Liverpool Cathedral has reached an exciting new milestone in its partnership with Art UK, with a third phase of collection digitisation now complete.
Following the addition of the Cathedral’s permanent art collection in 2025 and its stained-glass windows in 2026, visitors can now explore objects from the Elizabeth Hoare Embroidery Collection online through the Cathedral’s Art UK page.
The latest phase makes an important part of Liverpool Cathedral’s heritage accessible to audiences around the world, including pieces from the Elizabeth Hoare Gallery, which is currently closed to the public.
Liverpool Cathedral and Art UK
Liverpool Cathedral joined Art UK in 2025 as part of the Liverpool cohort, alongside organisations including National Museums Liverpool, Liverpool Biennial and FACT Liverpool.
Art UK is a national platform that brings together artworks from public collections across the UK, making them accessible to millions of people. The platform connects around 5.6 million people around the world with the UK’s public collections, helping audiences discover art and heritage beyond the walls of museums and galleries.
Liverpool Cathedral is also one of just 12 cathedrals currently represented on Art UK.
Our partnership has provided an exciting opportunity to share the Cathedral’s diverse collections with new audiences, while creating a lasting digital record of some of the remarkable artworks and objects held within the building.
Phase One: Liverpool Cathedral’s Permanent Art Collection
The first phase of the project was completed in summer 2025, when artworks from Liverpool Cathedral’s permanent collection were added to its Art UK page.
The collection includes a diverse range of works reflecting the Cathedral’s history as a place of worship, art, culture and community.
Digitising these works allows people to discover the stories behind the artworks and artists, whether they are visiting Liverpool Cathedral in person or exploring its collections from anywhere in the world.
Phase Two: Discover Liverpool Cathedral’s Stained Glass
The second phase was completed in spring 2026 and focused on one of the most distinctive features of Liverpool Cathedral: its stained-glass windows.
The Cathedral’s vast collection of stained glass can now be explored through Art UK, providing a new way to discover the colour, craftsmanship and stories contained within these remarkable works.
For a building as architecturally significant as Liverpool Cathedral, the stained glass forms an important part of its visual identity and heritage.
Adding the windows to Art UK means these works can now be discovered by researchers, students, art enthusiasts and visitors from around the world.
Phase Three: The Elizabeth Hoare Embroidery Collection
The latest phase of the project, completed in summer 2026, brings objects from the Elizabeth Hoare Embroidery Collection to Art UK.
The collection forms part of the Elizabeth Hoare Gallery at Liverpool Cathedral, which is currently closed to the public. Digitising these objects therefore provides an especially valuable opportunity to make this collection accessible while the gallery cannot be visited.
The embroidery collection highlights the importance of textile art and fine needlework within Liverpool Cathedral’s wider heritage and cultural collections, allowing audiences to explore individual pieces and learn more about their makers, designs and histories.
Making Liverpool Cathedral’s Collections Accessible
Across the three phases, the Art UK project has continued to expand the way audiences can encounter Liverpool Cathedral’s collections.
From paintings and sculptures to stained glass and embroidery, the project demonstrates the breadth of art and heritage held within the Cathedral.
It also supports our wider ambition to make the Cathedral’s collections more accessible, both to visitors coming through our doors and to people discovering Liverpool Cathedral online.
The project has been led by Elisa Nocente, Head of Cultural Programme, working alongside Enterprise Manager Emma Gossage, with invaluable support from students from the MA Art, Philosophy and Cultural Institutions programme.
A huge thank you goes to Pia Ortone, Marria Moore and Martha Luke for their research, cataloguing and support throughout the different phases of the project.
Their work has helped bring these collections to new audiences and ensure that important details about the objects, artworks and their histories are recorded and shared.
Explore Liverpool Cathedral on Art UK
The completion of Phase Three marks another significant step in Liverpool Cathedral’s digital approach to heritage and collections.
With three phases now complete, there is an ever-growing selection of Liverpool Cathedral’s art and heritage available to explore online – connecting our collections with audiences far beyond the Cathedral itself.
Discover Liverpool Cathedral’s collections on Art UK and explore the artworks, stained glass and Elizabeth Hoare Embroidery Collection for yourself.
Portrait Series of Disabled Clergy is Coming to Liverpool Cathedral