Liverpool’s arts world has been transformed by the city’s Capital of Culture year. Vicky Anderson reports in the second part of our week-long series assessing the legacy that 2008 will leave behind

CAPITAL of Culture year saw Liverpool babysitting some of the world’s greatest works of art while creating new pieces to leave audiences spellbound.

From Rodin’s The Kiss, which has taken pride of place in the lobby of Tate Liverpool all year, to Ai Weiwei’s Spiderweb of Light still hanging over Exchange Flags, and from exclusive performance art from Yoko Ono to the splendour of one of the most comprehensive exhibitions of the work of Gustav Klimt, the big hitters have been here for all to see throughout the year.

The city’s major galleries were amazed by visitor numbers that far exceeded expectations and have declared 2008 a major success.

“It has been an absolutely excellent year. In our wildest dreams, we didn’t expect it to be so fantastic,” said Christoph Grunenberg, director of Tate Liverpool.

“It has been an unmitigated success in terms of publicity, the number of visitors, and how we have been part of a changing city, a city transformed in the perception of many people.”

More than 1m people have been through the doors of Tate Liverpool throughout 2008, with international visitors up 20%.

Its exhibition, The 20th Century: How it Looked and How it Felt, raided the best of the Tate collection to bring works by Picasso, Degas, Rodin and Warhol to Liverpool.

“From the Turner Prize, which opened 2008 in some way, although it was held in 2007, to the blockbuster historical art of Klimt, then back again to contemporary art with the Biennial, we created a varied programme for a very diverse audience,” said Mr Grunenberg.

“Additional funding always helps makes things possible but, ultimately, it is the ideas and the will to make things happen.

“There have been some outstanding events, but most important I think is the negative publicity that surrounded Capital of Culture in the run-up to the year disappeared very early on. Sir Simon Rattle, King Lear, the spider, and for us, Klimt have been so high profile and so fantastic in terms of inspiring the imagination of audiences.

“This year has actually allowed us to do things that even 12 months ago we didn’t believe were possible.

“It has put us in a very different place and position, and I think that has been recognised by people.”

The Bluecoat, the oldest building in the city centre, opened again in style back in March after a major rebuild.

A fire hit the iconic venue after just 50 days, closing the new restaurant space which opened again last month.

That unfortunate setback apart, it has been a great 2008 for the place, scooping an enviable amount of regional and national architecture awards and even being shortlisted for World Building of the Year.

Activities and exhibitions inside the building were just as exciting as the bricks and mortar itself, with the Bluecoat quickly becoming the hub of a variety of cultural festivals, as well as home to organisations including the Sense of Sound choir and deaf and disabled arts event DadaFest.

“It was a great feeling, a huge amount of work had been done and when we opened it was a fantastic time,” said chief executive Alistair Upton.

“When we reopened, we wanted to start with some highlights and because it was 2008 it really helped in getting an exciting programme together.

“It was a great privilege to be there seeing Yoko Ono perform as that doesn’t happen every day. We got artists we would not have done so easily if it hadn’t been 2008.”

The Bluecoat attracted 62,000 visitors last month alone, and more than a quarter of a million people since it opened.

“The thing about the Bluecoat is it is a Liverpool space and we wanted it to have a wide audience of different people and we want what we are doing to be relevant. It is really important to get the Liverpool audience back and get everyone enjoying the new building.

“Now, having also put the Bluecoat on the international stage, we’ve got to make sure the momentum of the year is maintained.

“It’s been a great year for the whole city.

“I work in this world and have an interest, but I also have a family and want to do things with them, and it has been really good for that.

“I think there came a point where everybody thought they were just going to get stuck in and enjoy things.”

Finally, organisers of Liverpool Biennial, which officially ended at the weekend, have heralded the 2008 as the most successful ever.

And they have said that some of the most popular works in the festival, including Spiderweb of Light, the moving Joyful Trees off Upper Parliament Street, the Atelier Bow Wow amphitheatre on Renshaw Street, and the neon bunny on the side of St James’ Church, will all be staying a little longer.

The Long Night of the Biennial, which saw the city’s art spaces open much later than usual, will also return in non-Biennial years, it is hoped.

Biennial director Lewis Biggs said: “We will now deliver a programme year in, year out and commission all year round, and I think the impetus of 2008 means that we are able to continue in that direction and that’s what people will see in future years.”

TOMORROW, we will look at how the impact of Capital of Culture on the city’s communities.

vickyanderson