Our brilliant team are a passionate bunch! We love the arts and are dedicated to making The Atkinson a vibrant and welcoming space for everyone. We love learning about and sharing history, art, and culture with the public.
To celebrate The Atkinson’s 10th Birthday, we have asked volunteers and staff to identify their favourite painting or object from our collection. With a collection as rich and eclectic as ours, its easy to find a piece you could find as a favourite. Throughout November, we will be hosting informal chats about particular pieces that have caught our staff and volunteer’s eyes and currently on display.
Please come along and support our speakers, share ideas, and enjoy a glimpse behind the curtain of what it means to be up close and personal with The Atkinson’s incredible collection.
Saturday 11 November 2023 – Captain Rockcliffe with Mo.
Learn more about Captain Rockcliffe in our Museum, second floor on 11th November at 11:30am and repeated at 12:30am.
The Talk will be delivered by Mo, one of our very knowledgeable volunteers who can frequently be found supporting our schools programme, delivering tours around the building and running our monthly Construction Club in the Children’s Library. Mo has volunteered with The Atkinson for nine years and is interested in local history and delights in miniatures.
Mo has been keenly researching this interesting local man and says; “I have loved learning about this local character in Southport’s sea-faring history. I like that our Collection contains a model of his home, made by Andrew Kiddie of the Kiddie Company, who was an equally fascinating man.”
Saturday 18 November 2023 – Southport for a Holiday in Wintertime with Jan.
Join Jan, our knowledgeable volunteer, for a free spotlight talk on our beautiful painting of people leaving the Garrick Theatre on Lord Street, titled Southport for a Holiday in Wintertime. This stunningly detailed illustration of Southport in the 1930s was painted by Fortunino Matania, a painter and illustrator who spent much time in the town.
Learn more about Matania and his work at this talk on November 18th at 10:30am or 11:30am at The Atkinson Museum.
Jan has volunteered at The Atkinson for nine years and is passionate about local history. She has delivered two of our Object of the Month talks and can frequently be found supporting our schools programme and delivering tours around the building.
Jan says, “My favorite part of The Atkinson’s collection is our Egyptology Gallery, which I enjoy sharing with school groups and then seeing the children reflecting back their knowledge and learning.”
Thursday 23 November 2023 – Bedtime Boy with Dave.
To learn more about our sculpture Bedtime Boy by Laura Ford with volunteer Dave, pop in to our galleries on Wednesday 22 November at 1pm.
Dave has chosen this Sculpture as he has an appreciation and understanding of sculpture and says he “always enjoys seeing sculpture as part of our exhibitions and collection.”
Dave has volunteered at The Atkinson since 2016 and welcomes visitors to the building, can provide an Introduction to our exhibitions in our Art Galleries and helps to install exhibitions. Dave previously studied and created sculpture, having gained a BA (Hons) in Visual Art and Art History and his MA in Sculpture Studies.
Friday 24 November 2023 – Lilith by John Collier with Louise.
Learn more about our beautiful painting of Lilith by John Collier with volunteer Louise pop in Saturday 4th November on 11am.
Louise has been volunteering at The Atkinson for 9 years, from front of house in the foyer welcoming visitors to behind the scenes assisting with collections care and exhibition installations but being a mature student with Open University and gaining a BA (Hons) Humanities sparked an interest in Art History and where better for her to volunteer now is on the galleries where she can chat to visitors about the artworks and exhibitions.
No need to book, simply head to our Gallery on the first floor on Friday 24th November for a start at 11am.
Saturday 25 November 2023 – Lowry’s Street Scene 1935 with Rose.
To learn more about our beautiful painting of Street Scene 1935 by LS Lowry with volunteer Rose, pop in to our galleries on Saturday 25 November at 11am.
Rose has chosen this painting as her grandparents lived in Salford and her memories of the streets and housing typical of this area have become “part of her consciousness”.
Rose volunteers at The Atkinson and previously volunteered in Liverpool at F.A.C.T. and Tate Liverpool. She studied Graphics with a specialism in animation at John Moore’s University and went on to teach art and design in Knowsley.
Posted on 25 October 2023 under General news
