1932

Born in Birkenhead.

1938

Family moves to Rhyl, North Wales (A.H.’s father employed as entertainments organiser at Sunnyvale holliday camp).
Vale Road County Primary School.

1943

Emmanuel Secondary Modern School, Rhyl.

1945-51

St. Asaph Grammar School. Fellow pupil Philip Jones Griffiths (Magnum photographer best known for his Vietnam pictures) becomes a long-life friend.
Member of Rhyl Children’s Theatre.

1951-55

King’s College, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, University of Durham Department of Fine Art. Lecturers include: Lawrence Gowing, Roger de Grey, Victor Pasmore, Richard Hamilton.

1956

Teacher, Catholic College for Boys, Preston.
Meets Joyce Wilson.
Returns to Liverpool.
Goes to Rhyl each summer to work in the fairground.

1957

Scenic artist, Liverpool Playhouse.
Marries Joyce Wilson (divorced 1974).

1957-58

Teacher, Chorlton Grammar School and Cheadle Hulme School, Manchester.

1958-60

Teacher, Warwick Bolam County Secondary School, Netherton, Liverpool.

1958

First exhibition: Liverpool Academy Open, Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool
In Rhyl, meets Mike Evans (later member of The Clayton Squares and The Liverpool Scene).

1959

Exhibitions:

Five Painters (Adrian Henri, Henry Graham, Alan Wood, Don McKinlay, Anthony Collinge), Bluecoat Gallery, Liverpool.
Spring Exhibition, Cartwright Hall, Bradford.

Click images below to enlarge

1961

Meets Roger McGough, Brian Patten, Spike Hawkins and Pete Brown
Poetry Readings, Liverpool.
Part-time Lecturer, Manchester College of Art (Foundation Course).

Exhibition:

John Moores Liverpool Exhibition 3, Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool.

1962

Reads magazine article by Alan Kaprow on Happenings.
Begins painting The Entry of Christ into Liverpool City, event, with McGough and John Gorman for the Merseyside Arts Festival, Hope Hall, Liverpool.
Death of a Bird in the City, event, with McGough and Gorman for the Merseyside Arts Festival, Hope Hall, Liverpool.

Exhibition:

Adrian Henri and Sam Walsh, Portal Gallery, London and Hope Hall, Liverpool.

1963

The Machine, event with McGough and Gorman for the Merseyside Arts Festival, Hope Hall, Liverpool.
Paintings, Daffodils, Milkbottles, Hats, event with McGough and Gorman for the Merseyside Arts Festival, Hope Hall, Liverpool.
Man, event with McGough and Gorman for the Merseyside Arts Festival, Hope Hall, Liverpool.
Nightblues, event with Brian Patten and The Roadrunners, Hope Hall, Liverpool.

Exhibition:

Pop Art, Midland Group, Nottingham New Images from the North, Hope Hall, Liverpool (organised by Adrian Henri for the Merseyside Arts Festival).

1964-67

Lecturer Liverpool College of Art (Foundation Course).
Bomb, event, with The Clayton Squares, The Cavern, Liverpool Night: a poem with and without words, event, with Brian Patten, Hope Hall, Liverpool.

Exhibitions:

Open Exhibition, The Ulster Museum, Belfast.
Arts Council of Northern Ireland £200 prize winner.

1965

Spring, event with the Clayton Squares, Bluecoat Chambers, Liverpool.
Black and White Show, event, with The Clayton Squares, The Excelles, Billy Butler and Bob Wooler, The Cavern, Liverpool.

Exhibitions:

Industry and the Artist, Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool.
John Moores Liverpool Exhibition 5, Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool (Clement Greenberg was one of the Jury that year).

1966

Meets Edward Lucie-Smith researching The Liverpool Scene.
Film for ‘New Release’ BBC Television by Liz Kustow.

1967

The Mersey Sound, collection of poems with Roger McGough and Brian Patten, published by Penguin (Penguin Modern Poets N°10).
The Liverpool Scene, edited by Edward Lucie-Smith published by Rapp & Carroll Love Night, event, The Everyman Theatre, Liverpool.
Poetry/Rock Group The Liverpool Scene formed with Andy Roberts, Mike Evans, Percy Jones, Brian Dobson and Mike Hart.
LP The Incredible New Liverpool Scene, with Brian Dodson, Roger McGough and Andy Roberts.

Exhibitions:

John Moores Liverpool Exhibition 6, Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool.
Art in a City, I.C.A., London.

1968

Resigned from Liverpool College of Art.
Meets Susan Sterne.
First Visit to Le Thil, Normandy, to stay with John and Ann Willett. Returned there most summers thereafter until 1998.
Tonight at Noon, published by Rapp & Whiting.
I Wonder, Guillaume Apollinaire play written with Mike Kustow, performed at the ICA, London.
Revolution, Revolution, Revolution, performance by The Liverpool Scene, with Adrian Mitchell and Christopher Logue, The Everyman Theatre, Liverpool.
LP Amazing Adventures of… The Liverpool Scene.

Exhibitions:

ICA Gallery, London (solo show).
New Institute Gallery, Birmingham (solo show).
Midland Group, Nottingham (solo show).
Poetry Posters, Brighton Festival and Fulham Gallery, London.
Biennale della Giovane Pittura, Milan.

1969

Meets Nell Dunn and begins writing I want.
North West Arts Association Writers on Tour.
City published by Rapp & Whiting.
The Liverpool Scene, performances at the Bath Festival and the Isle of Wight.
Festival and subsequent tour to America.
The Liverpool Scene, UK tour with Led Zeppelin.
LP Bread on the Night, The Liverpool Scene, released by RCA.
Adrian Henri’s Talking after Christmas Blues, with music by Wallace Southam, published by Turret Books.
The Liverpool Scene, series for Granada Television.

Exhibition:

Leeds Art Centre (solo show).

Click images below to enlarge

1970

Death of parents and grandparents. Ordered to rest for six months due to ill-health.
Break up of The Liverpool Scene.
Poems for Wales and Six Landscapes for Susan, Arc Press.
Autobiography, Poems N°s 1-15 commissioned for the City of London Festival Poetry International Festival, Rotterdam (Henri returns regularly to give poetry readings until 1996).
Cultural Bingo, Performance/event/environment, Great Georges Project, Great George Street, Liverpool. Game devised by Bill Harpe.
St Adrian Co., Broadway and 3rd The Liverpool Scene, released on the RCA record label. Cover design by Adrian Henri.
Heirloon, The Liverpool Scene, released on the RCA record label.
Henri and Friends, tour of Norway.

Exhibitions:

Aargh! The Spirit of the Comics, RCA Gallery, London.
Grub, children’s workshop with Susan Sterne, ICA Gallery, London.

1971

Visiting Lecturer, Bradford and Wolverhampton Polytechnics.
Meets Frances Hambidge.
Autobiography, published by Jonathan Cape.
Writers on Tour, North West Arts Association.
Grimms, roadshow formed with McGough, Gorman, Mike McGear, Neil Innes, Vivien Stanshall, Zoot Money, Mike Giles and others (Keith Moon one night!).
Tour to Ireland, Scotland, Norway and South West England.

Exhibitions:

Peterloo Gallery, Manchester (solo show).

1972

President of The Liverpool Academy of Arts Summer in Much Wenlock.
I Want, written with Nell Dunn, published by Jonathan Cape America, published by Turret Books.
I Want, writers tour with Nell Dunn.
Poetry International, Rotterdam (reading).
Henri and Friends in Concert, a tour with Alan Peters, Phil Harrison, Stuart Gordon, Mike Giles, Vivien Stanshall, John Porter and Valerie Movie.
Recollections, Liverpool Scene LP released by Charisma.
UK tour with Grimms.
Autobiography Part I, BBC Television.

Exhibitions:

John Moores Liverpool Exhibition 8, Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, 2nd Prize winner Christmas Cakes, with Susan Sterne, a project for children at the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool.

1973

Visiting Lecturer, Bradford Polytechnic.
Meets Carol Ann Duffy.
Writing courses at the Arvon Foundation at Totleigh Barton (held Regularly thereafter).
Poet-in-Residence, Lanchester Festival, Coventry.
Reading tour of South West England, West Midlands, the USA and Canada Autobiography, recorded (unissued) with music by Alan Peters, Phil Harrison and Stuart Gordon.
Henri and Friends in Concert, BBC Radio Merseyside.
Yesterday’s Girl, play for Granada Television.

Exhibitions:

Pen as Pencil, Brussels Communication, Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool.

1974

Visiting Lecturer, Bradford Polytechnic.
Poet-in-Residence, Lanchester Festival, Coventry.
Environments and Happenings, published by Thames and Hudson.
The Mersey Sound, revised edition published by Penguin.
Reading tours of Scotland, Lincolnshire, Germany and Holland.
The Liverpool Scene, revival tour with Andy Roberts, Mike Hart, Dave Richards and Mike Kellie.
Window Event, Claud Gill Books, Oxford Street, London, to publicise Environments and Happenings.
November Dreams with friends from Bradford Polytechnic Community Arts Department, event for ‘Building Sights’ series, Great Georges Project, The Blackie, Liverpool.

Exhibitions:

Demarco Gallery, Edinburgh (with Susan Sterne).
Five Realist Painters, Sunderland Arts Centre.
Birthday Gardens, Academy Gallery, Liverpool (solo show).
John Moores Liverpool Exhibition 9, Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool.

1975

Visiting Lecturer in Film and Publications, Bradford Polytechnic (Department of Community Arts).
CNAA Assessor, Wolverhampton and Leeds Polytechnics.
Writing courses for the Arvon Foundation, Lumb Bank (held regularly thereafter) The Best of Henri, published by Jonathan Cape.
Arts Council of Great Britain Writer’s Tour of Humberside and North West England Haiku, printed by the Anvil Press, Liverpool.
Birmingham Festival of Performance Art, with Rob Con, Ian Hinchcliffe and Marty St James.

Exhibitions:

Williamson Art Gallery, Birkenhead (solo show).
The Face of Merseyside, Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool.

1976

Visiting Lecturer, Bradford Polytechnic CNAA Assessor, Wolverhampton and Leeds Polytechnics.
Readings at the Edinburgh Festival with Roger McGough and Brian Patten Bicentennial Poetry Tour of the USA.
One Year, Arc Publications.
Liverpool Realist Painters presented by Adrian Henri for Arena BBC2.

Exhibitions:

Paintings and Drawings, 1960-1976, Wolverhampton Art Gallery (solo show) Hedges, Gardens and Other Places, Art Net, London (solo show).

1977

CNAA Assessor, Wolverhampton and Leeds Polytechnics.
In Rome for Liverpool FC’s European Cup Final victory.
City Hedges: Poems 1970-76 published by Jonathan Cape. Cover photographs by Susan Sterne.
Beauty & the Beast, with Carol Ann Duffy, published by The Glasshouse Press, Liverpool.
Readings in Holland and at the Edinburgh Festival with Roger McGough and Brian Patten Performance Art, a programme for BBC Television’s Schools Service.

Exhibitions:

Ibis Gallery, Leamington Spa.
Peter Moores, Real Life, Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool.
100, A centenary exhibition for the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool.
Artists of the Wirral, Williamson Art Gallery, Birkenhead.
Birkenhead Arts Association Purchase Prize.

1978

Visiting Lecturer in Film and Art History, Liverpool Polytechnic
CNAA Assessor, Leeds Polytechnic.
Words Without a Story, with woodcuts by Franz Masereel published by Glasshouse Press.
Readings in Holland and at the Anglo-French Festival of Spoken Poetry, Paris Henri’s Hope Street Poets, a monthly series of readings, The Everyman Theatre, Liverpool.
Beauty & the Beast, performance with Carol Ann Duffy, Richard Demarco Gallery, Edinburgh.
Watchwords, BBC 1 North West with Roger McGough, Andy Roberts, Julie Walters, Tony Haygarth and Andrew Schofield.

Exhibitions:

Hedges, Debris & Other Places, Bootle Art Gallery (solo show).
Debris, Richard Demarco Gallery, Edinburgh (solo show).
Liverpool Nude, Bluecoat Gallery, Liverpool.
John Moores Liverpool Exhibition 11, Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool.

1979

Arts Council of Great Britain Writer’s Tour of Lincolnshire and Humberside
Un Certain Art Anglais, Paris (readings).
The Big Feller, musical based on Alfred Jarry’s Ubu Roi (unperformed).
The Funeral of Adrian Henri, performance with Rob Con and Lol Coxhill, Liverpool Pier Head and the Academy Gallery, Liverpool.

Exhibitions:

Milton Keynes Festival (commission for a painting and poem).
Bolton Festival (solo show).
Poste Restante, Liverpool Academy Gallery (Mail Art).

Click images below to enlarge

1980

Visiting Lecturer in Fine Art, Leeds Polytechnic
Arts Council of Great Britain Writer-in-Residence, The Tattenhall Centre (1980-82)
From the Loveless Motel, published by Jonathan Cape
Exchange reading tour of Canada
Hedgerow, mural commissioned for the Royal Exhibition Hospital (now destroyed)

Exhibitions:

Milton Keynes Festival (solo show)
John Moores Liverpool Exhibition 12, Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool

1981

Visits New York  
Antologia: Adrian Henri, published by Plaza & Janes, Barcelona, Spain
Reading tour of Germany with McGough and Andy Roberts
Souvenir of Normandy, prints published by Manchester Print Workshop

Exhibitions:

Art and the Sea, Bluecoat Gallery, Liverpool and Mostyn Gallery, Llandudno
Selector of Summer Show 2, Serpentine Gallery, London

1982

Eric the Punk Cat, children’s book, illustrated by Roger Wade Walker, published by Hodder and Stoughton
Meets Liz Burgoyne

Exhibitions:

Murdoch Lothian Gallery, Liverpool (solo show)
Art and the Sea, ICA Gallery, London and UK tour

1983

The Mersey Sound, with Roger McGough and Brian Patten, revised edition published by Penguin
New Volume, with McGough and Patten, published by Penguin
Penny Arcade, poems 1978-82, published by Jonathan Cape
New Volume, readings with McGough and Patten, Edinburgh Festival and UK tour.
I Want, written with Nell Dunn, performed at the Liverpool Playhouse.
Duffy in Places, lithographic prints published by Manchester Print Workshop. 
Summer Terrace, mural commissioned for the Royal Liverpool Hospital.

Exhibitions: 

Artists against Apartheid, Seven Dials Gallery, London
City Vision: Urban Landscape in Britain 1951-82, Bolton Art Gallery
Fiftieth Birthday Choice for Edward Lucie-Smith, Leinster Fine Art, London
The Granada Collection, Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester
Contemporary Artists of the North West in the University Collection, Liverpool University
Merseyside Artists, Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool

1984

Visits Hollywood and New York  
Eric The Punk Cat selected for the Book Marketing Council’s Children’s Choice and published in paperback by Magnet
Gifted Wreckage, readings with McGough and Patten, Edinburgh Festival and tour
Poetry and music tour of Norway with the guitarist Atle Hansen
Santa Monica Beach with Airship Card, New Year Card

1985

Writer-in-Residence, Runcorn Secondary Schools
It’s For You, reading tour with McGough and Patten
Concerts with The Lawnmower (led by Al Peters) in Holland and Merseyside
Lulu and After, cabaret with John Willett for the Friends of The Royal Academy, London

Exhibitions:

Ellesmere Arts Centre, Shropshire (solo show)
Davey Gallery, Liverpool (solo show)
Merseyside Artists 2, Walker Art Gallery and tour

1986

Collected Poems, published by Allison & Busby/W.H. Allen
The Phantom Lollipop Lady, poems for children published by Methuen
I Want (co-written with Nell Dunn), stage version performed at the Liverpool Playhouse
The Husband, the Wife and the Stranger, play written for BBC Television
Meets Catherine Marcangeli. AH regularly visits France. 
First visit to ‘The Postman’s Palace’ (Palais idéal du facteur Cheval’), Hauterives, France. 
Second visit to Monet’s garden in Giverny, France

Exhibitions:

The Art of Adrian Henri 1955-1985, Retrospective exhibition, South Hill Park Arts Centre, Bracknell and touring to Camden Arts Centre and Bluecoat Gallery, Liverpool (to 1987)
Famous Sons and Daughters, Rhyl Arts Centre
Two-man show with Sam Walsh, Hanover Gallery, Liverpool

1987

Harbour, for soprano and orchestra, music by Stephen Pratt, poem by Adrian Henri, first performance, Bluecoat Arts Centre, Liverpool
Eric and Frankie in Las Vegas, children’s book published by Hodder and Stoughton
Edinburgh Festival
Resident Writer in Shropshire schools, for the Telford Festival
President, National Acrylic Painters Association (N.A.P.A.)
Regularly visits Strasbourg and Paris

Exhibitions:

Hanover Gallery, Liverpool
Shropshire Artworks, Telford
Merseyside Artists 3, Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, and touring

1988

Advisory Committee, Tate Gallery, Liverpool (until 1995)
Poetry Festival, Granada, Spain
Readings at the Liverpool am Rhein festival, Cologne, Germany
Fiera Internacional del Llibre, Barcelona
The Wakefield Mysteries, new version staged at Wakefield 100 Festival. 
Visit to Turkey, resulted in a small series of paintings

Exhibitions:

Clean Irish Sea, an exhibition for Greenpeace, Dublin and touring to 1989
Artists of the Wirral, Williamson Art Gallery, Birkenhead
N.A.P.A., Liverpool

1989

Writer-in-Residence, University of Liverpool
Rhinestone Rhino, poems for children published by Methuen
Poetry readings in Cologne and Frankfurt
Visits Basel Carnival (inspiration for a series of paintings planned but never executed)

Exhibitions:

Recent Paintings, Skelmersdale Arts Centre (solo show)
John Moores Liverpool Exhibition 16, Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool
N.A.P.A., Newcastle, Staffordshire
A Northern School, Pelter/Sands Gallery, Bristol
Photo of the Bastle Carnival
Cover of the Rhinestone Rhino book

Click images below to enlarge

1990

Honorary D.Litt, Liverpool John Moores University
Wish You Were Here, poems published by Jonathan Cape
Box, poems for teenagers published by Mammoth/Teens
The Postman’s Palace, for children published by Methuen
Poetry readings at the Fallas Festival, Valencia, Spain

Exhibitions:

N.A.P.A., Ludlow
The Poetry Society, London (solo show)
Artists of the World, Williamson Art Gallery, Birkenhead

1991

Travels to Prague, Bratislava, Vienna
Trip to Jordan resulting in a major series of paintings
Poetry International, Rotterdam
Trip to the USA (Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Grand Canyon, San Francisco)

Exhibitions:

Christmas Draw, Bluecoat Gallery, Liverpool
Alternative Seventeen, Merkmal Gallery, Liverpool

1992

Souvenir of Normandy, poem with music by Andy Roberts, premiered at the Brighton Festival
The Wakefield Mysteries published by Methuen
Story International Festival, Rotterdam
Gorée International Poetry Festival, Senegal
First visit to Nice

Exhibitions:

Liverpool Seen, Williamson Art Gallery, Birkenhead
Wish You Were Here, Acorn Gallery, Liverpool (solo show)
Private Eye, Brockman Gallery, Chester
Orrell Arts Centre, Sefton (solo show)
Self-portraits, Bill Bingham, London

1993

Readings in Jersey
International Poetry Festival, Antwerp and Rotterdam
C.Marcangeli moves to New York (to 1995). Regular trips resulting in a major series of New York paintings

Exhibitions:

John Moores Liverpool Exhibition 19, Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool
N.A.P.A., Birmingham
Works on Paper 1955-1993, Southport Arts Centre
Liverpool Link, Chelsea Arts Club, London

1994

Not Fade Away, poems published by Bloodaxe Books
Hay-on-Wye Festival 
Edinburgh Festival
Travel to Nice, and Italy

Exhibitions:

Bridewell Artists at Lloyds, Lloyds Liverpool
The Ones They Left Behind, Atkinson Gallery, Southport
The Storey Institute, Lancaster (solo show)
Merkmal Gallery, Liverpool (solo show)

1995

Words on the Run, round-Britain tour with Roger McGough, Brian Patten, Andy Roberts and Willy Russell
Readings in Milan, Bologna and Rome
Readings in Dubai
International Poetry Festival, Rotterdam
Totley Barton, Arvon Foundation course with Willy Russell

Exhibitions:

John Moores University, Liverpool (with Julia Carter Preston)
N.A.P.A. Birmingham
Academy Gallery, Liverpool

1996

Words on the Run, touring Britain
Lowlands Away, libretto by Adrian Henri, music by Richard Gordon-Smith premiered by Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool
Hay-on-Wye Festival
International Poetry Festival, Rotterdam
Poetry Reading tour of Ireland and Northern Ireland with Adrian Mitchell
Poetry Readings in Aarschot, Belgium, with Willy Russell, Roger McGough, Brian Patten and Andy Roberts
C.Marcangeli moves back to Paris. Regular trips to France.

Exhibitions:

Bridewell Artists, Storey Institute, Lancaster and Ainscough Gallery, Liverpool
Les Sixties: The Sixties in France and Great Britain 1960-1973, Musée d’Histoire Contemporaine, Paris (toured to Brighton in 1997)

1997

Writer/Artist in Residence: 150 Years of Public Health Celebrations, Liverpool
Curator of The Doctor Duncan Artshow, Museum of Liverpool Life
The Mersey Sound, 30th Anniversary Tour with Roger McGough and Brian Patten
Words on the Run, at Edinburgh Festival
Bath Festival with Willy Russell
Readings in Buenos Aires, British Council, Argentina
Poetry Africa Festival, Durban, South Africa

Exhibitions:

Four Artists from Liverpool, Six Chapel Row Gallery, Bath
Adrian Henri, Art from the Sixties, Whitford Fine Art, London

1998

The World’s Your Lobster, selected poems for children published by Bloomsbury Children’s Books
Robocat, new poems for children published by Bloomsbury Children’s Books
Galway Literature Festival
Daphne Du Maurier Literature Festival, Fowey
Reading in Cologne
A.H fitted with heart pacemaker in May
Heart Failure and hospitalisation in June

Exhibitions:

Thanksgivings and Calaveras, University of Liverpool (solo show)
Home and Away, Stockport Art Gallery (solo show)
Thomas Zander Gallery, Cologne (solo show)
N.A.P.A. Birmingham (Fabriano Prize)
Liverpool Academy of Arts (with Don McKinlay)

1999

Heart by-pass operation (January)
Paralysis following massive stroke (February). Gradually regains some movement and starts painting again (Hospital Flowers series of pastels)

2000

Awarded the Freedom of the City 
Honorary Degree, Doctor of Letters, University of Liverpool 
For the Benefit of Mr Adrian Henri… Tribute concert at the Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool  (including Carol Ann Duffy, George Melly, Roger McGough, Brian Patten, Jackie Kay, Willy Russell, Allan Bleasdale, Andy Roberts, The Scaffold, Neil Innes, Tom Robinson, etc.). Last public performance by Adrian Henri.
Last series of paintings (landscapes of South Africa) 
Works on a series of pastels for Lowlands Away (Old School Press, Bath)

Exhibitions:

Retrospective Exhibition, Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool (February)
Ubu in UK, The Mayor Gallery, London 

Dies of heart failure, at home, in Liverpool (20 December). 

Click images below to enlarge