LIVERPOOL’S model for running Capital of Culture could be exported to future hosts.
The city’s Culture bosses met with the president of the European Commission at a summit at Tate Liverpool yesterday.
They discussed how Liverpool could be involved in “knowledge transfer” across the EU after 2008.
The city could become part of a “network of Capitals of Culture”.
EU president José Manuel Barroso sat down with the cultural leaders after seeing the Gustav Klimt exhibition at the Tate.
After the meeting, Phil Redmond, deputy director of the Culture Company, told the Daily Post: “We’re asking for a bit of help engaging with the rest of the European Union to build on what we have already made.
“And he was asking for ideas about raising the culture programme in the European Union.
“It’s turning out to be one of the most successful Capital of Culture programmes that we have had.
“We could get involved in a transfer of knowledge to see how we can help other cities and have an exchange of views.”
Mr Redmond has previously outlined his vision for the Culture Company to morph into a social affairs think-tank.
Its new remit, he said, would cover topics as wide-ranging as the environment and attracting big-money investors.
Emerging from the Tate, Mr Barroso said: “This was an opportunity to discuss with Liverpool’s cultural heads what we can do together to make sure this is not just an event, but a process as well.
“They presented ideas that I have promised to look at to see what we can do for the future.
“We are now trying to create a network of European Capitals of Culture to build on their experience.”
Referring to the £922m of European grants the city has received under Objective One since 2000, Mr Barroso said: “A lot of this regeneration has benefited from European money.
“This city has embraced culture for economic and social developing.
“That could be useful for other parts of Europe. It’s how to brand it, how to use Liverpool in the process.” Mr Barroso also met with Sir Bob Scott, who led Liverpool’s Capital of Culture bid, culture company chief executive Kris Donaldson, Tate Liverpool’s executive director, Andrea Nixon, and deputy city council leader Cllr Flo Clucas.
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