LIVERPOOL is preparing to immortalise one of its most beloved performers with a permanent life-size statue of The Vivienne - a tribute that will stand at the entrance to the city’s Pride Quarter and watch over the community that shaped James Lee Williams’ extraordinary journey.
According to Attitude Magazine, the monument will be installed at the junction of Victoria Street and Stanley Street, marking the gateway to Liverpool’s officially recognised LGBTQ+ district and overlooking the streets where Williams first found acceptance, belonging and the freedom to become The Vivienne.
The project is being led by House of The Vivienne CIC, founded by Williams’ family after his death in January 2025, alongside Liverpool-based LGBTQ+ platform Proudly Said.
Attitude Magazine reports that initial funding from Liverpool Business Improvement District has allowed the campaign to formally launch, with a community fundraising target of around £100,000 to commission and install the statue.
Born in North Wales and educated at Rydal Penrhos in Colwyn Bay, Williams moved to Liverpool at 16 and quickly became a defining presence in the city’s drag scene.
Long before national fame arrived - including winning the inaugural RuPaul’s Drag Race UK in 2019 and reaching the final of Dancing on Ice in 2023 - The Vivienne was already commanding stages across Garlands, GBar and Superstar Boudoir, helping generations of LGBTQ+ people feel they belonged.
The statue will act, in the words of those behind the project, as a permanent “guardian angel” for the Pride Quarter.
Unlike traditional monuments, the ambition is to create a welcoming focal point where people can gather, sit, and - fittingly - have a catch-up with The Vivienne.
"James gave everything to Liverpool and Liverpool gave everything back to him," said his sister Chanel Williams, speaking to Attitude Magazine.
"A permanent statue feels like the right way to make sure nobody forgets that."
For Proudly Said’s John Hyland, the tribute is both a celebration and a statement of intent.
As Attitude Magazine notes, Liverpool became the first UK city to formally recognise its gay quarter in 2011, and those behind the statue hope it will spark wider community-led regeneration while protecting the living LGBTQ+ culture that makes the area significant.
The campaign also carries a deeper mission.
Following Williams’ death from cardiorespiratory arrest after taking ketamine, his family founded House of The Vivienne to challenge stigma around addiction and help people access support without fear.
The statue will honour not only the dazzling performer who brought joy to millions, but the son, brother and friend whose legacy continues to guide others toward safety, pride and hope.
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