The art and soul of our great city

Sep 27 2007 by Paul Corcoran, Liverpool Daily Post

WE ALL enjoy having a sneak preview of things to come, and this week I have had the privilege of doing just that. Nosy neighbour, that’s me.

But before I went snooping, I joined the Liverpool glitterati to celebrate the launch of Crystal Clear’s new eye pen in their exclusive Rodney Street spa. The new pen is designed to remove dark circles and fine lines from around the eye area without the need of cosmetic surgery. Given the fact I had spent the previous two days under a quilt with a bad dose of man flu, my new pen came in more than handy for work the next day and, I must confess, has had its work cut out ever since.

Speaking of regeneration (of the construction-based kind this time), on Monday I was invited by Lynne Robertson, the new business development manager of Bluecoat for a sneak-peek around this key Liverpool landmark before its official re-opening in January, 2008. To say I was a little excited about this is a slight understatement – I practically raced down Parr Street for my guided tour. Consequently, I turned up at the School Lane entrance out of breath and looking embarrassingly exhausted – let’s hope first impressions don’t always count.

Pens at the ready as I relay just some of the interesting facts I learnt during my visit, because questions will be asked later. The Bluecoat is officially the oldest building in Liverpool and, since it was built in 1717, has played an instrumental role in the city’s modern history. As a result, the centre has been widely acknowledged as one of the finest 18th-century buildings ever constructed, and I can certainly see why, even amid all the scaffolding and the armies of workers that currently adorn it. Now it is, not surprisingly, the oldest arts centre in the country, and set its stall out clearly, in the early 20th century, as a haven for emerging and unknown artists. Although this will still be the case when the centre reopens next year, in 1911 the Bluecoat housed the works of Picasso, Van Gogh and Cezanne in their first exhibitions outside London. Not exactly “D-listers” in the arts world – maybe there is something in the Bluecoat water?

According to Alastair Upton, the chief executive of the Bluecoat, the building will be a shining emblem of the new Liverpool which we are all currently seeing unfold before our eyes.

And I would have to agree. The quality of the work that has been undertaken and is still ongoing is second-to-none and those people, who, like me, spent time at the centre shopping, viewing exhibitions or taking time out for a drink in the walled garden, will certainly not be disappointed at its timely renaissance.

Once the doors open, visitors will be welcomed by four new galleries (check out the decorative brick work), a performance space for dance, music and talks, studios and offices housing new and emerging artists, retail space for independent creatives to vend their crafts, a restaurant and bar serving locally sourced foodstuffs, as well as an espresso café for those who just want to grab a bit of culture and go.

And so, just as it did when its doors opened in 1717, the Bluecoat promises to, once again, bridge the gap between the old part of the city and that of the new. And its aim of putting creativity right back in the city centre makes sense all round – in fact, to me, it’s more than crystal clear.