Running until early September, Liverpool Biennial, the UK’s largest free contemporary art festival, is currently transforming the entire city of Liverpool into an immersive, open-air art gallery.
Located in the heart of the buzzy Ropewalks district, The Resident Liverpool, Tripadvisor’s #1 traveller-ranked hotel in Liverpool is perfectly placed in the centre of the action.
To help visitors make the most of this, The Resident Liverpool team has curated a guide to the best places to experience art across the city, both during the Biennial and year-round.
Sharon Brown, Hotel Manager of The Resident Liverpool, says: “Since Liverpool was dubbed a European Capital of Culture, the artistic production of our storied city has well and truly been put on the map. Liverpool attracts art aficionados worldwide who are keen to see what the city has to offer, but with the reopening of Tate Liverpool delayed until 2027 after securing a historic £12 million in funding for a complete architectural and conceptual overhaul, it’s important that our Resident Insiders – who advise and tailor recommendations for guests based on their interests – are fully up to date with what else there is to see and experience around the city.
Below, Sharon shares some of the city’s most artful attractions.
Biennial 2025
The theme of the 13th edition of the Biennial is ‘BEDROCK’, inspired by the sandstone which spans the city region and is found in its distinctive architecture, serving as a metaphor for Liverpool’s strong social foundations.
Instead of being confined to Liverpool’s traditional museums, this edition of the Biennial also includes some iconic city venues and even outdoor displays at the likes of Liverpool ONE, Mann Island, and along the waterfront.
The Royal Standard
Liverpool’s oldest and largest artist-led studio puts on a wide range of exhibitions, events and community activities delivered by local artists of all ages. The organisation champions creatives across the North West and beyond by providing studios, residences, and opportunities to host exhibitions. The website features a list of all artists in residence along with a programme of upcoming events, so keep an eye out for any studio open days you can drop into during your visit.
The city as a canvas
Sometimes, art just can’t be contained within the four walls of a gallery, so some Liverpool artists have taken to the streets, transforming public spaces with their vibrant murals. Following the Contrast Murals Festival of 2018, striking artworks popped up on walls across the city that can still be seen today. Even an ephemeral Banksy mural once materialised overnight on the façade of the old Whitehouse pub before it was taken down by a property group.
Wartime relics
Being a major port for the war effort, Liverpool was heavily bombed during the Second World War. About five miles north of the city is Crosby Beach, often called the “blitz beach”, where you can find two miles of rubble from a pre-WWII Liverpool strewn along the Irish Sea. Instead of clearing it up and out of sight, visitors are invited to take a reflective walk spotting tiny fragments from brick houses or remnants of hospitals, government buildings, churches and even gargoyles.
More recognisable along the estuary are sculptor Antony Gormley’s 100 cast-iron statues, moulded from his own body, facing out towards the water.
Art which makes a difference
The Liverpool-based Homotopia is an arts and social justice organisation which blends art and activism. To mark the 40th anniversary release of the Frankie Goes to Hollywood album Welcome to the Pleasuredome, the organisation produced an exhibition celebrating the life and work of lead singer Holly Johnson in collaboration with National Museums Liverpool and Johnson himself. This bold new exhibition does contain sensitive material and adult themes so parental guidance is recommended. The exhibition will stay open at the Museum of Liverpool until 27 July 2025.
