Come Together - A LIPA Podcast

This episode of  Come Together  features host Cherise Weaver in conversation with students Alexia Dobrica (Lexi) and Daniel Aayash. Lexi, a Management Masters student and featured artist with Romanian band BUG Mafia, discusses her upcoming 2026 pop-rock music release. Dan, an Applied Theatre and Community Drama student, shares his work using improvised theater to boost mental health, and his upcom...

In this episode of the  LIPA Come Together  podcast, Student Voice President Sally Britton catches up with theatre director and former LIPA movement teacher Elinor Randle . As the Artistic Director of both the Unity Theatre and Tmesis Theatre, Randle discusses her career in the arts, the challenges of local theatre, and LIPA’s unique relationship with Unity Theatre.

This episode of Come Together features a discussion with returning guest host Sally Britton and Dan Ayache, the Student Voice Activities and Engagement Officer here at LIPA. Dan is a third-year Applied Theatre and Community Drama student, and he speaks with Sally about his experience on hiscourse, how his career path changed after starting at LIPA, and his work with the Student Voice team. Dan als...

This episode of Come Together podcast features an interviewwith our guest host, Student Voice President Sally Britton , who this week is speaking to Ben Lane, the Student Voice Community and Environment Officer here at LIPA. Ben discusses his role, which includes focusing on the environment, sustainability, and community as part of LIPA’s Green Team. He shares his excitement about the Environment...

In this unique edition of Come Together, your usual host Cherise Weaver is in the hot seat, as previous guest Siobhán Roxburgh turns interviewer in a conversation about Cherise’s role as Head of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at LIPA, her career to date, and the magic of working in the arts sector in this special episode.

Guest interviewer Mads Cole chats to music grad and now LIPA staff member Jennifer Baranick. Jen takes us on a whistle-stop tour of independent music publishing, art in music and creating your own worlds.

Cherise meets acting student Gabe Agha and talks navigating gender identity, the power of acceptance and the work the Student Voice team do for our students.

Cherise meets actress, director, producer, writer and the Race Equality Hub's Brodie Arthur. Brodie gives insight into their career and experience from empowering women to how the hub commissions and works with partners to produce tangible outcomes for the communities they support.

Actress, director, writer and co-founder of the Black Actors’ Collective Paislie Reid joins Cherise and award-winning documentary and TV producer Jernice Easthope for an important conversation about the power of community connection and everyday heroes. Touching upon systemic racism, humanisation of Black stories and how to go about reclaiming the narrative of what a scouser looks like, this episo...

Carl Parris dances us through his extraordinary forty year career; working with celebrities, songwriting and remembering that every opportunity is a gift. After learning the secret to a perfect roti, Fosse inspiration and performing in Wicked (Parts 1&2), Carl also gives us a glimpse into life as a Black, gay, male performer and how to make sure that people want to work with you "Be a nice per...

Sensitive content : this conversation contains reference to suicide. Dan Scott, HE Admin at LIPA, guest presents a powerful, essential episode on male mental health, and the importance of finding a reason to get out of bed. Dan is joined by Debbie of Sean’s Place and Anthony from Andy’s Man Club. If this conversation resonates with you, please, please talk to somebody or visit www.andysmanclub.co....

Cherise and Darren Suarez talk all things House of Suarez, dance training as a male, mature student and transitioning from vogueing in Liverpool’s gay scene to hip hop and then bringing that early experience full circle with the launch of the joyous Vogue Ball community in the North West.  

Cherise meets Dave McTague, promoter, music and event marketing master and record label owner. They cover synergy between art forms, how Dave has grown up with the Africa Oyé festival community and the importance of taking a chance.

From astrophysics to the West End with a quick stop at a coffin manufacturers. Siobhán Roxburgh talks us through her life before and during LIPA, the beauty of difference, importance of cultural currency and championing access for people with disabilities.

Join us for a jam-packed episode with musician, actor, director (Coronation Street, Hollyoaks, Emmerdale, Death in Paradise, Midsomer Murders) and LIPA Black Ball supporter Leon Lopez. Leon talks channeling Kylie, distributing shorts on Netflix and Amazon Prime, learning by doing for a career pivot and how focussing on your limitations can actually make you a better actor.

Jo and Ava, also known as The Skylarks, join Cherise to talk about their emotional roller-coaster of a journey on The Voice, the value of pouring passion into playing, and juggling being an artist with running a business and raising children.  

Join us and delve into the world of one of our final-year Acting students, Tovah Zafrin, who is also one of the organisers of this year’s Black Ball Showcases which are inspiring celebrations of Black art, Black people, and Black culture. Tovah chats to Cherise about taking the leap into international study, being Black in LIPA and Liverpool, and the joy and importance of organising “the block par...

Cherise is joined by artist, PhD candidate and MA Music Industry Management and BA Music lecturer Eva Petersen, who reflects on the importance of EDI when teaching Music. Recorded during Black history month, find out about the debt owed to Black musicians who pioneered and inspired moves and music still recognisable today, from Sister Rosetta Tharpe’s influence on Keith Richards and Elvis through...

Cherise discovers how Paul Duhaney fell in love with Liverpool’s club scene and his journey to director of Africa Oyé. Paul talks about the importance of knowing your audience, the benefits of international collaboration and how you can get involved with the biggest live celebration of African music in the UK.  Africa Oyé takes place on 17/18 June this year. Full line-up and more details at https:...

Seun Kuti, afrobeat ace, LIPA alum and this year’s Africa Oyé headline act, invites us to explore identity and the joys of finding independence and ourselves. In his powerful advice to artists and people going into the music industry he encourages artists to embrace the struggle involved in making art. He also tells us why we are not the centre of the world.    More about Seun at https://www.seunk...