ArtHouse Spring Open 2025

IN keeping with venues up and down the country, Southport Contemporary Arts' gallery, the ArtHouse, which will once again be showcasing a wide spectrum of original and captivating works of artwork during its own eagerly anticipated Spring Open Exhibition.

Co-Director of SCA, Norrie Bewick-Calvert explains the focus for this year's entries:- "The theme is going to be 'Emerge,' which we thought was an apt 1 as we move from the gloom into the sunshine."

Profiling not only SCA members, the SCA Spring Open traditionally also offers the wider artistic community the opportunity to display their own work in the gallery.

SCA already has a reputation for bringing together a range of high quality contemporary art and craft from both emerging and established artists throughout the year and this annual celebratory exhibition will once again celebrate the scope of creativity and artistic talent across the Region from Ceramics and Jewellery, to Oil Paintings and Mixed Media Collage.

Norrie confirms:- "In this year's exhibition, open to all artists and makers living and working in Liverpool City Region and Lancashire, we are inviting participants to respond to the theme in their own distinctive way using inventive and original methodologies. Entrants have been asked to reflect on emerging from our hibernatory Winter mode into a Spring filled with light and a sense of progress. The whole exhibition will create an uplifting and inspirational collection of unique work for all to enjoy. It is always a pleasure to welcome in new work and meet so many creatives, especially at this time of year when we have all been a little cocooned."

Freelance artist and printmaker, Mike Goodwin from Litherland, who works mainly in pen and ink to bring his detailed humorous graphic illustrations to life, offers his own personal take on this year's theme:- "The protagonist, Teddy, 'emerges' from his bedroom window to greet the brand new day!"

Teddy Boyle is Mike's 87 year old rock 'n' roller, who is often seen coiffured with or without his giant wig.

Despite no formal training, Mike was a past winner of the Sefton Open Arts competition and continues to exhibit locally:- "My pen and ink drawings often take weeks to complete. I'm not a fast worker and tend to be a bit of a perfectionist, so I have to be quite patient in order to get it right (in my eyes)."

Leaded glass artist, Margaret Maule, has also been burning the midnight oil preparing her new Tiffany style glass panel for the exhibition:- "I have always loved glass, the variety of colours and effects it can create. It's such an ancient material, which has stood the test of time. My inspiration for it came from a visit to Blackwell House in the Lake District. The Arts and Crafts interior has, in my opinion, not dated in over a hundred years, which is what I wanted to celebrate in my panel. It is called:- "Blackwell Bloom" and I have used some, not all, handmade glass in its construction."

Also exhibiting will be Neil Prior, a professional artist from Ainsdale. Neil already has an established track record of commissions in oils, including:- portraits, still life, landscapes and more recently, his popular, dog portraiture. Hot on the heels of his recent homage to Vermeer solo exhibition:- "The Art Detective" his featured painting,:- "Eastern Promise," lives up to its title depicting a mysterious woman's face seductively:- 'emerging' from beneath an embroidered black headscarf trimmed with silver jewellery.

No stranger to the local art scene, Pauline McNulty has been drawing and painting now for over 40 years:- "I initially engaged:- with art through Adult Education in the:- '80s. Since then I have extended the depth and breath of my experience and skills through classes and courses in watercolour, acrylics, life drawing, linocut, silk painting and pastels backed up with extensive academic study."

The natural world has always provided the stimulation for Pauline's accomplished technique:- "I just love to sketch and paint animals, wildlife and flora."

In keeping with this year's theme, Pauline's pen and wash entry;:- "Sunflowers and Honey Bees" depicts a springtime swarm of Honey Bees emerging from their Hive.

Norrie concludes:- "We are hoping that visitors will feel uplifted from their visit to the Gallery and that the Artists taking part will feel the positive impact of their creative connectivity, that is such an important part of what SCA sets out to achieve."

This year's Spring Open will run from:- 25 March until 12 April 2025, at the:- ArtHouse, Eastbank Street, Southport, PR8 1EJ.

Women not safe from violence and misogyny, including at work, says UNISON

SPEAKING at an International Women's Day event in Liverpool, on:- Saturday, 8 March 2025, UNISON General Ssecretary Christina McAnea paid tribute to the City's tireless women campaigners and stressed the union's continued commitment to speak up for women everywhere.

Addressing people attending the seminar about the rise of misogny and violence against women, Christina said:- "This City has been home to many notable outspoken women down the years. Bessie Braddock or 'Battling Bessie' as she was sometimes known, became an MP in 1945 and campaigned tirelessly for better housing. Dorothy Kuya, who fought all her adult life for social justice, and the rights of women and children. She led the campaign to establish Liverpool's International Slavery Museum. And Eleanor Rathbone, suffragette and MP, and a campaigner for family allowance and women's rights. The Family Allowances Act, which she helped pass into law, had a huge impact on poorer families. The campaigning never stops. Today, UNISON, with its million-plus women members, continues to use its influence to push for change, and to speak up whenever there is injustice, discrimination or abuse. The vast majority of those delivering public services are women. Without women, those services couldn't function. Without women, hospitals would struggle to staff wards. And without women, there would be fewer workers to look after people in care homes. Or to prepare school meals, or to do so many jobs right across our essential public services. Yet it's women who are more likely than men to be exploited in the workplace. To be on low wages, unfair contracts, and face abuse at the hands of unscrupulous employers. They're also at greater risk of physical or sexual violence and harassment. Just for doing their jobs. Imagine going to work and being punched, bitten, spat at, choked and headbutted. Or stabbed. The publication Nursing Times recently carried out research with UNISON and found nurses and midwives are forced to endure this appalling abuse. In some cases, violence is a daily reality. And the majority of those targeted are women. Among them, a hospital nurse threatened with a gun while she assessed a patient. A healthcare support worker who was punched, kicked and had a bedpan of urine thrown over her. And just recently an A&E nurse stabbed in the neck; thankfully now recovering, but still with potentially life-changing injuries. That's one end of the spectrum. But sexism and misogyny are also still facts of life for women. UNISON's own data confirms this. In local government, a quarter of staff have experienced sexual harassment while at work. And the majority of those affected were female. No one should feel like they're not safe from physical or sexual violence at work. Or in any area of their lives. Violence and misogyny are also daily occurrences in communities. And in the very place where women should expect to be safe; their homes. Louise Hunt was a recent victim of rape and male violence. Her former boyfriend sexually violated her, held her captive, then murdered Louise, her sister and her mother. Her killer had searched online for videos posted by Andrew Tate. A self-confessed misogynist who once said women should �bear responsibility' for sexual assault. How much Tate influenced the actions of Louise Hunt's murderer will never be known. But what we do know is that many men regard Tate as a hero. This demonstrates how important it is that as women we work together with our male allies, fathers, sons and brothers. That we involve them to counter male stereotypes, misogynistic behaviour and violence towards women and girls. Only this week, the safeguarding minister Jess Phillips MP read out the names of women thought to have been killed by men in the UK in the past year. There were 95 names on that list. It took Jess five minutes to reach the end. Another reminder that we need to redouble our efforts to keep women and girls safe from harm. In the UK and around the world, women's voices continue to be silenced. Change can only begin when attitudes change, including in the workplace. When it's finally recognised that the work done by women is as valuable as the contribution made by men. Whether it's in workplaces, homes or elsewhere, UNISON will keep on pushing for a safer world. For us, our daughters and our granddaughters.�

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ArtHouse Spring Open 2025

Women not safe from violence and misogyny, including at work, says UNISON