About Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts

This is the place where once the high school for both Paul McCartney and George Harrison was located. The impressive building was one of the city’s most prestigious high school for boys these days. Paul joined the school in 1953 and George in 1954.

After the school closed in 1985, Paul was involved in starting the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts which was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth on 7 June 1996. Still today, Paul is actively involved with the LIPA, attending the annual graduation ceremonies and also giving masterclasses to students.

Directly next to the Institute is Liverpool College of Art, once attended by Stuart Sutcliffe and John Lennon. The four of them met in the canteen during lunch breaks and also often used the stage in the basement of the college to rehearse early Beatles songs. In 1960, they finally left for Hamburg as the Beatles.