Culture
St John’s Shopping Centre has unveiled a new art installation on the top floor of its car park
16 hours ago
St Johns Shopping Centre Liverpool has unveiled a bold new art installation on the top floor of its car park: The Liverpool Wall of Wonder.
Spanning an amazing 145m across 16 expansive wall spaces, this vibrant new addition to the city centre is the creative vision of Alicia Woolley, a final-year Fine Art student at Liverpool John Moores University.
The mural series is a powerful celebration of Liverpool’s rich cultural heritage, immortalising icons and landmarks through bold, bright digital collages. The installation includes legendary figures such as The Beatles, Cilla Black, and double World Champion heptathlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson, as well as the unmistakable colours of Everton and Liverpool Football Clubs. The city’s architectural gems—the Three Graces, Chinatown, St Johns Beacon, and Royal Albert Dock—also take pride of place in the designs.
To mark the completion of the installation a special unveiling event took place on the evening of Thursday 5th June at the top of the iconic St Johns Beacon. The exclusive celebration was attended by the artist’s family and friends, and over 60 invited guests including the Lord Mayor of Liverpool Councillor Richard Kemp CBE and Professor Rachel McLean.
Together, the 1.5m high murals span an incredible 145m of wall, covering an area about the same as a tennis court, and aims to brighten the days of Liverpool’s residents, shoppers, and visitors, as well as spark a deeper connection with the city around them.
The award-winning St Johns Shopping Centre is a Liverpool icon comprising 540,000 sq ft of retail and leisure offerings and the amazing St Johns Beacon. Averaging one million visitors per month St Johns is home to a variety of popular brands, including JD Sports, Aldi, Liverpool FC Store, Sainsbury’s, Home Bargains, Argos and Matalan. The centre’s car park has 625-spaces and features recently upgraded EV charging bays that now sit alongside the newly installed bright and bold murals.
The work with Alicia and the funding of the installation is part of St Johns Shopping Centre’s commitment to supporting young people and the local community, and is just one part of the ongoing relationship with Liverpool John Moores University. In the last 18 months the centre has supported job shadowing for students with disabilities, worked with marketing students through a live project and delivered Graduate Insight sessions focusing on careers in retail.
Originally from Altrincham, Cheshire, Alicia applied for a Discovery Internship, a paid opportunity offered to LJMU students through its Student Futures service to enhance their employability skills and to gain career insight by working with a local organisation in the Liverpool City Region. A successful interview with St Johns Centre Director Neil Ashcroft and his team led to site visits and creative exchanges. Full-scale production began in March, and the mural is now open for everyone to see.
Artist Alicia Woolley commented:
“I wanted the murals to capture the soul of Liverpool. This city has such a powerful identity with its music, its humour and its people. I hope these images encourage people to stop, look up, and feel a little more joy in their day. I have also learnt so much through this project. Working with the team at St Johns and their suppliers to deliver this huge installation has been amazing opportunity and it will be the highlight of my CV for some time to come!”
Neil Ashcroft, Centre Director at St Johns, commented:
“Our shopping centre is more than a place to shop, it is a space that connects with people and supports the local community. Alicia has created something that does just that in a truly inspiring way. The Liverpool Wall of Wonder is not only a stunning visual statement, but also a love letter to this city. We’re proud to have supported a young artist in creating something so memorable and impactful.”
Chris Finn, Director of Student Futures, said:
“We’re so proud of Alicia’s work and are thrilled to see her creative talent on display for all to see at this Liverpool landmark. We are committed at LJMU to providing a student experience that contributes to our students’ future professional success, and it’s through partnerships like ours with St Johns Shopping Centre that we can offer invaluable experience in the workplace that ensures our students are ready for employment as they progress into their graduate careers.”
Ben Sullivan, Director at Apex Parking, added:
“We are constantly seeking ways to enhance the customer experience, and Alicia’s work does just that—transforming a functional space into something uplifting and unforgettable. The Liverpool Wall of Wonder brings colour, culture, and joy to the car park, and we are thrilled to be part of this project.”
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