Culture in crisis?: Daily Post comment

Aug 13 2007

crisis in culture

TODAY, we launch a five-part special report, taking a long, hard look at the work of Liverpool’s Culture Company. Our motives for doing so may be questioned in some quarters, so it is very important that we set our stall out, with complete transparency, at the outset.

Let us make one thing unequivocally clear. The Liverpool Daily Post believes Liverpool will deliver an internationally-acclaimed programme of world-class events for 2008.

Despite the events of recent weeks, our faith in this city’s ability to shine remains. But our confidence comes entirely from the excellent work being carried out by the city’s many established, highly distinguished and in some cases world-renowned cultural organisations.

We cannot in all conscience shy away from the fact that there is growing concern across the region that the success Liverpool enjoys will be in spite of, rather than thanks to, the work of the Culture Company.

We all worked together to win the accolade of European Capital of Culture, but almost from the moment the award was won, the shutters have gone down, and this organisation has treated the people of our city region on a “need to know” basis. “Trust us,” they assured us, “and all will be well”.

Political rows, changes in personnel and the lack of detailed information have led to a growing sense of unease about these assurances.

But if there were doubts before, the Mathew Street Festival fiasco has shaken confidence in the organisation to the core.

How do we trust an organisation that can- not ensure the continuity of such an enorm- ously successful and well-established event to stage a year-long programme of major set- piece events of its own, from scratch?

This week we are putting the work of the Culture Company under the spotlight, not to destroy it, nor to damage the city’s reputation in any way, but to discover what constructive steps need to be taken to make sure that we do not face any further mishaps like Mathew Street.

There are many outside our city who seize on any opportunity to pour ridicule and scorn upon it. However successful 2008 is overall, the city will become a national laughing stock if there are any more public relations catastrophes like the one we have just endured. That is the scale of the responsibility the Culture Company carries.

For most of last week, as our journalists worked on this story, we have invited Culture Company chief executive Jason Harborow to speak to us, and to offer concrete reassurances on the very real public concerns about this massively important year that has been entrusted to his stewardship. To date, he has declined that opportunity.

It is all too symptomatic of the culture of secrecy which has surrounded this organisation from the start.

Our door remains open, and we hope the Culture Company will not pass up on the opportunity to speak to us before this week is out.

The people of Liverpool are anxious. They need reassurance and concrete plans, not hints and vague promises. The Culture Company should listen to the city’s mood, and learn from the mistakes of the past.

The Mathew Street Festival debacle could possibly have been avoided if all those involved had just communicated. We say the Culture Company must learn from this mistake. And it must talk to Liverpool.