FACT reveals 20th Anniversary celebrations

Liverpool’s FACT is set to celebrate its 20th birthday next month with a weekend of free events.

The Wood Street art centre’s anniversary takes place over Friday, October 20 and Saturday, October 21 and will include the unveiling of two new exhibitions, the opening of Studio/Lab, talks, family-friendly events and a special birthday party.

October 20 sees the opening of exhibitions by Jenkin van Zrl and Uma Breakdown, alongside talks from artists, creatives and sector leaders.

There will also be a special screening of Mandela8’s latest film From Dream to Reality which follows the journey and realisation of a memorial to Nelson Mandela in Princes Park.

Meanwhile Picturehouse will present a 35mm double screening of Alex Cox’s Repo Man and Walker.

October 21 features guided tours, family-friendly workshops, artist performances, gaming tournaments led by artists Larry Achiampong and David Blandy and parties.

There will also be a chance to explore Studio/Lab, a new space dedicated to artistic development and experimentation.

In the evening, people are invited to the official opening of the two new solo exhibitions. And finally there will be an after-party at District in the Baltic Triangle.

FACT director and chief executive Nicola Triscott said: “In 2003, FACT was Liverpool's first purpose-built arts centre for more than 60 years, brought into reality by a grassroots campaign for a centre for film and the then emerging field of electronic art.

“It grew out of the extraordinary success of the city’s Video Positive festival and was a landmark moment for Liverpool and the UK, giving moving image and digital art a home in which to experiment and find a national and international audience.

“In 2023, as we mark the centre’s 20th birthday, we celebrate that rich history and look towards FACT’s next 20 years as a place where we nurture the next generation of artists and filmmakers and enable new stories to be told through the converging fields of film, art and creative technology.”

FACT marks its 20th anniversary on October 20-21. More details HERE