Independents Biennial Closing Party
Sunday 14th September
6-10pm, Bridewell

This has been an incredible Independents Biennial. Every artist from Merseyside, and around the UK, who participated did something special.

On 14th September, once we’ve closed our gallery doors for the last time, we’ll be closing the last exhibition to open – Komal Madar’s Talisman.

If you’re free, we’d love to see you, say thank you, and invite you to stay in touch until 2027.

If you can’t make it, thank you for your help this year, whether you’re an artist, a colleague, an organiser, a friend.

Independents Biennial 2025 took seven years to make, and the last fourteen weeks have been utterly overwhelming in the best possible way. 198 events, 500+ artists, 100+ venues, 40 volunteers, and 4 staff. Thank you all.

Note, we’ll have a donation bar on Sunday, but you are absolutely welcome to BYOB.

Booking link (free): Eventbrite Link

In 1976 a small group of artists rented a derelict police station and established Bridewell Studios. Artspace Merseyside was formed in 1981 as a not for profit limited company to run the organisation and after the demise of Merseyside County Council the artists secured a loan to buy the property. In 2007 English Heritage gave the building a Grade 2 listing and in 2015 the company became a charity.

Constructed circa 1846 as a police station, the large red brick building is situated on the corner of a busy thoroughfare on the eastern edge of Liverpool city centre and just opposite The Royal Liverpool University Hospital. There is much evidence of its original function still visible including a Detective Office sign at the foot of the staircase and the row of cells.

Over the last 42 years many artists have worked or had connections with the studios and gallery, including Adrian Henri, Richard Young, Stephen Broadbent, Maurice Cockrill, Ian McKeever, Anish Kapoor and the singer/songwriter David Gray. The building itself became famous in the 1980’s as one of the locations for Alan Bleasdale’s ‘Boys from the Blackstuff’.

The Bridewell currently hosts 35 studio based artists and craftspeople whose creative practice includes painting, stone/wood sculpture, jewellery, stained glass, textiles, print-making, ceramics, metal and multi media.