Launching today, ‘Think of Us’, is a major project featuring hundreds of schoolchildren from across the Liverpool City Region by Liverpool Biennial and Royal Albert Dock Liverpool.
The monumental outdoor work, an ‘action’ presented as part of the Inside Out Project (a global participatory art initiative founded by French artist JR), will be presented at Royal Albert Dock until 23 August. The piece consists of hundreds of black and white portraits of Year 6 children from across Merseyside displayed around the perimeter of the interior dock wall.
An audio accompaniment and online learning resource, which invites every Year 6 pupil in Merseyside to participate from home or in school, will also be presented alongside the work. The public can take part by adding to the ‘Think of Us’ children’s manifesto through the Liverpool Biennial website.
Throughout May and June, the Liverpool Biennial team have worked closely with photographer Emma Case, sound artist Sara Wolff and artist facilitator Klaire Doyle in delivering workshops to explore ideas, capture portraits, and record the children’s messages which will feature in the soundscapes.
During these workshops, children explored the ways in which they would like to feel seen and heard, how they feel young people are perceived and listened to, and how they might use public art to communicate with adults. As part of the workshops, each child was invited to have their portrait taken and recorded a spoken response, which was used to create the audio element of the artwork.
The project was devised to empower the region’s schoolchildren who, at the transitional stage of Year 6, are starting to seek out more independence and develop self-awareness ahead of moving on to secondary school.
Katie Lee, Curator of Learning, Liverpool Biennial, said:
The project has been very much about giving children the opportunity to communicate with adults creatively, in a public space. The children were amazing to work with, showing brilliant creativity and emotional intelligence in sharing their personalities through their portraits and soundscapes, which has resulted in a moving and inspiring outcome.
The project provides a snapshot into how this generation connects with adults, how they feel perceived in public spaces, and in what contexts they’d like to have their voices heard. If this artwork inspires any kind of action within our community, I hope that it provokes adults to ask more questions, be ready to listen, and for us to collectively challenge our assumptions about children and young people. The project, at its heart, is about intergenerational connection.
Dr Samantha Lackey, Director, Liverpool Biennial, said:
We’re proud to be working with Royal Albert Dock to bring this striking artwork to Liverpool. As well as creating a vibrant focal point for visitors, it gives children from across the region the chance to see themselves represented at the heart of their city.
We know that across the region, our children and young people experience significantly higher levels of deprivation and child poverty compared to the national average, which presents challenges for their development. We believe that this ‘action’ – part of the Inside Out Project, will give the children involved the agency to articulate their hopes and aspirations for the future.
Laura Pye, Director of National Museums Liverpool and Chair of Royal Albert Dock said:
As the Royal Albert Dock marks its 180th anniversary, ’Think of Us’ is a great reminder that this remarkable waterfront is not only a place to reflect on Liverpool’s past, but to imagine its future. By placing the voices and faces of local young people at the heart of this iconic setting, the project invites us to see the dock as a space where all generations can connect with its history, consider its legacy, and shape the stories still to come. It’s a fitting way to celebrate 180 years of a place that continues to inspire visitors from across the world.
Liverpool Biennial would like to thank the creative practitioners and facilitators that worked on ‘Think of Us’:
- Emma Case, photographer
- Sara Wolff, sound artist
- Klaire Doyle, artist facilitator
The 14th edition of Liverpool Biennial, which will be informed by perspectives and experiences of childhood and youth in Liverpool and across the world, will take place 5 June – 12 September 2027, co-curated by Aimee Harrison and Lucía Sanromán.
Liverpool Biennial is supported by Arts Council England, Liverpool City Council and founding supporter James Moores.
Categories: 2026 | Arts & Culture | Child-Friendly City | Community & Participation | Festivals & Events
