Borrevitsch

Liverpool named Capital of Culture



Liverpool has been named European Capital of Culture 2008 by Culture
Secretary Tessa Jowell.

The city beat five other hopefuls - Bristol, Birmingham, Cardiff,
Newcastle-Gateshead and Oxford - to win the coveted prize.

The announcement was greeted by scenes of jubilation in Liverpool and
subdued disappointment in the losing cities on Wednesday morning.

The title is expected to attract more tourists, increase investment
and create jobs, as well as boost the profile of the winning city.

It's a momentous day for Liverpool because it's about looking forward

David Henshaw

Liverpool City Council



Ms Jowell said the competition had been "fantastic" with all the bids
being of the highest standard.

She praised the Liverpool bid for having an edge over rivals as it
"embraced the whole city".

"Liverpool was the most vital, energetic bid," she said.

Sir Jeremy Isaacs, head of the panel of independent judges, said
Liverpool's stunning dockside developments, city centre and strong
visual arts had boosted its bid.

"Taken overall, Liverpool looked good, sounded good, feels good to be
in and would deliver a really terrific year," he said.

"If one had to say one thing that swung it for Liverpool, it would
have to be there was a greater sense there that the whole city is
involved in the bid and behind the bid."

City council chief executive David Henshaw described the win as
"staggering" for the city.

"The city is growing up. We've got history and we should be proud of
our history, but in the past we've been prisoners of our history," he
said.

'Momentous day'

"It's a momentous day for Liverpool because it's about looking
forward."

The leader of Liverpool City Council, Councillor Mike Storey, said:
"This is like Liverpool winning the Champions League, Everton winning
the double and the Beatles reforming all on the same day - and Steve
Spielberg coming to the city to make a Hollywood blockbuster about
it."

Liverpool promoted itself with the slogan "The world in one city".

It placed culture, creative industries and tourism at the heart of its
regeneration project for 2008.

The renewal of its waterfront, a World Heritage site, and cultural
centres like Tate Liverpool strengthened its credentials.

It is also home to the recently opened Film Arts and Creative Centre,
FACT, the UK's only exhibition and performance space dedicated to
film, video and digital art.

The team promoting Liverpool's bid said it has prepared a detailed
plan to deliver "the most spectacular celebration of culture" in the
history of Europe.

Festival planned

It promises a year-long festival featuring art, architecture, ballet,
comedy, cinema, food, fashion, literature, music, opera, science and
theatre.

The rivalry between those selected has been fierce, owing to the
benefits previous holders of the title have received.

The UK's last City of Culture - Glasgow in 1990 - saw a massive
increase in tourism as a result of winning the title.

Six cities were chosen from a dozen hopefuls last October to vie for
the accolade.

The European Union (EU) has designed the Capital of Culture programme
to replace the City of Culture status which began with Athens in 1985.


The first Capital will be Cork in the Republic of Ireland in 2005,
followed by Patras in Greece in 2006 and Luxembourg a year later.

Disappointed Newcastle-Gateshead bid organisers congratulated
Liverpool and said the bid process had given the city "a kickstart".

"We've lost the boost that the Capital of Culture title would have
given us, but the plans will go ahead," an organiser said.

Favourites

Newcastle-Gateshead were frontrunners with bookmakers highlighting the
innovative Millennium Bridge, the multi-million pound Baltic Centre
for contemporary art and the under-construction Sage Music Centre as
potential selling points.



Brushing aside its image as the industrial heartland, Birmingham
stressed its experience, expertise and ethnic diversity in its bid.

Even Bollywood stars were enlisted to boost the city's rich ethnic
mix.

Bristol was described as a city that appealed to both tourists and
locals.

The Welsh city of Cardiff said its experience hosting events at the
Millennium Stadium would make it the ideal capital of culture.

Under the slogan Oxford Inspires, the university town proposed a
Festival of Walks through the Oxfordshire countryside, a Freshwater
Festival and a Food and Countryside Festival in its bid.

Marie Lewis

In article , borrevitsch
writes
    >Liverpool named Capital of Culture
    >Liverpool has been named European Capital of Culture 2008 by Culture
    >Secretary Tessa Jowell.
    >The city beat five other hopefuls - Bristol, Birmingham, Cardiff,
    >Newcastle-Gateshead and Oxford - to win the coveted prize.
    >The announcement was greeted by scenes of jubilation in Liverpool and
    >subdued disappointment in the losing cities on Wednesday morning.
    >The title is expected to attract more tourists, increase investment
    >and create jobs, as well as boost the profile of the winning city.
    >It's a momentous day for Liverpool because it's about looking forward
    >David Henshaw
    >Liverpool City Council
    >Ms Jowell said the competition had been "fantastic" with all the bids
    >being of the highest standard.
    >She praised the Liverpool bid for having an edge over rivals as it
    >"embraced the whole city".
    >"Liverpool was the most vital, energetic bid," she said.
    >Sir Jeremy Isaacs, head of the panel of independent judges, said
    >Liverpool's stunning dockside developments, city centre and strong
    >visual arts had boosted its bid.
    >"Taken overall, Liverpool looked good, sounded good, feels good to be
    >in and would deliver a really terrific year," he said.
    >"If one had to say one thing that swung it for Liverpool, it would
    >have to be there was a greater sense there that the whole city is
    >involved in the bid and behind the bid."
    >City council chief executive David Henshaw described the win as
    >"staggering" for the city.
    >"The city is growing up. We've got history and we should be proud of
    >our history, but in the past we've been prisoners of our history," he
    >said.
    >'Momentous day'
    >"It's a momentous day for Liverpool because it's about looking
    >forward."
    >The leader of Liverpool City Council, Councillor Mike Storey, said:
    >"This is like Liverpool winning the Champions League, Everton winning
    >the double and the Beatles reforming all on the same day - and Steve
    >Spielberg coming to the city to make a Hollywood blockbuster about
    >it."
    >Liverpool promoted itself with the slogan "The world in one city".
    >It placed culture, creative industries and tourism at the heart of its
    >regeneration project for 2008.
    >The renewal of its waterfront, a World Heritage site, and cultural
    >centres like Tate Liverpool strengthened its credentials.
    >It is also home to the recently opened Film Arts and Creative Centre,
    >FACT, the UK's only exhibition and performance space dedicated to
    >film, video and digital art.
    >The team promoting Liverpool's bid said it has prepared a detailed
    >plan to deliver "the most spectacular celebration of culture" in the
    >history of Europe.
    >Festival planned
    >It promises a year-long festival featuring art, architecture, ballet,
    >comedy, cinema, food, fashion, literature, music, opera, science and
    >theatre.
    >The rivalry between those selected has been fierce, owing to the
    >benefits previous holders of the title have received.
    >The UK's last City of Culture - Glasgow in 1990 - saw a massive
    >increase in tourism as a result of winning the title.
    >Six cities were chosen from a dozen hopefuls last October to vie for
    >the accolade.
    >The European Union (EU) has designed the Capital of Culture programme
    >to replace the City of Culture status which began with Athens in 1985.
    >The first Capital will be Cork in the Republic of Ireland in 2005,
    >followed by Patras in Greece in 2006 and Luxembourg a year later.
    >Disappointed Newcastle-Gateshead bid organisers congratulated
    >Liverpool and said the bid process had given the city "a kickstart".
    >"We've lost the boost that the Capital of Culture title would have
    >given us, but the plans will go ahead," an organiser said.
    >Favourites
    >Newcastle-Gateshead were frontrunners with bookmakers highlighting the
    >innovative Millennium Bridge, the multi-million pound Baltic Centre
    >for contemporary art and the under-construction Sage Music Centre as
    >potential selling points.
    >Brushing aside its image as the industrial heartland, Birmingham
    >stressed its experience, expertise and ethnic diversity in its bid.
    >Even Bollywood stars were enlisted to boost the city's rich ethnic
    >mix.
    >Bristol was described as a city that appealed to both tourists and
    >locals.
    >The Welsh city of Cardiff said its experience hosting events at the
    >Millennium Stadium would make it the ideal capital of culture.
    >Under the slogan Oxford Inspires, the university town proposed a
    >Festival of Walks through the Oxfordshire countryside, a Freshwater
    >Festival and a Food and Countryside Festival in its bid.
And Liverpool is a wonderful city. As a university student there, many,
many years ago, I regularly marvelled at the great architecture and the
pleasant people.

Well done, Liverpool!
--
Marie Lewis

Miss L.Toe

"borrevitsch" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Liverpool named Capital of Culture
    > Liverpool has been named European Capital of Culture 2008 by Culture
    > Secretary Tessa Jowell.

I would have thought that the 'European' Capital of Culture should be named
such by a European body ???

    > The city beat five other hopefuls - Bristol, Birmingham, Cardiff,
    > Newcastle-Gateshead and Oxford - to win the coveted prize.

What no culture in the rest of Europe ???

Alec

"Miss L.Toe" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > "borrevitsch" wrote in message
    > news:[email protected]...
    > > Liverpool named Capital of Culture
    > >
    > >
    > >
    > > Liverpool has been named European Capital of Culture 2008 by Culture
    > > Secretary Tessa Jowell.
    > >
    > I would have thought that the 'European' Capital of Culture should be
named
    > such by a European body ???
Until 2004, individual member state selects a city on a rota basis, so 2003
is UK's turn to select one for 2008. From 2005, the selection will involve
European Institutions, though the member state will still put forward
candidate cities.
    > > The city beat five other hopefuls - Bristol, Birmingham, Cardiff,
    > > Newcastle-Gateshead and Oxford - to win the coveted prize.
    > >
    > What no culture in the rest of Europe ???
See comment above.
2002: Brugge and Salamanca
2003: Graz
2004: Lille and Genoa
2005: Cork
2006: Patras
2007: Luxembourg
2008: Liverpool

Alec

The Reid

Following up to Miss L.Toe

    >I would have thought that the 'European' Capital of Culture should be named
    >such by a European body ???
    >> The city beat five other hopefuls - Bristol, Birmingham, Cardiff,
    >> Newcastle-Gateshead and Oxford - to win the coveted prize.
    >What no culture in the rest of Europe ???

Countries take it in turns, last time it was UK IIRC it was Glasgow.
--
Mike Reid
"Art is the lie that reveals the truth" P.Picasso
Fellwalking, photos, London & the Thames path "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk"
Spain, food and walking "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk" (see web for email)

Simon77

"borrevitsch" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Liverpool named Capital of Culture


And it deserves it too, its a great city. I was also a student there not so
many years ago.