CALL FOR ENTRIES:-

"PHOTOGRAPHS AND DRAWINGS WANTED FROM PEOPLE OF ALL AGES!"

Photos:-  The ‘Pool Project would like to exhibit old and new photographs of people working or having a day out on the route of Liverpool’s tidal pool area.

This are includes:- the Strand up Dale Street, Canning Place, Paradise Street and Whitechapel to the Queen’s Tunnel.

Drawings:-  We are collecting drawings you might like to make of your impressions of this area of the city in the future. 

Please label the back of your photograph or drawing with:-

• Your name as you would like it to appear in an exhibition label
• The location of the image
• What is happening in the image
• Postal address, telephone number, and email

Work may be posted to:-

FAO Annie MacLean

Bluecoat Arts Centre

School Lane

Liverpool L1 3BX

Contact Number for questions:-

Call Victoria at 07756536194

The images will be scanned and displayed in an exhibition entitled “Tidal Dreams in Paradise” at Out of the Bluecoat. Out of the Bluecoat at 51-53 Paradise Street is Bluecoat Art Centre’s temporary space while the Bluecoat building is undergoing a £10 million renovation.

Exhibition dates:- 13 May to 27 May 2006

The ‘Pool Project

The ‘Pool Project, begun 4 years ago, is a registered charity run by artist Jean Grant and a group of supporters. It works with communities to consider the city’s namesake as well as the ecology and social dynamics of Liverpool’s urban spaces through city walks, picnics, celebrations, and artistic happenings.

Councillor Warren Bradley has said:- “Liverpool is the city we know today because of geographical features like the tidal inlet. The ‘Pool Project will get people to celebrate the heritage of Liverpool while having a lot of fun."

For more information, visit:- poolproject.co.uk

Are we turning into a nation of clones?

MILLIONS of people in the North West feel they have lost their identities due to peer pressure, according to a new survey.  The poll of 4,000 people was conducted by CPP, one of the UK’s leading consumer assistance businesses, providing services such as protection against identity theft for over 6 million customers.

The research suggests that whilst identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in the UK, our own identities are becoming less distinctive and we are in danger of turning into a nation of ‘clones’.  A staggering 70% of people in the North West rely on their friends, family and the media to dictate their choices in fashion, holidays, choice of work and living arrangements. 4 in 10 people admit they are happier to follow the crowd than carve out their own lifestyle and an astonishing 93% say they think other people also jump on the bandwagon when it comes to deciding their futures.

Owen Roberts, Head of Identity Protection Plan at CPP said:- “Last year over 135,000 people had their personal identities stolen by thieves, but this research show that identity theft is not the only threat to our personal identities.  In addition to having our identities targeted by fraudsters, we are in danger of allowing our personal sense of identity to be eroded by following the crowd when choosing everything from where to live to what clothes to wear.”

Appearance is one of the key areas where people have a hard time making their own decisions, with 1 in 5 people claiming to own exactly the same clothes and shoes as their friends. Whilst a further 28% take tips from the high street or the catwalk, 14% wear clothes in keeping with their friends’, and almost 1 in 10 directly imitate celebrities.

Even choice of holiday destination can prove to be too much for some folk, with television proving to be the biggest influence. Travel programmes such as Wish You Were Here and Holiday Showdown influence 19% of people, and a dependent 21% simply go wherever the family decide.

When it comes to buying a house, family is the most important consideration for those in the North West, with 43% citing it as the most important influence. Almost a quarter of people say their jobs have affected their choice of location and one in ten people let their partner choose for them.

Owen Roberts continues:- “At a time where individuality is valued so highly, we must take precautions to prevent our distinctive characteristics being eroded by the ‘nation of clones’.  Even more importantly, whilst people might be happy to let their identities be influenced by someone or something else, I would urge people to safeguard their personal information very carefully so they don’t fall victim to identity theft. Once an identity has been stolen it can be sold to other fraudsters resulting in dozens of people abusing your identity for criminal activity.”