Landmarks will light up in rainbow colours tomorrow (20 July) to showcase the Liverpool City Region as an LGBT+ friendly destination.

Famous and recognisable buildings have pledged their support to this year’s Come Out of the Shadows initiative, which will run until 30 July.

Liverpool Football Club is backing the event once again, after successfully illuminating the Kop with Pride colours in 2016, and will be joined by a number of cultural, commercial and local authority buildings right across the region including Liverpool’s Everyman theatre; town halls in Liverpool, Bootle, Wallasey and St Helens; and the Merseyside Police Headquarters to name a few.

The 10-day project takes place in the run up to and during 2017’s Liverpool Pride Festival, which will this year bring entertainment and attractions to the St George’s Quarter from 29-30 July.

Come Out of the Shadows aims to highlight the region as inclusive, diverse and tolerant while at the same time raising awareness and normalising LGBT+ in all its forms to make Liverpool safer for residents and visitors alike.

The campaign will also be highlighted on public screens across Liverpool streets and venues as well as with a public exhibition in Liverpool ONE.

Michael Carey from Liverpool Pride Festival says: “Now in its second year, Come Out of the Shadows is simply about challenging hate crime.

“This year the country is celebrating the 50th anniversary since the decriminalisation of homosexuality yet, despite this legal success and improvements with equal rights, the LGBT+ community still faces the threat of crime, intolerance and violence purely because of who they choose to love.

“Supported by key partners across the Liverpool City Region, we ask you to reflect on why this campaign is important and to help us change attitudes to make LGBT+ hate crime a thing of the past.”

Full list of buildings taking part in Come Out of the Shadows:

St George’s Hall, Liverpool

Liverpool Central Library

Liverpool Town Hall

Bluecoat, Liverpool

FACT, Liverpool

Everyman, Liverpool

Floral Pavilion, New Brighton

The Atkinson, Southport

World Museum, Liverpool

Dr Martin Luther King Jr. Building at Albert Dock (lit for Pride weekend only)

Cunard Building, Liverpool

St John’s Beacon, Liverpool

Echo Arena Liverpool

Merseyside Police Headquarters

Liverpool John Lennon Airport

Barclays Bank on Lord Street, Liverpool

Regenda Group on Commutation Row, Liverpool

James Street Station tunnel, Liverpool

Liverpool Football Club

Greystone Footbridge, Knowsley

Our Place Knowsley Leisure and Culture Park

Steve Prescot Bridge, St Helens

Isla Gladstone Conservatory, Liverpool

Crosby Library

Bootle Town Hall

Wallasey Town Hall

St Helens Town Hall