Bootle town centre will become an open air art gallery this summer as it becomes home to a colourful set of monumental new artworks.

Inspired by the town’s bid to become UK Town of Culture

Stretching along Washington Parade, which runs past the bus terminal and Bootle New Strand station, the large scale installations have been produced by local artists and designers. Their work has been inspired by the town’s bid to become UK Town of Culture. The creations will enliven the Washington Parade area and tell a story about the ambition for Bootle to become a creative hub in the future.

Reimagining Bootle’s future

Funded from the UK Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund as part of the Community and Place Improvements for Bootle, the project is part of the wider plans to reimagine Bootle’s future through major investments such as the Town Centre transformation project and the redevelopment of Salt and Tar.

Local Artists 

Five local artists - Heather Almond, Timea Balo, Cherie Grist, Jay Stockley and Sam Wiehl - have worked on pieces for the open-air gallery with all of the works being installed as large scale prints meaning that in the future the outdoor gallery can be refreshed with new designs.

Heather Almond said:

“Using design to bring joy to a place is a real privilege. As someone who trained in Bootle it’s a lovely thing to be a small part of this project. I hope the people of Bootle like it! ”

Cllr Paulette Lappin, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Economy and Skills, said:

“This stunning project will be impossible to ignore when it is installed later in the summer.

“The energy, colour and creativity which it will inject into this main footfall area of the town is a sign of things to come. Local people have told us they want the area to be brightened up, reasons to visit and bringing in new cultural developments. 

“This open-air Art Gallery ticks all these boxes and delivers their ambitions in spades.”

Meet the Artist Session

A ‘Meet the Artist’ session is taking place on Jersey Close from 4.30pm to 6.30pm on Thursday 9th July with Cherie Grist. Residents will be able to get a sneak peek of the design being planned for that area and also share their ideas for the piece.

All the new artworks are planning to be installed in Bootle before the end of August.