Students celebrate Grand National

LJMU students and alumni joined forces with Crabbie's Grand National to showcase elements of the three-day world-renowned racing Festival at the Museum of Liverpool.

Since June last year, Aintree Racecourse and LJMU have been working together to enhance projects across the curriculum and give students the opportunity to work on the biggest event in the horse racing calendar.  

The involvement of students has been from a diverse set of programmes across the University including History, Fashion Communications, Fashion Design, Drama, Media Studies, Film Studies and Journalism.

Created by LJMU students, the new Museum of Liverpool exhibition includes an archived history of the Festival and a review of fashion over the decades, including a look at current Ladies Day styles and trends. Drama students are also staging short theatrical performances of the event and there will be screenings of a new video documenting the history of the Grand National, produced by a Media Studies alumnus.

To display the students’ professional-standard work and celebrate the time and effort gone into the projects, the Museum of Liverpool is hosting the exhibition from Thursday 17 March onwards. 

The Museum of Liverpool reflects the city’s global significance through its unique geography, history and culture, and it is a coup for LJMU students to again be working with the Museum.

John Baker, Regional Director of Jockey Club Racecourse North West, said: “The partnership with LJMU has gone from strength to strength and it is fantastic to see we are having a strong influence on the student’s learning curriculum. 

“The exhibition is a great opportunity for students and lecturers to show off their hard work and interest in the city’s favourite Festival, whilst furthering the public’s knowledge around the history of the Grand National.”

Dr Edward Harcourt, LJMU Pro Vice Chancellor (External Engagement), added: “We are delighted to be collaborating on this exhibition to celebrate one of the world’s best known racing festivals. Many people return to Liverpool year after year to be a part of the Festival. First run in 1839, the Grand National is a real accolade for the city, it is a significant part of Liverpool’s past and continues to this day to give visitors an overwhelmingly positive experience of the city. It is therefore right and proper that the history of the Festival should be captured and celebrated in an exhibition at the Museum of Liverpool, and to contribute towards this is a fantastic and unique opportunity for our students.”