Art After Dark 2026: Bigger, Bolder, Brighter!

Join us for a spectacular evening celebrating the beating artistic heart of Birkenhead!

Following the huge success of last year’s inaugural event, Art After Dark is returning, and this year, it’s even bigger! We’re teaming up with more venues than ever before to bring you an expanded night of incredible art, creativity, and community across the town.

Mark your calendars: 🗓️ Friday 20th March 🕖 Evening Event 📍 Across Birkenhead

✨ What to Expect This Year

Get ready to explore the town’s thriving creative scene with a packed programme that includes exhibitions, talks, and hands-on workshops.

• Confirmed partners: Birch Studios / Hamilton Vault Studios / Future Yard / Wish Upon A Party / Green Jam Creatives / Landlines Studio / Make Hamilton / Make it Happen / Rathbone Studio / Start Yard / Williamson Art Gallery / Wirral Archives / Hamilton Square Auctioneers / Men Too / Focal Point / The Hive / Play Play Play / Birkenhead Park Gallery / Birkenhack

🏢 The Venues

• Start-Yard – 108 Chirch Street.
  A creative coworking space and business incubator in Birkenhead that supports startups and freelancers.
  Exhibition by Wirral-based photographer and artist Alan McAleavey. 📸
• Play Play Play – 106 Bridge Street.
  Organised by graphic designer and educator Mark Simmonds (@kimmdrossman), the studio will be opening its doors and printing late into the night.
  🖨️Live Printing: Drop in any time to see the risograph process in action and learn about their workshop programmes and facilities.
  👥Get Involved: Visitors will have the chance to create their very own riso print to take home.
  🛍️Studio Shop: Special edition prints and items will be available for sale throughout the evening.
• Make Hamilton – 69-71 Argyle Street
  MAKE HAMILTON RESIDENT SHOWCASE – An exhibition of Make Hamiltons reisndents work!
  Studio Tours: See the space in action, 5pm, 7pm, 8pm
  Late Night Coffee: Our residents @bloomingskullcoffee will be open late for all your refreshment needs while you explore the building.
• Green Jam Creatives – 50 Hamilton Street.
  Green Jam is an independent shop in Birkenhead stocking work from over 50 small businesses – from prints and jewellery to handmade gifts and cards.
  What’s Happening:
  The shop will be open late for the event, and they’ll be hosting a drop-in collage affirmation session.
• Birch Studio & Gallery- 1 Hamilton Square

Exhbition – Body Clock by Billie Winters.

Open Studios – See behind the scenes of Birch Studio & Gallery’s resident Artists

• Hamilton Vault Studios – 1 Hamilton Square

Join Hamilton Vault to explore the history of their bank vault turned gallery.

• Future Yard – 75 Argyle Street

Hosting a Student Showcase in their Future Walls gallery space.

This exhibition features a selection of work from three second-year Illustration with Animation students at @wirralmetcollege . 🎨🎬

• Make It Happen – Vibrant Village – 34 Argyle Street

For one night, the Vibrant Village Living Room transforms into Gallery 34 (taking its name from their home at 34 Argyle Street). The exhibition features work from their incredibly creative community, using a multitude of media.

• Rathbone Studios – 28 Argyle Street

Exhibition featuring their in house Artists, and open studios – see the art in Action.

• Williamson Art Gallery & Museum – Slatey Road

Open until 9pm, with all exhibitions available to explore. Beyond The Brotherhood: Legacies of the Pre-Raphaelites and Echoes of the Floating World highlight gems from the Williamson’s own collections, while Loyalty by Steve des Landes and Adrian Jeans.

The Portrait Paradox showcaselocal artistic talent. The evening also features a free performance bymandolinist Julian Rees.

• Wirral Archives – Williamson Art Gallery, Slatey Road

Wirral Archives is the borough’s official archive service, based in the historic Cheshire Lines Building in Birkenhead. It collects, preserves, and provides access to records that document the history of Wirral and its communities, including maps, photographs, and local government and family history records.

• The Hive – Bright Street

The Hive’s Senior Media Squad is creating an immersive installation that transports audiences from Birkenhead into three distinct environments: a tropical jungle, a tranquil underwater world and an arctic tundra.

• Birkenhack

Birkenhack willcollaborate with Circular Arts NetworkLCR, who share the space, to host a

programme of hands-on activities including a drop-in collage workshop, a swap shop, and light installations created from recycled materials. The venue will also act as a stop for

the local Joy Ride cycling club, encouraging visitors to continue along the Art After Dark route.

• Birkenhead Park Gallery

About the exhibition: I’ll Tell You Later – BSL Happy Snappers. Through photography and personal stories, this exhibition explores life in a hearing world, celebrating Deaf identity, community, and the importance of true accessibility. Created with artist Emma Case and Open Eye Gallery, it invites audiences to see communication and inclusion from a new perspective.

• Focal Point

Focal Point supported by Focal Studios are collaborating with Art After Dark to bring this event to life with projection mapped art & signposting for the amazing things happening on the night.

• Hamilton Square Auctioneers

The Wirrals Premier Auction House, will be holding an important sale of Contemporary Street Art on the 26th March at their premises in Hamilton Square. It will be open for viewing during the Art After Dark event on the 20th March and will feature artists such as Banksy, Paul Insect, Ben Eine, Goldie, Shepard Fairey, Martin Whatson, Antony MIcalleff, James Joyce, James Cauty, Pure Evil. There will be works at all price levels and the opportunity to support Palestinian Street Art through the ltd edition prints of Taqi Spateen & Yazan with works created whilst in residence at Banksy’s Walled Off Hotel.

Why Creative Culture Matters

Art After Dark is more than just an exhibition crawl; it’s a movement to foster collaboration, encourage engagement with the local arts community, and inject new energy into Birkenhead’s cultural offerings.

Building on the foundation set last year by amazing partners like Hamilton Vault Studios, Spider Project, the Williamson Art Gallery, Future Yard, and many others, the 2026 event promises even more discovery and connection for everyone – from dedicated art enthusiasts to curious newcomers.

This event is FREE and open to all ages!

Support Our Growth: While attending Art After Dark remains free for all, we are offering an optional donation at the time of booking your ticket through Eventbrite. Any contribution received will go directly towards the running costs of the event, helping us manage logistics, invest in growth, and ensure Art After Dark remains a sustainable and fantastic annual celebration for the community. Thank you for helping us keep this event thriving!