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Hidden Gems is a new Arts Publication to be launched in Liverpool this July:

Liverpool Biennial brings hordes of internationally renowned artists to exhibit in Liverpool. But, during the two years between each festival there is a huge community of artists, designers and creative minds working out of small studios and tiny galleries, making world class art. This newspaper intends to scream about that, because it’s written by people that spend every day in that world.

I do hope you’re enjoying your day though. I hope you’ve been enjoying it somewhere new, or somewhere independent; honestly, they’re not hard spaces to find these days.

Rarely very far from the beaten track are a wealth of spaces that help improve the quality of life in Liverpool. Whether those spaces are galleries, shops or cafes, they are there for you, and they are run by some of the most creative people in Liverpool. This paper attempts to celebrate each and every one of those spaces in some way. It doesn’t. That’s simply an impossible task.

If you’re reading this though, there’s a strong chance you’re reading The Double Negative’s Fringe Diary too, or on your way to a Biennial event somewhere around the corner. While we can’t cover every small space in Liverpool, we can give you an in depth introduction to some of the most exciting ones. And if that’s not enough, grab a Fringe Diary and see how much is going on within a five minute walk of where you’re sat.

And hear an extract from one of the articles on A Small View gallery:

Got Worms has been one of the most successful exhibitions held at A Small View; the exhibition period coincided with Light Night 2016, a key event on Liverpool’s cultural calendar. Roxy Topia and Paddy Gould were the artists behind the formation of the visual sculptures; worm-like forms suspended from walls and arranged between plinths. Roxy and Paddy have been collaborating since 2008, and recently completed a year-long residency in Roswell, New Mexico. Their creative process starts with drawing, which is digitally collaged, then printed on to satin, the sculptural forms then being created; forms which are tactile and can be moved into new positions. The team do not just work together as artists, but have also been in a relationship with one another for many years.

The provocative title of the show ‘Got Worms’ is clearly intentional, and much of their work is of a sexual nature. Forms such as ‘The Internal Clitoris’ draw on messages from the second brain and look at the ritual of sex and stretching inwards. In ‘Acid Kiss Experiment’ we are confronted with a pair of ovaries presented in pen and airbrush. The visual was accompanied by an audio of a gorilla mating ritual. The pair claim the works are about maintaining desire in a long term relationship. Visually stunning, tactile pieces combining coiling and stretching to create intimate forms which explore physical existence.