European Capitals of CultureΠοιειν Και Πραττειν - create and do

Presentation by Bill Chambers at ECCM Symposium "Productivity of Culture", Athens 2007

Liverpool: European Capital of Culture 2008
 
The presentation by Bill Chambers was made at the ECCM Symposium "Productivity of Culture" held in Athens 2007
 
Regional scope and high lights of Liverpool
• North West England
• River Mersey
• Port
• The Beatles
• Liverpool (and Everton) FC
• Heritage

 

Liverpool European Capital of Culture: Why?
• Architectural UNESCO World Heritage
• Cultural institutions: galleries, museums, theatres, concert halls
• Sports: soccer (Liverpool and Everton), golf (Hoylake, Birkdale) and Grand National (Aintree)
• Two Cathedrals, multi-cultural multi-faith city
• Community arts
• Community commitment
• Politics of potential benefit (ESF ERDF): regeneration

 

Liverpool City Population
Continuous post-war decline to:
• Liverpool 447,500
• Greater Merseyside 1,367,100 Deprivation
• The most deprived local authority in England
• 26/100 (of 32,482) most deprived areas in England
• 75% of areas are in the 10% most deprived in Britain
• European Union Objective 1 2000-6: £950m
– European Social Fund
– European Regional Development Fund
 
Rise, Fall and Rise(?)
• 1880s: 2nd city of Empire:
– Port
– Buildings, cultural and parks heritage
– Institutions
• 1950-1980 Pariah City: Post-war, Post-industrial
– Closure of industries
– High unemployment
– Militant reputation
– Civil unrest
– Turn to Europe
• 1990s culturally led regeneration

 

Liverpool European Capital of Culture: Why? Some benefits...
• A goal to rally behind
• Glasgow effect
• Last chance in our lifetime
• Global stage
• Long-term planning
• World class programme of artistic events
• Re-position the City
• Significant contribution to regeneration
• Sustainable programming
• Template for European Cities regeneration

 

Objectives
• World class programme of artistic events
• Re-position the city
• Challenge negative perceptions
• Contribution to regeneration
• Involve as many people as possible
• Sustainable programming

 

Themed Years
• 2004 Faith
• 2005 Sea Liverpool
• 2006 Liverpool Performs
• 2007 Liverpool’s 800th Birthday
• 2008 European Capital of Culture
• 2009 Environment
• 2010 Innovation

 

Liverpool European City of Culture
• Events
– High culture: exhibitions, concerts,
– Community culture
– Sporting
– Conferences and meetings
• Building and infrastructure (cf Olympics)
– Roads ‘the Big Dig’
– Retail regeneration: The Grosvenor
– Landmarks: Liverpool Arena, Liner Landing Stage

 

Sport
• Open Golf
• Tour of Britain Cycle Race
• European Boxing Championships
• The Tall Ships Races 2008
• World Firefighters Games

 

The Culture Company
• Artistic
• Events
• Communities
• Tourism
• Welcome
• Commercial
• Heritage
• Marketing

 

Creative Communities
• Empowering communities
• Recognised nationally
• Breaking new ground
• Meeting partnership agandas
• Funding, expertise and support
• Making it happen
 
 
with the objective: ensuring the whole city participates

 

Success?
• £3bn investment
• 14000 jobs
• 1.7m additional tourists
• Liverpool: a world city

 

Regeneration
• Liverpool 1 £920m retail
• Kings Waterfront including the Arena £390m
• Mann Island mixed £120m
• Museum of Liverpool £65m
• Leeds-Liverpool Canal £18.5m
• Cruise Liner Terminal £19m
• Lime Street Gateway £?
• Pall Mall mixed £300m
• Central Village mixed £160m
• St Paul’s Square offices £162m
• New World Square £130m
• Sefton Street Quarter £100m
• West Tower £35m
• School of Tropical Medicine £26m
• Elysian Fields £25m
• Design Academy John Moores University £23.5m
• Eden Square £22m

 

Highlights
• Opening Ringo Starr
• Ken Dodd comedy
• Ashkenazy European Union Youth Orchestra
• Strictly Come Dancing
• Ben Johnson Walker
• Gustav Klimt Tate
• Liverpool Sound Paul McCartney
• Design Show
• Emilia di Liverpool
• Tall Ships
• Beat Goes On
• World Firefighter Games
• Will You Find It?
• 5th Biennial
• Eric’s
• BBC Electronic Proms
• Shipping Lines
• Simon Rattle Berlin
• Tavener Requiem
• Britten War Requie

 

Participation
• Creative communities
• Mass participation programme
• Street theatre
• Public art

 

International
• To become a centre of excellence in managing international relations
• To manage increasing international demands
• To build cultural infrastructure
• To increase number of visitors
• To re-position Liverpool as a premier European city
• To provide efficient and effective management
• A curtain raiser for 2012 Olympics
• A beacon for Britain
• Biggest challenge is within the UK

 

Tourism
• Quality
• Access
• Attendance
• Music (Beatles)
• World Heritage
• Liverpool Welcome
• Volunteers

 

Key Programme Elements
• Commissioning strand international, national and local artists
• Animating the streets
• Cultural partners
• Major events
• Creative communities
• Cities on the Edge (Naples, Marseilles, Bremen, Istanbul, Gdansk)
• Talk, lectures, conferences

 

Volunteering
• Support of 08 Welcome and eventys programme
• Links with other voluntary sector groups and partners
• Pre-volunteer programme supports re-engagement of longer term unemployed
• Merseyside wide support

 

Major Events
• Maritime
• Sport
• Music

 

Culture and Art
• Gustav Klimt: Tate Liverpool
• 2007 Turner Prize: Tate Liverpool
• James Tissot: Lady Lever Art Gallery
• Monet to Hopper: The Artist and The Railway: Walker ArtGallery

 

 

 

Source:

 

Professor Bill Chambers

Pro Vice-Chancellor

External Relations and Widening Participation

Director of The Big Hope World Youth Congress 2008

www.hope.ac.uk/artsandhumanities

www.hope.ac.uk/wideningparticipation

www.hope.ac.uk/thebighope

 

Liverpool Hope University

Hope at Everton

Haigh Street

Liverpool L3 8QB

 

mobile: 07740 174 037

fax:     0151 291 3191

email. chambew@hope.ac.uk

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