Organisers of the award-winning Liverpool Theatre Festival have announced its return for a third consecutive year, with the festival’s sister event Little LTF also returning.

Liverpool Theatre Festival was first staged in September 2020 to boost the city’s live performance and creative arts sectors following the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the industry.

After a successful inaugural year, the event returned in 2021 welcoming 2,700 festivalgoers across 12 days, with a programme featuring 23 performances of 16 shows.

Last year also saw the introduction of fringe event Little LTF, a seven-day mini-festival to champion and showcase new works and talent, which attracted 1,200 festivalgoers in year one.

Liverpool Theatre Festival 2022 will take place between Wednesday 31 August and Sunday 11 September 2022. It will be preceded by Little LTF (Liverpool Theatre Festival Of New Works) from Monday 2 May to Sunday 8 May 2022.

Both events will once again take place at St Luke’s Bombed Out Church in Liverpool city centre, the marquee as the backdrop for Little LTF, with the main festival taking place outdoors.

Meanwhile, creatives are now being invited to submit new works for Little LTF – full details can be found at www.liverpooltheatrefestival.com.

Submissions are especially welcomed from Liverpool’s diverse communities and arts organisations to fully represent the cityscape, and children’s productions are also encouraged to apply.

Scripts must be complete or already in development and creatives must be linked to Liverpool City Region or the wider North West area.

A panel of industry professionals will select works, and media and theatre programmers will be invited to see the premieres first-hand at the festival. Accolades will also be given to outstanding productions in specific categories.

Last year, organisers were “overwhelmed by the incredible calibre of work and remarkable talent” of submissions. All productions included in the festival line-up will be seen by Liverpool audiences for the very first time at the festival.

The selection panel has been confirmed as LTF festival director Bill Elms; theatre director and producer James Baker; Francesca Peschier, head of new works at Everyman Playhouse; arts marketing professional Anthony Proctor; freelance arts consultant Sue Williams; and national theatre booker David Fry.

Producer and artistic director Bill Elms says: “We are incredibly excited to announce the return of Liverpool Theatre Festival for a third consecutive year, and Little LTF is back for a second year. When the pandemic struck, the creative arts and live performance sector of Liverpool City Region was hit hard. Live theatre has been my passion for more than 30 years and I just had to do something to help.

“Given the support we’ve received since we announced the first festival in August 2020, you can really feel just how much live performance and entertainment means to people. People were desperate to experience that thrill once again. And now we’re back with a main festival for established work and performers, and a fringe event to showcase and celebrate new work.

“The festival has already established itself as a staple in the city’s annual theatre calendar. Success stories are now being created as a direct result of the festival, with a number of shows now going on to achieve greater success in regional venues and touring the UK. Theatre is back, join us on the next exciting adventure of Liverpool Theatre Festival.”

Images © David Munn Photography 

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