Lunar New Year: Year of the Dragon

Local immersive experts Focal Studios will be dazzling audiences with the story of ‘The Boy and the Pearl’ over 3 spectacular nights of projections. The projection show, lasting 10 mins, will be played on repeat between 5:30pm-9pm each night.

The grounds of the church will be brought to life with a stunning audio-visual art installation developed by Focal Studios and The Bombed Out Church's community engagement team. Inspired by traditional Chinese folklore, the story of 'The Boy and The Pearl’ has been developed in collaboration with Pagoda arts, the Bombed Out Church and local artists. 

Acting as the centre piece for the garden, a 7ft high driftwood dragon sculpture depicting the wood dragon will be crafted by local artist Judith Herring using pieces of up-cycled wood and driftwood. Reflecting the city’s wider Lunar New Year narrative, the dragon will possess a large, enchanting pearl, illuminated from within.

Building on the success of the Zhezhi Rabbit display for Lunar New Year 2023 and staying true to our commitment to harness creativity for positive change, we are excited to announce our collaboration with over 30 local schools and community members for 2024. Together, we will create a surge of shimmering leaves to encircle the dragon sculpture, serving as the focal point of this enchanting installation.

Using their creative work to foster positive ecological change, Focal Studios have enlisted the help of Mersey Forest to deliver workshops on creating plant pots, alongside the giveaway of tree saplings to visitors over the weekend.

The Mersey Forest will be part of the celebrations at St Luke’s Bombed Out Church during the daytime. 

Friday: 3pm - 5pm. Saturday: 12pm - 5pm. Sunday: 11am - 5pm.

• Each day The Mersey Forest will be giving away 500 small trees for people to plant at home. This is a great way for people to play their part in helping to grow the Mersey Forest and will be a reminder of their weekend celebrating the Chinese New Year.
• There will be a Tree of Hope to capture peoples' thoughts and views on trees and woodlands in their community and where they'd like to see more. This information will feed into The Mersey Forest’s Plan, a strategic guide to the work they do with partners across Cheshire and Merseyside.
• The Mersey Forest team will also be sharing the benefits of their Natural Health Service, which harnesses the power of the natural environment to improve both mental and physical health. The service offers activities such as health walks, mindful contact with nature sessions, horticulture therapy and practical conservation sessions.

 About artist Judith Herring: 

Judith Herring is a seasoned artist with a background in graphic design and illustration. For over two decades, she has graced galleries with her paintings and has recently ventured into installation art and furniture upcycling. 

Inspired by coastal treasures gathered from New Brighton and Crosby beach combing expeditions, Judith crafts immersive stories using driftwood and found objects. Her contemporary furniture mirrors, lighting installations, collages, and quirky beach cottages reflect a unique blend of craftsmanship and narrative.

In a bold stride towards larger-than-life expressions, Judith’s commission to create a monumental dragon installation not only showcases her mastery of scale but also underscores her commitment to pushing the boundaries of artistic exploration. 

Dates / Times

 Friday 9th February: -

 Open Day inside the church walls 11:00 - 16:30 (donation on entry) 

-Mersey Forest Workshop 15:00-17:00 (last entry 16:45) 

- Arts Installation 15:00-17:00 (last entry 16:45) 

- Arts Installation & Light Projection Show 17:30-21:00 (last entry 20:50)

Saturday 10th February:

  -Open Day inside the church walls 11:00 - 16:30 (donation on entry)  

- Mersey Forest 12:00-17:00 (last entry 16:45) 

- Movema Community Dance Show 16:00 - 16:10 

- Arts Installation 12:00-17:00 (last entry 16:45)

 - Arts Installation & Light Projection Show 17:30-21:00 (last entry 20:50)

Sunday 11th February:

  -Open Day inside the church walls 11:00 - 16:30 (donation on entry)  

- Mersey Forest Workshop 11:00-17:00 (last entry 16:30) 

- Arts Installation 11:00-17:00 (last entry 16:30) 

- Arts Installation & Light Projection Show 17:30-21:00 (last entry 20:50)

 Times are subject to change.

Details 

- Drinks (hot, cold & alcoholic) will be available to purchase 

- Hot food available on Sunday to purchase 

- Merchandise available to purchase 

- Please note we are predominantly a card only site for purchases, please bring one to avoid disappointment 

- The art installation & light projection show is open air while The Mersey Forest's activities will take place under cover 

- Both the workshops and the installation are fully wheelchair accessible 

- For any further information about the event or if you have specific access requirements, please contact hello@slboc.com

Please be mindful that we are an outdoor venue, grounds are uneven and slippy when wet. The insides of the church can also get muddy, please keep this in mind when choosing footwear and wear appropriate clothing to keep you warm

The work has been created by Focal Studios, in collaboration with Pagoda, the Bombed Out Church and local artists. Thank you to funding partners Liverpool City Council, Visit Liverpool.