It's now been 20 years since FACT first opened its doors in Liverpool city-centre.
Located on Wood Street, FACT (Liverpool Foundation for the Arts and Creative Technologies) officially opened in 2003, at the time becoming Liverpool’s first newly-built arts building in over 60 years, since the Philharmonic Hall opened in 1939. Costing around £10m, the site took around two years to build on a former tea warehouse.
Boasting art galleries, a media and events space, a lab for learning and experimentation and a Picturehouse cinema and bar - the site, designed by architect Austin-Smith:Lord, has been at the centre of many special moments for locals and tourists alike through the years. It's also seen a host of famous faces pass through its doors, from Liverpool legends to Hollywood stars and millions of visitors from Merseyside and beyond.
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FACT's arrival in the city coincided with Liverpool’s successful bid for European Capital of Culture and it has quickly established itself as a world-leading exhibitor and producer of video and digital art. In February 2003, Liverpool Daily Post & ECHO reporter Philip Key was given a first look inside FACT ahead of its opening.
At the time, he said: "It was three years ago that I first had a tour of the building, a visual reality tour on a computer conducted by FACT's executive director, Eddie Berg. I have visited the actual building a few times since, and had been forced to use my imagination as I looked at what was little more than a building site.
"When I visited again the other day, the place was almost complete. It needed to be – it opens to the public on February 22."
He continued: "Of one thing, there is no doubt. The FACT building – which will have free entry – is going to be a very important part of the cultural life not only of Liverpool but the whole of Britain."
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According to their website, FACT's first exhibition, Isaac Julien’s Baltimore, was commissioned for the opening and it continued to tour for the next decade. But in the site's early months, things didn't run completely smoothly.
In April 2003, the Liverpool Daily Post reported how FACT was forced to close its cinemas due to structural problems. Contractors carried out safety tests to discover why tiles fell from the ceiling in one of the auditoriums.
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Now 20 years on, FACT has held dozens of exhibitions, including major works during Liverpool's Biennial and Festivals, as well as working with hundreds of artists and hosting Q&As with high profile names including Oasis. In 2007, a preview of Death Proof was also screened at FACT and a Q&A followed with legendary filmmaker Quentin Tarantino.
In December 2015, Liverpudlians will also remember how actor Shia LaBeouf finished his four-day live performance in Liverpool by being given a tattoo. The Hollywood actor has been at FACT with fellow artists Nastja Sade Ronkko and Manchester's Luke Turner to create #TOUCHMYSOUL as part of a new exhibition at the Wood Street venue.
Another notable appearance at FACT in its 20 years came in 2017, when Kenny Dalglish arrived and signed autographs on the red carpet for the movie premiere of Kenny at FACT cinema, the life story of Kenny Dalglish. A whole host of Liverpool stars past and present turned out to get a first look at the new biopic about the iconic former footballer and manager.
On their Twitter, FACT spoke about their last two decades in Liverpool and thanked everyone for their support. It reads: "We are 20! It’s been two decades since we opened the doors on Wood Street. Back in 2003, we became Liverpool’s first new arts building in over 60 years.
"Two decades on, we’ve welcomed millions of visitors, supported and exhibited over 500 artists and created thousands of opportunities for people to create, learn, experience and make sense of the world today. Thank you to everyone who has supported us and come along on the journey so far.
We can’t wait to celebrate properly together later in the year (pencil 19-22 October into your diaries. If you missed the announcement of our 20th Anniversary Programme, head to our website to find out what’s we’ve got coming up in 2023."
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According to their website, this year, FACT's line-up of immersive exhibitions and art experiences will be shaped by by artists’ practices rooted in hope and joy. To find out more, click here.
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