David Stark and SongLink certificates LIPA CEO Sean McNamara with Paul McCartney and Mark Featherstone-Witty David Stark with Adrian Lester David Stark with James Nesbitt Paul McCartney with Ben Champniss The new LIPA Companions

London, July 2025: SongLink founder David Stark was in Liverpool on July 29th to present the SongLink Prizes to songwriting students Sara Winther and Kiera Twizzell at the annual Graduation Day ceremony of LIPA, the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts co-founded by Sir Paul McCartney and opened by H.M. Queen Elizabeth in 1996. David was made a 'Companion of LIPA' by Sir Paul in 2006 for his work as Editor/Publisher of SongLink which is used by songwriters and music publishers around the world.

As well as meeting Sir Paul once again, David was also delighted to be photographed with two new LIPA Companions - actors Adrian Lester and James Nesbitt - at the ceremony which took place at Liverpool's Philharmonic Hall, while others present on the day included Noddy Holder (formerly of Slade); Robert Fripp of King Crimson and wife Toyah; Sir Paul's brother Mike McCartney; and actor Ben Champniss who plays Shrimpy the market trader in the BBC's long-running soap EastEnders.

The full list of new Companions for 2025 consists of Simon Bobbett, manager of The Wombats (LIPA graduate); Adrian Lester, film, TV and stage actor (Hustle, The Day After Tomorrow); Gay Linvill, Hollywood director and producer (The Big Bang Theory, Days of Our Lives); Sita McIntosh, CEO of Go Live Theatre and arts accessibility campaigner; Sir Sam Mendes, director, producer and writer (American Beauty, Skyfall); James Nesbitt, film, TV and stage actor (Cold Feet, The Hobbit); Matthew Murphy, Tord Øverland Knudsen and Dan Haggis of The Wombats (five UK top five albums, all LIPA graduates). They all received their Companionships from Sir Paul McCartney in a ceremony that celebrated the achievements of around 420 graduating students from over 30 countries, including Columbia, Hong Kong and India.

LIPA's Principal and CEO Professor Sean McNamara said, "Today is a celebration of creativity, collaboration and possibility. "As artists, innovators, and leaders who will inspire others through their work, the graduating class of 2025 possesses the skills, the vision and the confidence to influence culture and the world around them. We are immensely proud of them and look forward to seeing the future they create." LIPA offers undergraduate, masters, and foundation certificate programmes in disciplines including Acting, Dance, Music, Musical Theatre, Filmmaking, Theatre Production, Design, Songwriting, Sound Technology, and Arts Management.

https://lipa.ac.uk/