Liverpool European Partnership

17/04/2026

📸 COMMUNITY CALLOUT 📸

As part of our current, collaborative exhibition at the Open Eye Gallery, on 16-17 May, community members will gather for 'My East of Europe' - a photography workshop celebrating photographs and stories of individuals from the East of Europe living in the Liverpool City Region, reclaiming stories of freedom and identity beyond the Soviet narrative.

Do you have photographs from home that tell your story? They're looking for authentic, everyday images - family life, daily routines, familiar places, favourite foods, or a street, tree, or landscape that holds a particular memory - to be a part of this workshop.

If you have pictures that reflect your culture and personal history, and would like to get involved, contact Lilly Jankaus at Open Eye Gallery: [email protected]

Please tag someone who would love to get involved, and share this post with your communities!

(Image credit: Lilly Jankaus)

09/04/2026

We're very proud to be partnering with Open Eye Gallery on something really special.

'Self-Defined. New Stories From Archives' opens on 16th April in their main gallery - with works that are intimate, layered, and very moving, this exhibition is well worth your time.

Featuring artists and researchers from across Eastern Europe, it explores decolonisation, displacement, and identity through photography, collage and video - from post-WW2 border changes and the stories of Polish and Ukrainian families to the history of the Crimean Tatars, to decades of life photographed in the Latvian countryside.

Some pieces were co-commissioned by the University of Salford and Open Eye Gallery in partnership with the National Library of Riga, which is a collaboration that spans institutions and borders, and which feels very fitting.

Self-Defined runs from 16 April to 7 June as a pre-festival event for Liverpool European Festival 2026.

It's free to visit, the link to reserve your space is in the comments below!

03/04/2026

260 people. 260 feathers. One very big, very colourful egg. 🥚🪶

Every year, Liverpool's Polish community visits the Lord Mayor to share Easter traditions, eat Mazurka and Babka, and drink tea together. And every year, they bring an egg.

260 visitors - children, families, people of all ages and communities - attended a workshop run by Merseyside Polonia at the World Museum this week and each one made a paper feather for a giant Easter egg. Every feather different. Every one made by a real person who walked in that day. Together they decorated this giant Easter egg, designed by the talented Konrad, where the colours are a nod to the Our Liverpool's iconically colourful Liver Bird.

The feathers aren't just decoration. They're a symbol not just of individuality but also of belonging. Of a new generation growing up knowing that Liverpool is their home too. When all the feathers are brought together, they form a vibrant, harmonious whole - just like a community in action.

Every single contribution, no matter how small, helps to create something bigger, brighter, and more joyful.

That egg is now in Liverpool's Town Hall.

It's on display at the Town Hall for the next two weeks. Go and see it if you can!

From all of us at Liverpool European Partnership, we would like to wish all of our communities a very Happy Easter!

27/03/2026

Young racialised Europeans want to belong, contribute and grow but, too often, the systems around them don't recognise their dignity. It's a truth many Europeans in Liverpool City Region know first-hand, and it's exactly why the work of LEP and our partners matters.

Last Saturday, 21st March, we were proud to support Mi‑Euro City - a powerful gathering hosted by Black Europeans and the In Limbo Project on the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. The event created a safe space for racialised Europeans to be seen, heard and protected, with free immigration legal advice and honest conversations about life after Brexit; sharing what it means to become a "displaced EU citizen" - stripped of status, unable to work, study or access rights once taken for granted.

Eltayeb Bashar (Global Rights Alliance) and Khadija Bashar (Anti-Racism) spoke to the urgency of protecting futures for those facing structural exclusion. As Aké Achi, Co-Founder and CEO of Black Europeans, reminded us: "racism is not an issue for Black people alone, nor solely for white people to confront; it is a human rights issue."

This is what community-led advocacy looks like, and there is more to come.

The fight for the rights of racialised Europeans, particularly Displaced Europeans continues at the Social Diplomacy Summit in Bristol on 7 May, bringing together leading scholars, diplomats, and those with lived experience. Contact Black Europeans for more details 🤝🏾

24/03/2026

On a rainy day like today, we just can’t wait to feel the warmth and sunshiney loveliness radiating from Liverpool European Festival again!

20/03/2026

What an incredible day at Liverpool Hope University last Friday! 🇺🇦

The 'Festival of Futures' brought together academics, artists, community organisations and civic voices to explore culture, identity and what the future can look like.

With 3 powerful Ukrainian-focused events, the AUGB Liverpool branch made sure Ukraine was right at the heart of it.

🎬 Culture Versus War - a moving film by Taras Kompanichenko, presented by Liuda Sergiienko, exploring the enduring strength of Ukrainian culture in the face of war.

🎭 Drama Domivka Project - a lively, participatory performance created by Liverpool Hope students Scout, Karina and Alexandra, developed in cooperation with AUGB Liverpool. It was creative, energetic, and joyful!

🗣️ Solidarity in Action: Ukraine, Europe and You - an open and dynamic discussion organised by the AUGB Liverpool Branch Chair.

The event featured contributions from Університет Григорія Сковороди в Переяславі📚 ФЕПО 11-ЕК (Ukrainian institution Twinned with Liverpool Hope), QSImpACT ( Richard Kemp), the Home Office (Lee Millea), Liverpool European Partnership (Gosia McKane), Resilience Ukrainian Support Centre (Mikhailina Kukharchuk & Solomija Kostyshyn), the English Poetry Club (Brent Shannon), Ukrainian Language Lessons (Juliana Kolyada), and the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Liverpool.

This is exactly what Liverpool's European identity looks like in action: communities connecting, cultures being celebrated, and solidarity finding real, meaningful expression.

A huge BRAVO to AUGB Liverpool and everyone involved. 👏👏👏

17/03/2026

Happy St Patrick's Day to the wonderful community at the Liverpool Irish Centre and everyone celebrating across the city today! 🍀☘️

Wishing you all wonderful day filled with great craic, good music, and plenty of cheer.

Lá Fhéile Pádraig sona daoibh! 💚🇮🇪

📸 Liverpool Irish Centre

11/03/2026

✨ What makes our LEP Business Meetings special? Every single one creates valuable new connections - and this one took things to a whole new level!

🌍🤝 After building bridges between community organisations for the Liverpool European Festival, we've now launched a dedicated platform connecting European entrepreneurs and businesses across Liverpool City Region. And this meeting? It was all about practical business support.

Our speakers brought incredible insight and opportunity:
👉 Joanne Anderson, former Mayor of Liverpool, spoke powerfully about the need for customised business support for minority communities. She praised LEP's coordinated approach and introduced her Innervision Programme, which has been developed specifically for minoritised communities.

👉 Andrew Beattie of Kindred LCR presented exciting investment opportunities for businesses delivering social impact, and opened the door to their network of over 2,000 members.

👉 Janice Mears from Growth Platform gave a wider Liverpool City Region perspective, showcasing support tools available at every stage of business development, and expressed a keen interest in partnering with LEP on future initiatives.

👉 Phil McCabe from the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) encouraged attendees to get involved as FSB Ambassadors, opening up volunteering and networking opportunities.

👉 Alex Ferguson from BIPC Liverpool City Region rounded things off with a focused session on Intellectual Property - when to protect what you've built and how to handle infringement. Don't forget their drop-in desk at Central Library!

The event also shone a spotlight on the upcoming Liverpool European Festival and the amazing potential already sitting within our growing European business community - skilled, experienced people ready to share, collaborate, and grow together.

A huge thank you to all our speakers for their generosity, expertise, and open invitations to collaborate. Keep an eye out for LEP at upcoming business events across the city! 👀

📸 Photo credit: Miłosz Kraskowski

10/03/2026

Oh myyy... we are EXCITED! 🥳🇪🇺

08/03/2026

Reminder: Join us on Tuesday 10th March!

European entrepreneurs and business owners in Liverpool City Region - this event is for you.

Hear directly from organisations offering funding, training, advice and growth support, including Growth Platform, BIPC Liverpool City Region, FSB, Liverpool Chamber of Commerce, Innervision Consultancy and Kindred LCR.

Speak with them directly, make new connections, and discover support for your business.

📍 The Clubhouse, Wolstenholme Square, Liverpool L1 4JJ
⏰ Arrive 9:30am | Start 10am | Finish 12pm

Join us for the Liverpool European Partnership Business Support Roadshow on the 10th March 2026 at The Clubhouse, Wolstenholme Square, L1 4JJ, Liverpool. Event Schedule: -Arrival at 9:30am -10am start -Ends at 12pm Exhibitors include: -Growth Platform -City Business Support Team -BIPC -FSB -Liverpoo...

27/02/2026

🇧🇬 A big Liverpool shoutout to our wonderful Bulgarian community!

Your wonderful community joined Liverpool European Partnership in November 2025, with the opening of the Honorary Bulgarian Consulate, for which our Business Lead, Peter Schriewersmann is the Honorary Consul, and we are so happy to partner with you!

Tomorrow, Saturday 28 February, the children and families of Bulgarian Sunday School "Bukvaran” in Liverpool are hosting a folklore festival with music and dance with a joyful celebration of culture and community.

With over 80 young people learning Bulgarian language, history and geography, Bukvaran is doing beautiful work helping children grow up proud of their heritage and connected to each other.

On 1 March, Bulgarians celebrate Baba Marta Day, welcoming spring and new life. Baba Marta is an elderly lady , who gives everyone a bracelet made out of white and red wishing them health and success and, every year, the children at Bukvaran receive theirs with big smiles. They belong, and they celebrate together here in Liverpool. 💜

On 3 March, Bulgaria’s National Day, communities honour the heroes who contributed to Bulgaria’s freedom, remembering history with pride and gratitude.

Liverpool is richer because of communities like yours - thank you so much for the colour, music, friendship and spirit you bring ✨

If you know someone in the Bulgarian community, tag them below so we can celebrate together. 🇧🇬

24/02/2026

Europe dances through Liverpool this May & June 💃🕺 Save the date!