LIVERPOOL’S NERVE CENTRE

THE former Rapid Hardware store in Liverpool is being transformed into a venue for explosive discussion, art, film, music, poetry and performance.

The Nerve Centre opens for 4 weeks from Saturday, 14 August 2010 at 28 to 32 Renshaw Street.  Nerve magazine, considered widely as the longest running and most controversial arts and social issues magazine in Liverpool, will be working in collaboration with Philosophy in Pubs, the Windows Project, How, Why, DIY and many other organisations and individuals.

Darren Guy, founder of Nerve said:- “The aim of the event is not only to bring together and celebrate the great but often unknown talent we have here in the city but also to bring local people together to talk.  The idea is to come up with solutions to not only improving their lives, but also to dealing with the looming economic crises that could impact heavily on the people of this city.   We know there are loads of people out there doing great things in their own communities, but also they have great and exiting ideas, so we’re saying let’s get together.”

The Nerve Centre is part of the Shops Upfront initiative, which has been created to enable artists and entrepreneurs to access empty high street retail units and transform them with creative displays.  Shops Upfront is funded by Culture Liverpool, the part of the city council responsible for culture and events.

Councillor Wendy Simon, Liverpool’s Cabinet Member for Culture and Tourism, said:- “This is a fantastic project which will transform one of the city’s best known shops into an open forum for culture.”

The property, provided by Merepark, will be used as an artistic space that welcomes the public and those who would perhaps not readily look to engage with art in its more usual settings.

Neal Hunter from Merepark, the developer behind the planned Central Village scheme, said:- “With Central Village we are creating a sustainable, vibrant community around Bold Street and Central Station.  Initiatives like this make a great contribution to the atmosphere of the area and we are delighted to be able to offer our support”.

A day by day events guide is available at:- catalystmedia.org.uk or there are details on Facebook by searching for The Nerve Centre or Shops Upfront.  Members of the public wanting to know more should contact Amy Scott Samuel via calling:- 07733 376792 or email.

Fringe benefits for festival

MUSIC lovers and budding film makers can feed their passion as Liverpool’s hottest Fringe festival returns.  Now in its 3rd year, the Mathew Street Fringe event celebrates the city’s original musicians in the venues that support new music all year round.

From Saturday, 28 August 2010 to late on Monday, 30 August 2010, venues taking part in the Fringe will be buzzing with the sounds of the best up and coming Liverpool bands. From all day gigs at the Zanzibar and Heebie Jeebies on Seel Street, acoustic sessions at the world famous Parr Street Studio 2 to music and film with Urban Strawberry Lunch in St Luke’s bombed out church.

And if seeing the latest acts live isn’t enough, all the venues will be giving away a special limited edition Fringe CD containing 20 tracks by the city’s most talked about acts, including The Delta Fiasco, Wave Machines, The Bo Weevils and Slopes.

Organisers are also setting creative festival-goers a cinematic challenge – 48 hours to script, shoot and edit a film capturing the spirit of the Fringe Festival and four other elements which will be revealed on Sunday, 29 August 2010. To scoop the £250 prize, interested filmmakers should meet at the café in FACT at 11am on the Sunday.

Liverpool city council’s cabinet member for culture and tourism, Councillor Wendy Simon, said:- “Despite it only being the 3rd outing for Fringe, the festival is already hugely popular and it’s a fantastic way for festival-goers to see Liverpool’s hottest musicians over 1 weekend.  It perfectly compliments the Mathew Street Music Festival, giving music lovers the chance to discover the wealth of local musical talent which exists in our city.  I’m positive this year will be a huge success and I hope as many people as possible take part and make it a bank holiday weekend to remember.”

Anyone taking part in the 48-hour film challenge must return their completed films (in DVD format) to FACT by 11am on Tuesday, 31 August 2010.  Judges from FACT, North West Vision and Media, Canvas and Mathew Street Fringe will judge each entry and the winner will be announced on Saturday, 5 September 2010, and all the films will be shown in the Box from midday.

For more information, please email  or go to online.

The Fringe festival is funded by ERDF (European Regional Development Fund).