Draft:ArtsGroupie
Creative media and cultural heritage organisation in Liverpool, England
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
ArtsGroupie is a creative media and cultural heritage community interest company in Liverpool, England.[1] ArtsGroupie is known for its theatre productions, music releases, heritage exhibitions, academic research, community engagement, and arts activism.
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- Liverpool
| Formation | 2018 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Dr John Maguire, Michael Dunne, Jill Smith |
| Type | Creative Media and Cultural Heritage |
| Location |
|
| Products | Plays, Music Albums, Walking Tours |
| Services | Community Workshops, Academia, Public Speaking, Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion |
Director | Dr John Maguire, Michael Dunne |
| Affiliations | Unity Theatre, Liverpool, Shakespeare North Playhouse, Liverpool Central Library |
| Funding | Arts Council England, National Lottery Heritage Fund, Royal Society of Literature |
| Website | https://www.artsgroupie.org/ |
In 2016, ArtsGroupie was nominated for Creative / Media Organisation of the Year at the Liverpool City Region Culture and Creativity Awards, which recognise excellence and innovation in culture and creativity within the Liverpool City Region.[2]
History
ArtsGroupie was formed as a community interest company in 2018, with the aim of promoting arts accessibility.[3]
The organisation first came to prominence through their 2018 Arts Council England funded theatre production Kitty: Queen of the Washhouse, about the life of washhouse pioneer, Kitty Wilkinson. The one-person play was written by John Maguire, directed by Margaret Connell, and starred Samantha Alton as Kitty. The play's original run spanned 2018-2023.[4]
ArtsGroupie's Dr. John Maguire became the History Research Group Lead for the Liverpool Irish Festival in October 2021, drawing the company in as an official partner of the Liverpool Irish Famine Trail Project, a cultural heritage project linking sites associated with the Irish diaspora who fled Ireland during an Gorta Mór.[5]
The Heseltine Institute for Public Policy, Practice and Place at the University of Liverpool worked with ArtsGroupie for a British Academy funded research project titled Situating climate change: understanding the importance of climate, place and community which was published in 2022. [6]
ArtsGroupie launched their annual Ghost Stories for Christmas series in 2022, the shows in collaboration with writer, David Griffiths, features live, candlelit dramatic readings designed to revive the Victorian festive tradition of sharing ghost stories around Christmas. The New York Times credited ArtsGroupie with successfully bringing back the festive practice that had largely faded.[7] British writers, Ramsey Campbell[8], and John Reppion [9] have previously been involved in the annual series.
In 2023, both ArtsGroupie Directors, Dr John Maguire, and Michael Dunne, were featured in the Liverpool Echo's annual Rainbow List, which celebrates influential LGBTQIA+ people from Merseyside. [10]
Dr John Maguire, Director of ArtsGroupie, appeared as a local expert on 5 (British TV channel) Great British Cities with Susan Calman in March 2024, highlighting Liverpool's history. He showcased the story of Kitty Wilkinson, known as the "Saint of the Slums," and her pioneering role in hygiene. [11]
Theatre Works
Kitty: Queen of the Washhouse by John Maguire (Play) (2018-Present)
WEAVE by John Maguire (Play) (2019)
The Liver Bird by John Maguire (Play) (2021-2023)
Who's Afraid of M!key Garland? by M!key Garland (Play) (2022-2023)
Ghost Stories by Candlelight / Ghost Stories for Christmas by Various Artists (Live Readings) (2022-Present)
A Portrait of William Roscoe by John Maguire(2023)
The Signal-Man by Charles Dickens, adapted by David Griffiths (Play) (2023-Present)
TWO by Jim Cartwright (2024)
The Hammer and Helena by David Griffiths (2024-Present)
Exhibitions
Lights Up on Liverpool Liverpool Central Library (November 2024 - May 2025)
Music Releases
Who's Afraid of M!key Garland? by M!key Garland (2022)
TERF WARS by M!key Garland (2023)