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New exhibition celebrating black musicians of Toxteth to launch this weekend
6 hours ago
A new photographic exhibition about Toxteth’s Black musicians can be seen in a new exhibition launching at Liverpool University’s Victoria Gallery and Museum this month.
Totexth: The Harlem of Europe features singers and bands from the 50s and 60s whose influence reached The Beatles, and beyond – and crucially highlights their energy and strength to show how they didn’t just shape the music scene but the city as a whole.
Nicola Euston, Head of Museums and Galleries at the University of Liverpool, said:
“It’s a really important exhibition,”
“People need to know about these musicians who were so influential.
“As you go through and read the labels, you discover that a lot of these musicians mentored up-and-coming musicians, who pay it forward in turn.
“So it’s that lasting legacy of nurturing talent from Liverpool 8.
“For me too,” she added, “it’s those hidden stories that come out, and so many of them interweave.
“A lot of those interviewed seemed to know one another and support one another. It’s that amazing creativity in that area; it just seems to be this melting pot of creativity and talent, and a lot of people don’t realise that.
“We want to highlight these stories and give these incredible musicians the recognition they deserve.”
Like the communities in Harlem, people in Toxteth faced struggles and inequalities.
Nicola continued:
“There was segregation,”
“but from that came this incredible fire and resilience that we see.
“And that’s one of the stories we learn about, how The Beatles didn’t subscribe to that.”
In 1964, John, Paul, George and Ringo, refused to play for segregated audiences in the US and said it wasn’t political decision but that they were ‘from Liverpool – all the bands, Black, white, we all just played together’
Nicola said:
“They were like, people are just people, we’re all jamming together, and that was quite unusual at the time,”
The exhibition, which is free to enter, features portraits by Liverpool photographer Ean Flanders; and alongside new images of musicians from the era, photos of their descendants too.
It’s presented in partnership with the Mandela8 charity and arts development organisation Northern Roots and draws on the knowledge and memories of community figures like singer Ramon ‘Sugar’ Deen and Carol Phillips, daughter of Harold ‘Woodbine’ Phillips, and elders who were active in the area during the 50s and 60s.
It celebrates the Black musicians whose talent and innovation shaped the sound of modern British Music.
Also featured from the city’s music scene are Chris Amoo and Dave Smith from The Real Thing, Garry Christian from The Christians, Joe Ankrah and Alan Harding from The Chants, female harmony group Distinction, and reggae artist Ramon Judah who continues to champion Liverpool 8’s rich musical tradition today.
The exhibition shows how, from the racial inequality of the time, the rich and dynamic music scene grew, alongside clubs like the Whitehouse, Palm Grove, and Dutch Eddies which became its hubs. Complementing Ean Flanders’ portraits will be archive images to bring to life this time in Toxteth’s history.
Co-Founder of Northern Roots, Adam Collerton says:
“Liverpool is home to Europe’s oldest Black community, mainly due to the city’s involvement in the transatlantic slave trade. The early Black community included sailors, previously enslaved people from the Americas and the sons of African rulers, all of whom contributed to the rich cultural heritage of the area where many of them settled – Toxteth in Liverpool 8.
“This exhibition celebrates the enduring impact of these inspirational artists and the resilient, creative community of Toxteth that gave rise to them.”
Toxteth: The Harlem of Europe Exhibition is at University of Liverpool’s Victoria Gallery and Museum from Saturday, October 11 to August 1, 2026.
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