Find awesome listings near you!

Notifications