Birkenhead facility, close to the waterfront, was the venue for the launch of The Cube and the opening of The Dark Side Art Lab

Wirral’s Pacific Road business hub returned to its roots as a former arts centre when it hosted the launch of two projects.

The Birkenhead facility, close to the waterfront, was the venue for the launch of The Cube and the opening of The Dark Side Art Lab, with both projects linked through Spanish timber product manufacturer FINSA.

Dark Side

The Dark Side is an arts initiative, launched by FINSA in collaboration with artist, Professor John Hyatt,head of The Institute of Art and Technology at Liverpool John Moores University. 

Over the coming months more projects, exhibitions and events will be unveiled by The Dark Side which opened in May, and has also taken a unit within Pacific Road for the inaugural exhibition, Sea, Air and Wrecks, a series of new Wirral-inspired paintings, depicting the bright side of the Dark Side.

The Cube is a project sponsored by FINSA and designed by architects and occasional tutors at the Liverpool School of Art and Design, Ed Butler and Dan Wiltshire of WMBstudio.

The Cube

Originally commissioned by FINSA, The Cube was used as an exhibition stand for the KBB 2018 event at Birmingham NEC, and is part of the firm’s push to directly connect designers, manufacturers and makers.

The wooden pavilion, the first of three set for Wirral, has been erected at the Pacific Road by students of Wirral Met College, will become an exhibiting and project venue in the months to come, a unique collaboration between arts, manufacturing and education, supported by Wirral Chamber of Commerce as a part of Wirral Borough of Culture 2019.

Rafael Willisch managing director at Finsa UK, said: “FINSA will be supporting Wirral Borough of Culture with three pavilions throughout 2019. The Cube pavilion will be hosting exhibitions from different artists from May to September.

“Looking ahead, the Woodside Pavilion is part of the International FINSA Award for Architects and the winning design project will be built in the Woodside Ferry Village area for a short period of time to host community events.

Strong partnership

Paula Basnett, chief executive of Wirral Chamber of Commerce, which operates Pacific Road, added: “We were very positive that we should support and add to the recognition Wirral has received as Borough of Culture 2019.

“We offered the use of the Pacific Road Business Hub as the base for both The Cube and The Dark Side exhibition. We are delighted that a strong partnership has been formed between Wirral Chamber of Commerce, Finsa, Wirral Met College, Wirral Council and John Hyatt.”