Plans have been revealed for a life-size statue commemorating drag performer The Vivienne in Liverpool's Pride Quarter.
The tribute, commissioned by House of The Vivienne CIC, will celebrate the life and legacy of James Lee Williams, the performer behind The Vivienne, who died in January 2025 aged 32 after struggling with ketamine addiction.
Organisers have released an AI-generated image showing the proposed statue seated on a bench at the entrance to Liverpool's officially recognised Pride Quarter. The artwork is set to be installed at the junction of Victoria Street and Stanley Street, an area closely associated with Williams' rise through Liverpool's drag scene.
House of The Vivienne CIC was established by Williams' family following their death and is leading efforts to create the permanent memorial.
Chanel Williams, James' sister and a director of the organisation, said the statue would ensure The Vivienne's impact on both Liverpool and the LGBTQ+ community is never forgotten.
"A permanent statue in the Pride Quarter feels like the right way to make sure nobody forgets that, and to remind anyone who might be struggling that they do not have to do it alone," she said.
"That was what James believed, and it is what we are going to keep saying."
She added: "James gave everything to Liverpool and Liverpool gave everything back to him. This city saw him, accepted him, and helped him become The Vivienne."
Born in North Wales, Williams moved to Liverpool as a teenager and became a familiar face in bars and clubs around the city's Pride Quarter before later performing in Gran Canaria. National fame followed in 2019 when The Vivienne won the inaugural series of RuPaul's Drag Race UK, becoming one of the most recognisable drag artists in Britain and the only British queen to compete in the US version of the franchise.
Beyond drag, Williams appeared in the West End and on television programmes including Dancing on Ice, Saturday Night Takeaway and Emmerdale.
John Hyland, who is leading the statue project, said the memorial would recognise both Williams' contribution to Liverpool's LGBTQ+ community and the wider cultural significance of the Pride Quarter.
"The Vivienne was the Pride Quarter, and James had a way of making everyone who walked through any one of those doors feel like they belonged, and that didn't stop when the cameras arrived and their star shot into the sky," he said.
"This statue is Liverpool acknowledging what the LGBTQ+ community already knows.
"But it's also the beginning of something bigger. The Pride Quarter deserves investment, attention and a future, and this is the first statement of intent that it's going to get both."
The project has already secured initial backing from Liverpool Business Improvement District (BID), which represents businesses and cultural organisations across the city.
Bill Addy, chief executive of Liverpool BID Company, said the organisation was proud to support the initiative. "Liverpool has always been a city that celebrates the people who shape and help to define its culture, and The Vivienne was one of them," he said.
A public fundraising campaign has also been launched to help cover the cost of creating and installing the statue.
If completed, the memorial would provide a permanent tribute to one of the UK's most influential drag performers and a lasting reminder of The Vivienne's connection to Liverpool and its LGBTQ+ community.
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