Culture in Crisis?: Day 3

Aug 15 2007 by Jessica Shaughnessy, Liverpool Daily Post

crisis in culture

TWO of the driving forces behind Liverpool’s Capital of Culture celebrations say next year is already showing signs of unprecedented success.

Executive producer for 2008’s arts programme Fiona Gasper and executive producer for creative communities Claire McColgan said an “amazing” programme of events will silence the city’s sceptics.

Critics say the Culture Company has taken over many events that were already running in the city and, in the case of the Mathew Street Festival, run them down.

But though they refused to reveal any more detail of the calendar before it is officially launched in November, Ms McColgan and Ms Gasper insisted it will be ground-breaking.

Ms McColgan said: “The programme will far exceed what was proposed in the bid. This has never been done anywhere before on this scale. It has been a momentous task to get so many people in the city facing the same way. The process has been difficult and there have been problems but that is not surprising when you consider that we have been treading new ground.

“It is a remarkable achievement by the whole city.”

Ms McColgan rebuked criticism that has been circulating for almost as long as the Culture Company has existed – that communities and local artists are not being included in the plans as much as they should be.

She pointed out that up to 70% of the programme is being delivered by local organisations.

Ms McColgan said: “Not all of the arts organisations in the city are involved, but if people still want to be, there is nothing to stop them organising an event in the name of Capital of Culture if they want to.

“The community programmes we have embarked on are vast and have included a huge amount of people.

“People might not always associate them with Capital of Culture though and may think they haven’t been involved.” £1.5m has been given to community groups to host events in their own areas.

The Culture Company has also completed a cross-Liverpool anti-violence programme and is about to launch the Four Corners Scheme, which will give people the opportunity to look at the history of every corner of the city.

Another accusation to fall at the door of the Culture Company is a lack of communication with Liverpool’s neighbouring boroughs.

Ms Gasper said there was a close relationship with other authorities in the region, but said the level of their involvement is down to them.

She added: “We have certainly done a lot of work with Knowsley and Cheshire, which has decided to brand itself as the Garden of Capital of Culture for 2008. The level of involvement varies, but really it lies with them.”

The announcement of the programme is expected in two months, though much of the detail is still to be fine-tuned. Ms Gasper and Ms McColgan said there are no concerns that any of the events planned so far will see the same fate as the Mathew Street Festival.

One much anticipated coup – the appearance of Pete Postlethwaite in King Lear at the Everyman – is still being negotiated.

Much of the activity for next year will be laid on by the Culture Company’s cultural partners, such as National Museums Liverpool, Tate Liverpool, the Philharmonic and the Empire.

But Ms Gasper said despite recent concerns, the entire city is behind the plans.