So what happens next in 2009?
Dec 5 2008 by David Bartlett, Liverpool Daily Post
Capital of Culture logo 320
“Visitors will hopefully have seen Liverpool in a new light and encourage others to come back in 2009, 2010, and beyond.
“But unfortunately there is another legacy – paying for the year. The council failed to build up a war chest to pay for the year, and the knock-on effect will be that, in future years, budgets are going to be tight.”
The “architect” of Capital of Culture, Cllr Mike Storey, said he wanted to use the showcase year as a vehicle for regenerating the city and turning around its fortunes and make Liverpool into a premier European city.
“Something like 12m people have come to Liverpool, and 25% have never been here before.
“The year has given a new confidence to the city, people are proud of the fact Liverpool has been Capital of Culture.
“Scousers had been the book end of jokes and felt the world was against us. Now Liverpool people feel confident again. That confidence has been regained.
“That drip, drip of negative media coverage has become a drip, drip of positive coverage.” But, while national perceptions of the city have changed, there is still much work to be done to ensure a positive legacy, Cllr Storey believes.
“We should not let the cultural jewel slip from our fingers. We should not say let’s go and sit down and remember it and get over the hangover.
“I don’t want us to have a hangover, we have to continue realising the importance of culture to our city.
“The World Expo in 2010 [at which Liverpool will be one of only two UK cities to exhibit] is important. But, in a sense, it will be showcasing Liverpool to the world.
“But we have to look at what’s going on in the city, and Liverpool should be taking a lead on culture as the UK’s Capital of Culture.
“We need to make sure that we are at the cutting edge of culture to become that premier European city.”
Share
