NewsLFC artwork designed to inspire local youngsters to be showcased at Tate Liverpool

The InspiRED art display, which brings together the Reds’ official charity, LFC Foundation, and the club’s publishing partner Kodansha, focuses on the theme of ‘Inspire Impossible Stories’, echoing Kodansha’s belief that stories can change people’s lives and introduce new worlds.

Situated in the Learning Studio at Tate Liverpool, the display will feature a collection of pieces from cityscapes and iconic buildings to Jürgen Klopp and his players, designed by an array of talented Japanese artists. Artwork designed by local youngsters participating in the exhibition will also be on display.

The artwork, which has been created and compiled throughout LFC’s three-year partnership with Kodansha, will be on view from July 10 to 16 at Tate Liverpool situated in the city’s historic Royal Albert Dock.

Alongside the artwork, children from five local schools and young people from LFC Foundation’s mental health and employability programmes will be welcomed to take part in a range of fun and interactive workshops. The public will also be able to view the display for free from July 14 to 16.

Through their company motto, Inspire Impossible Stories, Kodansha – Japan’s largest publisher, producing a variety of content, including manga, novels, magazines and children’s books – works collaboratively with LFC Foundation to support children’s literacy and inspire creativity from a young age to show that with determination anyone can achieve the impossible.

This includes donating art and craft material and delivering creative drawing workshops in local schools, as well as launching the LFC Foundation Creative Works programme in 2021, which inspires young people from challenging backgrounds to achieve careers in the creative industry.

Over the last three years, Kodansha’s community projects with LFC Foundation have connected with more than 850 school children in Liverpool, with manga books being donated to local schools and community hubs ensuring that each child can read and seek creativity through arts publishing.

To date, almost 40 young people from Liverpool John Moores University, local schools and colleges have taken part in the Creative Works programme, receiving more than 1,500 hours in mentoring, CV and interview techniques, educational events and confidence building, with six achieving paid placements in various sectors, including theatre, media and gaming.

Matt Parish, chief executive of LFC Foundation, said: “Working collaboratively with Kodansha for the past few years has been a success and enabled us to provide a range of creative programmes that both engage and inspire children and young people across our city region.

“We are all very excited by the InspiRED display and our participants and staff are looking forward to taking part in the interactive activities at Tate Liverpool.”

Tokuo Kanemaru, senior executive vice-president and COO at Kodansha, added: “Our partnership with Liverpool FC has blossomed into a truly creative and wonderful collaboration. We hope that the narratives we’ve crafted together will inspire everyone at this exhibition.”

Shaun Curtis, head of learning at Tate Liverpool, said: “We’re delighted to host LFC Foundation and Kodansha at Tate Liverpool to share their work and we can’t wait to see the children and young people getting involved in the creative workshops inspired by their collaboration.”

To find out more about Liverpool FC’s partnership with Kodansha, please visit here.

For more information on the InspiRED display and details on how to book, please visit here.