Liverpool's Bridewell Studios and Gallery, a former police station transformed into a creative hub, is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a special exhibition featuring works by Royal Academician Maurice Cockrill. The exhibition, 'Nocturnal Rainbow: Maurice Cockrill RA at Bridewell Studios', brings rare paintings back to the rooms where they were created and highlights the building's remarkable history of artist-led preservation.
Artists Saved the Building from Demolition
Project curator Brendan Lyons, 60, from Kensington, told the ECHO: 'The artists actually saved the building when they took it over. In the mid-80s, they managed to put money together and buy it, and that's really why the building's still there.' The Grade II listed site, dating back to the 19th century, was taken over by artists after the police moved out in the early 1970s. Today, prison cells are used as studios, with Lyons noting: 'When I moved in 20 years ago, my very first studio was a single prison cell.'
Artist Ownership Ensures Longevity
Unlike many artist spaces forced to relocate due to rising rents, Bridewell is artist-owned and run. Lyons said: 'We've been offered to sell it lots of times, and we won't because we all love the space. It's got this long tradition, and it should carry on.' The building has been a home to generations of painters, poets, and creatives since 1976.
Maurice Cockrill's Liverpool Legacy
Cockrill moved into Bridewell in 1978, living and working in the former police parade hall until 1982. He later became a Royal Academician and Keeper of the Royal Academy Schools. Lyons described him as 'one of those figures that a lot of people in the artistic community understand and were influenced by.' A highlight of the exhibition is 'Nocturne, To the City', a 1979 night-time view of the former Royal Liverpool Hospital painted from Cockrill's rooftop studio. Lyons noted: 'It's a view of Liverpool but with this brutalist hospital. It's not a pretty subject, but at night it has this glow to it.'
Rare Reunion of 'Seven in Two' Paintings
Another major draw is the return of Cockrill's 'Seven in Two' paintings, each measuring about three metres by two metres, originally displayed above the concourse at Lime Street Station in 1979. They have been reunited for the first time in nearly 50 years after spending years in storage. Lyons said: 'They probably won't get shown together again. This is probably the only chance people will get to see them as a collection.'
Public Invited to Explore Hidden Creative Hub
Lyons hopes the exhibition will change perceptions: 'I think people go past on the bus and think it's shut or just an old building, but it's still full of activity.' 'Nocturnal Rainbow: Maurice Cockrill RA at Bridewell Studios' runs until July 26, 2026, Thursday to Sunday, 12pm-4pm, with free entry.
