http://www.liverpool08.com/AboutUs/YourQuestions/index.asp

Culture Uncovered - Your Questions Answered
What is the European Capital of Culture?
The European Capital of Culture programme gives Europe an ideal opportunity to celebrate the culture of Europe's great cities and to involve the community in that celebration. There will be a new European Capital of Culture every year from 2005 onwards. In 2008 the European Capital of Culture will be in the UK and Liverpool beat off 11 other contenders for the title.

Who's behind the Capital of Culture?
The Liverpool Culture Company is the organisation set up by Liverpool City Council to deliver the culture programme up to and beyond 2008. However, everyone is involved. Working with the stakeholders is critical to making this happen, including cultural institutions, communities, creative industries, artists, schools and businesses.

What is Culture?
Our definition of culture is broad. Culture is everything from arts and entertainment to music and sport. The art on offer in our city is second to none and was a major factor in us being awarded Capital of Culture status. Eight world-class museums and galleries, a contemporary arts festival to rival Venice, a dedicated centre for arts and creative technology, FACT, among other world-class venues. Liverpool has also created one of the largest funding packages for community art in the UK. More than 80 groups have benefitted from Creative Communities grants which have triggered multi-million pound match funding.

Why is the Capital of Culture title for us all?
Liverpool is already known around the world for its maritime heritage, architecture, music and sport. The Capital of Culture title will place the city firmly on the global map. One and a half milllion extra visitors are expected to attend the many world-class festivals and events that will take place in the run-up to and including 2008.

Everyone can play their part, from performing to volunteering. For more information on volunteering click on Liverpool Welcome on the left hand side.

How will the Capital of Culture title benefit Liverpool?
Between now and 2008, and beyond, Liverpool will benefit from literally billions of pounds worth of investment, thousands of new jobs and massive regeneration which will see it reborn as a premier European city - one with a more competitive economy, healthier, safer and more involved communities and one where everyone has more opportunities to have a better life. In 1990, Glasgow was the last UK city to have the Capital of Culture status, and experienced substantial economic and social benefits during its period as the City of Culture, both strengthening and promoting its own impressive regeneration.

What will happen between now and 2008?
The years 2005 to 2007 are the 'dress rehearsals' for the grand finale of the 12-month festival in 2008. During this time we will be strengthening our impressive events programme and attracting new high profile events. We will also continue to work with hundreds of community organisations and thousands of residents to help build enthusiasm, creativity and participation for Capital of Culture.

In the build up to the Liverpool European Capital of Culture in 2008, each year will have a special theme to highlight different aspects of the city's unique culture and to hone our ability to deliver world-class events.

2005 Sea Liverpool
2005 celebrates Liverpool's maritime legacy featuring, among many other highlights, the 25th annual Mersey River Festival, the start of the Clipper Round the World Yatch Race and culminating in the bi-centennial celebration of the Battle of Trafalgar.

2006 Liverpool Performs
2006 will celebrate Liverpool's amazing track record in performance, from the stage to the gallery, from the football pitch to the boardroom. Highlights include the 4th Liverpool Biennial and the British Golf Open Championship, returning to Hoylake, Wirral, for the first time in 38 years. It will also include 'a city in transition' using international and local artists in developing artistic programmes to explore the changes in Liverpool.

2007 Liverpool's 800th Birthday
King John granted the charter for Liverpool's city status way back in 1207, so get ready for one hexk of a birthday party in 2007. Look forward to a whole year of festivals and activities showcasing 800 years of heritage, culminating in the official birthday celebrations on 28th August 2007. It's a great time to re-connect with long-lost friends and family across the world.

What will happen in 2008?
Where do we start? Liverpool's 2008 programme will be Europe's biggest and most diverse celebration of culture with more than 50 international festivals in art, architecture, ballet, comedy, cinema, food, literature, music, opera, science and theatre. 2008 is set to involve one billion people from more than 60 countries, across five continents. Events confirmed for 2008 so far include: Sir Simon Rattle to conduct the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra; the 5th Liverpool Biennial; European Amateur Boxing Championships; The Open at Royal Birkdale; the start of the Tall Ships Race; and the homecoming of the 07-08 Clipper Round the World Yatch Race.

Is it just for visitors or can local people get involved?
A major aim of Liverpool 08 is to harness the wealth of artistic and creative talent of our people. Local people form the heart of our programme and this year we will escalate the number of community initiatives on the journey towards 2008 and beyond. From a festival for children taking its first steps in 2005, through to building on the successes of Goodbye Litter and our neighbourhood programmes, to dealing with serious issues that impact on the health of our city, such as the 'Its Not OK' violence and young people project, there is literally something for everyone to participate in.

Who is funding the Capital of Culture?
Capital of Culture is funded by both public and private sector organisations. We have already achieved success in sponsorship from the private sector and support from government agencies.

How will the city change as a result of Liverpool 2008?
Work is well underway on regenerating the city in time for 2008. Construction has started on Europe's biggest city centre redevelopment scheme which is creating a new heart for Liverpool. The £900 million Grosvenor project will see 2 million square feet of new leisure and retail space created, with 30 new buildings including two department stores and two hotels.

The £400 million King's Waterfront development will bring a concert arena, conference facilities, hotels, residential and leisure uses to the banks of the Mersey. In addition, work is underway on a new £15 million state-of-the-art cruise liner facility. And that's not all, building work will continue to 2015 and beyond.

http://www.merseysidetoday.co.uk/

Culture city seeks China boost

Millions of tourists from China are being targeted by Liverpool as it seeks to capitalise on the UK's new status as a must-see tourist destination.

Next week Liverpool will host the first official tourism delegation from China to the UK - with preparations for it's European Capital of Culture years at the top of the agenda

The Chinese government have granted the UK with Accredited Destination Status, which means it will be easier for its people to gain visas to travel to the UK.

Liverpool will use its international role in 2008 to woo delegates from its Chinese twin city Shanghai, who will make the groundbreaking visit to the city on Wednesday and Thursday, July 27-28.

In what could transform the city's £600m a year tourism economy, Liverpool's tourism industry - and preparations for Capital of Culture in 2008 - will top the agenda for the 40-strong group of influential China-based tour operators, journalists and officials.

Liverpool's long-established links with China, and Shanghai in particular, as well as proposals for a major new exhibition on China's Forbidden City at World Museum Liverpool, in partnership with the Imperial Palace Museum, Beijing in 2008, makes the two-day visit to Merseyside a focal point of their UK tour.

As part of their visit to the city they will be given a tour of attractions such as Liverpool Football Club and cultural jewels such as the newly opened World Museum Liverpool and hear about new developments like the £15m Cruise Liner facility.

During their time here the delegates, which also includes officials from Beijing, hosts of the 2008 Olympics, will see tourist attractions and meet civic representatives and staff from the tourism team at Liverpool Culture Company and The Mersey Partnership.

Liverpool is in a strong position to capitalise on potential millions of tourists, thanks to its sister city links, the standing of its football clubs, The Beatles, the fact its home to Europe's oldest Chinese community and the regeneration of the city as it works up to 2008.

Council leader Mike Storey said: ''The UK's new destination status for China is an amazing opportunity for Liverpool. Being European Capital of Culture in 2008 is a huge advantage and greatly adds to our appeal and special relationship with China and its people. The fact that the city is undergoing a £3bn renaissance and preparing to welcome millions of visitors in 2008 is a great platform to impress this hugely influential delegation.''

The UK tour is being co-ordinated by VisitBritain in tandem with the Liverpool Culture Company and The Mersey Partnership.

Martin King, Director of Tourism at The Mersey Partnership added: "This is an important visit. Chinese tour operators serve a domestic market that offers huge potential to Liverpool and Merseyside. The fact hat Liverpool and Shanghai are already twinned, and that Liverpool has such strong and well-established historic links with China, means we are in a strong position to promote our City Region as an attractive and exciting tourist destination for visitors from China."

Kris Donaldson, Marketing Director of the Liverpool Culture Company, said: ''The opening of the Chinese tourism market to the UK is perfect timing for Liverpool. The city has fantastic links on so many levels and has a huge international profile over there - probably only second to London. We will show the delegation how much of a great time we can offer Chinese tourists be it from a heritage point of view to pure entertainment - and they don't have to wait until 2008 to experience it.''

Professor Drummond Bone, Chairman of the Liverpool Culture Company, said: ''Liverpool's links with China are very strong and constantly developing be it through sport exchanges with Shanghai or business links on the back of the Clipper Race. The Chinese tourism market will be one of the fastest growing of this century and the city has a fantastic chance to catch a head start on the rest of the UK and present itself as a major destination.''

City Residential — News

http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=5081912#post5081912

4/8/2005
Business Community Challenge to Endure Three Year Charity Triathlon — A leading Liverpool property agent is about to take part in an epic Euro challenge to raise money for charity.

City Residential’s Alan Bevan is attempting a daring triathlon in each of the cities of culture in the lead up to Liverpool taking the crown in 2008.

Alan has also thrown down the gauntlet and is challenging members of Merseyside’s business community to compete in the Culture Cities Triathlon.
“We’re linking the next three European Capitals of Culture through a different triathlon event each year while raising money for charity.
“This year it’s a 160 mile cycle ride from Liverpool to Cork in aid of the Claire House appeal. Next year we plan to run a marathon in Patras, Athens and in 2007 it’s a five mile swim through the gorge in Luxembourg city. In 2008 we’ll undertake a challenge set by the public,” said Alan.
Alan is urging businesses to support the Culture Cities Triathlon challenge by pledging money to sponsor their athletic colleagues.

“We have launched a brand new website www.culturetriathlon.com that is not only simple to use but also secure so that people can pledge cash online or register for the triathlon,” added Alan.

The Culture Cities Triathlon has already attracted two supporters. Marketing agency Paver Downes has designed the website and is providing PR support and Irish Sea Express.com is kindly donating travel to and from Dublin where the cycle race will begin.

Area Fundraiser at Claire House, Ron Hutchinson said: “The Culture Cities Triathlon is not only a novel and challenging way for member of the business community to raise money for charity, it also helps to increase Liverpool’s profile as major European city.”

Businesses can register online by visiting www.cutlturetriathlon.com or call Alan Bevan at City Residential on 0151 231 6100. Organisers are also looking for more corporate sponsors and partners.

Liverpool Clipper is in the lead after the first leg of Round the world Yacht race.

Click here for more details (http://www.clipper-ventures.co.uk/plc/index.php)

Will also start in 2007 (Liverpools 800th Birthday) and finish in 2008 (During C.o.C.) in Liverpool. :cheers:

http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100regionalnews/tm_objectid=16194277%26method=full%26siteid=50061%26headline=dock%2dplan%2dfor%2dwhite%2dwater%2dfun-name_page.html

Dock plan for white water fun Sep 30 2005

By Adrian Butler, Liverpool Echo

WHITE water rafting could come to Albert Dock for 2008.

Plans have been drawn up to build a white water rafting course, along with four pitches for canoe polo to give the British squad a new home.

Together they would form a centre for canoeing on Liverpool waterfront.

The news comes after deputy prime minister John Prescott revealed that £7.5m of European money was being given to extend the Leeds-Liverpool canal through the Pier Head.

British Waterways, which will carry out the project, has appointed an architect and consulting firm to look into whether the canoeing scheme should go ahead.

A group including city council and Liverpool Vision is keen to make better use of under-used waters around the Grade I listed dock.

They want the planned canoe facilities to become the base of the Friends of Allonby Canoe Club, home to the British canoe polo squad.

A spokeswoman for POP, which is preparing the study, said: "It will be exciting for Liverpool people to get involved in some white water rafting and other activities.

"We want as many people as possible to have their say." If approved, the canoe centre will join the £17m scheme to build a 2km canal through Pier Head, linking canal and waterfront.

City officials predict the link will create almost 200 jobs and bring in 200,000 extra visitors and 4,500 boat trips, worth around £2m a year to Liverpool's economy.

The scheme, given the go-ahead by the council earlier this year, should be completed in late 2007 in time for Capital of Culture.

http://www.merseyside.org/displaypage.asp?page=31

WORLD HERITAGE WATERFRONTS
COME TOGETHER

Mersey Waterfront will take centre-stage at WaterfrontExpo 2005 in Riga, Latvia, Tuesday 27- Thursday 29 September.

This international event will bring together hundreds of experts in waterfront design, construction, management and sustainable development from a diverse range of waterfront locations including Hong Kong, Helsinki, Mumbai, and Athens.

The Liverpool delegation is flying to Riga on the inaugural Ryanair flight from Liverpool John Lennon Airport.

The group includes Louise Hopkins, Director of Mersey Waterfront - the regeneration programme funded through the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) and hosted by The Mersey Partnership (TMP). She will be making a joint presentation alongside Jim Gill, Chief Executive of Liverpool Vision, on the major opportunities the Merseyside coastline offers to investors, visitors and residents.

Riga itself has striking parallels with Liverpool; it is a waterfront city which was Capital of Culture in 2001, also it's 800th anniversary year, and incorporates part of a UNESCO World Heritage site.


"WaterfrontExpo is a key opportunity to share current thinking and experience about waterfront regeneration and development worldwide," says Louise Hopkins. "It also provides us with a global platform to showcase Mersey Waterfront's unique mix of green spaces and urban locations along 135km of coastline, ranging from a UNESCO World Heritage Site, to working docks, sand dunes, coastal woodlands and Victorian promenades.

"The Mersey Waterfront programme is currently funding and co-ordinating over 40 regeneration and environmental improvement projects, transcending local authoritiy boundaries. Our presentation at Riga will highlight how these diverse but interconnected schemes along the wider coastline can add value to major riverside developments like Liverpool's Kings Waterfront."

Jim Gill, Chief Executive of Liverpool Vision, added; "The Mersey Waterfront is a major asset to the city of Liverpool. Our strategy for the regeneration of the City Centre waterfront will bring major economic and cultural benefits to the city and the wider region.

"We are looking forward to the Riga conference. It is pleasing to know that other European cities are keen to use Liverpool's experience as a model for their own regeneration."

More information can be found at: <http://www.waterfrontexpo.com/>

We should carve his name with pride Sep 27 2005

Daily Post

They are among the world's most famous symbols. But, in the anger of the Great War, their German creator was forgotten. Now, at last, he is to be honoured. David Charters reports.

With his skilled hands and soaring imagination, the man with the modest smile could give life to a block of wood.

But nobody ever spoke of the gentle carver's greatest creations, even when they became one of the most potent symbols in the world - silent sentinels over a throbbing port, ever-watching the sullen-grey roll of the water below them.

Now, 50 years after his death, a forgotten and shunned German is to be remembered for designing the two birds which perch high on the Royal Liver Building, at the Pier Head.

A plaque in his memory is to be placed in the entrance hall to the building. It should be up in plenty of time for the celebrations of 2007, marking the 800th anniversary of King John granting Liverpool its Royal Charter, which provides the ideal lead into the following year's European Capital of Culture.

After all, we are talking of a European who made a huge contribution to Liverpool's recent history, though his name will not be familiar to many of you.

For most of the history books do not mention Carl Bernard Bartels, designer of the Liver Birds, known to people all over the world as the emblem of Liverpool.

Yes, New York has its Statue of Liberty, or Liberty Enlightening the World, the 150ft colossus of the sculptor August Bartholdi, placed on an iron framework designed by Gustave Eiffel, who also gave Paris its 984ft tower.

But the association between Liverpool and its birds is unique. They are on the crest of numerous companies and organisations, most notably Liverpool City Council and Liverpool Football Club.

It is impossible to calculate how much they would have been worth if they were a commercial brand - but think of a big number and then add noughts until you fall asleep.

More than all that, though, they were a vision of comfort to homeward-bound sailors. If the Liver Birds were on their perch, God must be in his Heaven. Their disappearance into the distance has swelled lumps in the throats of the thousands leaving the river, some never to return.

Of course, they weren't the port's first Liver Birds. But the design of the pair atop the Liver Building became the standard, copied by everyone else.

Their "father", Carl Bernard Bartels, was the son of Carl Julius Bartels, a wood carver from the Black Forest. The boy was brought up in Stuttgart and trained under his father, before coming to Britain in 1887 with his young bride, Mathilde Zappe. He was 21.

The couple immediately liked the country and decided to make it their home. They took up British nationality and settled in the London borough of Haringey, where they had a son, Bernard Charles Bartels, and a daughter, Maggie.

Gradually, their father was gaining a reputation as an exquisite worker in wood. Meanwhile, in Liverpool, in 1908, work began on the construction of the Royal Liver Building, designed by the architect Walter Aubrey Thomas. An international competition was held to find a design for the two birds which were to sit on its twin clock towers.

Carl won. His birds were made by the Bromsgrove Guild, a group talented in the Arts and Crafts movement which ceased to be many years ago. The famous building, in many ways similar to those in New York, was completed in 1911.

Three years later, the Great War broke out. Anti-German feeling swept through the UK. Yet, since the middle of the 19th century, Germans had been settling in Liverpool. Pork butchers from the Hohenlohe area, near Stuttgart, knotted their sausages. The fruity smells of baking pastries and the steam from sauerkraut joined the air of a city already rich in aromas.

Other Germans worked in the sugar refineries and public houses. But that did little to assuage the hostility of local people. In this mood, Bartels's blueprints and sketches of the Liver Birds were lost or destroyed.

Even more seriously, Bartels was interned with others of German origin in a camp at Knockaloe, on the Isle of Man, even though he had been a naturalised Briton for more than 20 years.

Conditions were harsh at the camp, but a spirit of camaraderie developed, particularly among the artists. In Liverpool, anger against the Germans reached its zenith with the sinking of the Lusitania, inbound to the port, in May, 1915. There were riots and German properties were stoned and looted.

After the war, Bartels had to return to Germany, though we are not sure why, leaving his family in London. To come back to his family in England, he had to find an employer, who would vouch for him. This was done.

Bartels continued carving, producing work for stately homes and Durham Cathedral. In the Second World War, he worked on artificial limbs for the maimed. He died in 1955 and was buried in London.

Throughout the war, the Liver Birds stood proud over Liverpool, as much of the city was destroyed by enemy bombing. It was not a good time for telling people that the Liver Birds had been designed by a German.

And so things would have remained, had it not been for Bartels's great-grandson, Tim Olden, a graphic artist, from Southampton, and a number of local historians and artists. They have been supported by the Friends of Liverpool Monuments and Merseyside Civic Society in their desire to see Bartels honoured in some way before 2007. In this way, his relevance to the city would be made known to thousands of tourists.

"It is very important that recognition is given to the artist who created an image for the city known throughout the world," says Dr Peter Brown, chairman of Merseyside Civic Society.

The Royal Liver Building and the Port of Liverpool and the Cunard buildings form the Three Graces of the Mersey waterfront. It was originally home to the Royal Liver Friendly, now the Royal Liver Assurance.

Liz Romnes, head of the company's corporate communications, is considering the best place for a tribute to Bartels.

"A plaque to him is a great idea," says a Royal Liver spokeswoman. "We have got the main entrance to the building which all our tenants use and the public can come through. We also have our own company entrance which faces the river. It could go in either of those. But it would probably be better where everyone walks through, the

central corridor. There's a café in that area. But we need to sort it all out with our business management team. I don't see why it shouldn't be ready for 2007. It is not a big job."

Descendants of Bartels always knew about the Liver Birds, hoping that one day he would be recognised.

In 1998, his grand-daughter, Muriel Olden, with her son Tim and daughter, Pippa, visited Liverpool as guests of honour at a dinner in the Royal Liver Building. They met the Lord Mayor and appeared on radio and TV, suggesting that a permanent memorial should be erected in Liverpool to the memory of Carl Bernard Bartels.

But Mrs Olden died few months later, aged 77, and it seemed that their pleas had been forgotten.

Then articles about Bartels started appearing on the internet and earlier this year Patrick Neill, vice-chairman of the Friends of Liverpool Monuments, took up the case.

"I think my great-grandfather should be credited with the birds," says Tim Olden.. "Somehow, somewhere, it should be known. I recently came up to Liverpool and asked the taxi-drivers, who should have the knowledge, if they knew who designed the Liver Birds, but they didn't.

"Even the receptionist in the Royal Liver Building didn't know. Personally, I think it all goes back to the First World War. People didn't want to think that a German designed the famous Liver Birds. It was xenophobia, but I am delighted that a plaque is to be erected to his memory.

"I think that Bartels should be in the history books, there should be a plaque, the taxi-drivers should know who he was and the information should be passed on to the tourists."

But are the birds any good to the keen eyes of an artist?

"When you actually look at them closely, they are astonishingly crude pieces of work, but once you see them from street level, which is the only way you can see them properly, they are absolutely fabulous, they read like a dream. They are quite astonishing," says Robin Riley,, the eminent Liverpool sculptor and chairman of Merseyside Civic

Society's monuments and open spaces committee.

"When he designed them, Bartels would have realised that you cannot put a sculpture up at that height (295ft), you have to obey a set of laws of control and exaggeration."

"The idea that his name was quietly dropped because of the anti-German feeling during the First World War rings true with me," says Steve Binns MBE, Liverpool's community historian. "The anti-German feeling was very intense across the country."

But now we can honour the name of a German - father of two great birds who watch over their river for the sailors of all nations.

davidcharters@dailypost.co.uk

Liverpool legend that only exists because of artistic licence

WHEN King John granted Liverpool its Royal Charter in 1207, it was decided the port should have a corporate seal with the heraldic eagle which the king had adopted from St John the Evangelist.

Sadly, the the local artist produced a bird which more closely resembled a cormorant. As the years went by, everyone assumed that it was a cormorant, then common waders in the Mersey. Also, it was believed that seaweed or laver was hanging from its beak, not the sprig of broom carried by St John's eagle.

From this uncertain beginning, the Liver Bird developed and was extensively used as a symbol of the town which became a city in 1880. For example, in the 1852 the magnificent

Henry Pooley gates were hung outside the Sailors' home in Canning place, crowned by a Liver Bird.

But by far the most famous Liver Birds are the two on the Royal Liver Building. One faces the sea and the other looks inland. Each is 18ft tall and they have a wing span of 24ft. It is said that if they ever flew away, Liverpool would cease to be.

Pietari

Very interesting piece of forgotten history there, there are i'm sure other bits of interesting history that we've never heard before. :cheers:

Cheers Jux......anyone feeling hungry?

http://www.visitliverpool.com/displayproduct.asp?productkey=18452

Liverpool Food & Drink Festival 2005

Dates for Liverpool Food & Drink Festival 2005
Start Date End Date
24/10/2005 31/10/2005

2005 sees the third Liverpool Food & Drink Festival which will run from 24th October - 31st October. The festival is fast becoming Liverpool's 'Foodie-event' of the year and a fantastic celebration of the food & drink industry across Merseyside.

The festival will incorporate Liverpool's 'Year of the Sea' theme and will encourage seafood events.

In previous years, events have included stars of the industry with Ken Hom, Paul Rankin, Mark Hix and Leigh Myers joining in with their own interactive events.

Familiar faces from television George Alagiah and Loyd Grossman have also visited Liverpool to champion our diverse food and drink culture.

The festival will commence on the 24th October with a launch evening and close on the 31st October with an exclusive Gala Dinner Awards Ceremony.

Regular updates can be found by visiting www.liverpoolfoodanddrink.com and signing up to the free e-newsletter

http://www.merseyside.org/displaypage.asp?page=40

Merseyside Facts

TOP TEN TOURISM FACTS

Liverpool has been designated European Capital of Culture 2008 and is Britain's winning nomination for UNESCO World Heritage site status.

There are more museums, theatres and galleries than any other City Region outside London - including Tate Liverpool, The Walker, Merseyside Maritime Museum, Liverpool Empire and the Lady Lever Art Gallery.

Liverpool has more Grade II-listed buildings than any other city in the UK outside London and more Georgian buildings than Bath.

Merseyside is the Golfing Capital of England. There are over 40 courses, 7 of which are leading championship venues, with Royal Liverpool playing host to the Open Championship 2006, Royal Birkdale in 2008 and Formby Golf Club the Curtis Cup 2004.

Liverpool has a sporting edge, with Liverpool and Everton Football Club's and Aintree Racecourse, home of the world's greatest steeplechase, the Grand National.

Merseyside has some of the finest modern architecture in Europe including St George's Hall, the Metropolitan Cathedral, the Anglican Cathedral, the Pier Head's "Three Graces" and The Walker.

Merseyside has 120km of picturesque coastline, 107km of which is internationally important for nature conservation, stretching from Southport to Wirral.

Liverpool is the Birthplace of The Beatles. Here you can visit Strawberry Field, Penny Lane, The Cavern and the homes of John Lennon and Sir Paul McCartney.

Liverpool is the Guinness Book of World Record's "Pop Capital of the World" with unrivalled nightlife from the Hope Street Quarter to the Waterfront, from Chinatown to the Cavern Quarter.

Liverpool is the most filmed-in city outside London, with films such as A Letter to Brezhnev, the 51st State, The Hunt for Red October, In the Name of the Father and Hilary and Jackie being shot here.

http://www.liverpool08.com/Events/EventDetails/ChangingEight2005.asp#0

Changing Eight 2005

'Changing Eight' is a collection of eight contrasting artists, the line-up of whom will change every year. The artists for 2005 are Anna Benson, Frank Moore, Tim Ellis, Nick Sykes, Steve Strode, Susan Massey, Craig Atkinson and Richard Meaghan.

It is the Cornerstone's first step in planning for Capital of Culture 2008 and after. Each year eight artists will be invited to exhibit, some established some newly emerging, creating a fresh and interesting and reflective balance of practicing artists today.

The exhibition starts on Friday 30 September and runs to Friday 28 October 2005. The gallery is open Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm.

For directions of how to get to the gallery please visit www.hope.ac.uk/gettingtohope/hopeateverton. For further information please contact the gallery on 0151 291 3997, e-mail thecornerstonegallery@hope.ac.uk or visit www.hope.ac.uk/cornerstonegallery.

Type: Cultural
Starts: 30/09/2005 10:00:00
Ends: 28/10/2005 16:00:00
Location: The Cornerstone Gallery, Liverpool Hope University, Hope at Everton, 1 Haigh Street
Area: Liverpool

Liverpool's museums are changing

With the city's Capital of Culture year approaching, Liverpool's museums are about to get bigger and better than ever before. National Museums Liverpool is preparing some major development projects across all venues to ensure a world class offer for all visitors, during 2008 and beyond.

Here is a handy summary of the main plans for each museum. Keep an eye on this page for updates as each project progresses.

http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/about/capitalprojects/

You can also see breaking news, as well as archive press releases about major schemes past and present, in the newsroom.

In the picture below, taken from that website above, there is a red box outline, is this for a separate development...!


http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/about/capitalprojects/graphics/large/molview.jpg

In the picture below, taken from that website above, there is a red box outline, is this for a separate development...!


http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/about/capitalprojects/graphics/large/molview.jpg

Good grief Jux, nothing get`s past you does it!

Didn`t notice it.

Anybodies guess at this stage I think, however it maybe that some other image has been removed from the picture?

National Museums do have control of the site and further projects - even if only temporary are I think under discussion for use during 2008 if not beyond.

One idea was a "Winter Garden" of some sort - others can i`m sure correct me.

:)

Maybe its just a dodgy covering of the Fourth Grace ;)

Maybe its just a dodgy covering of the Fourth Grace ;)

You may be right Accy as there is a bit above the POL building too....squints very hard at picie......

:cheers:

In the picture below, taken from that website above, there is a red box outline, is this for a separate development...!


http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/about/capitalprojects/graphics/large/molview.jpg

Well spotted, that red box suggest a location and height of one of the two buildings being developed jointly by Neptune and Countryside Properties on the part of the 4th Grace site which is owned by NWDA. Both companys are working on a project that will cost £110M and will see 2 blocks built around a new canal basin. The block shown in the above render is about 9 mikes high and the second block on the Strand side could be 12/16 mikes high.

In the picture below, taken from that website above, there is a red box outline, is this for a separate development...!

On the 3XN fly through it also shows a white block as if to suggest a building will be built there.

http://www.british-publishing.com/Pages/Liverpool2004/twin.html

"Our twin cities"

Liverpool has always had a global outlook, honed by historic trading links and –more recently – the ability of luring in the tourists.

Our world outreach is enhanced by our special bonds with cities like Shanghai, Cologne, Tallinn, Dublin – and now Memphis!

You don't have to be identical to be a twin – but you will almost certainly have characteristics in common. And this is very true of the latest link Liverpool has forged overseas, by twinning with Memphis, Tennessee. Like Liverpool, Memphis is a city dominated geographically by a river and spiritually by music.

For the Mersey, read the Mississippi. For the Beatles read the Blues, Beale Street and, of course, Elvis! It was an Elvis Presley anniversary which first prompted the powers that be to get all shook up over the idea of a transatlantic friendship. The connection between the two cities where rock reigns supreme comes in 2004 – also the 50th anniversary of Elvis's very first record – That's All Right – being cut at the legendary Sun Studio.

Memphis, which sits on a bluff overlooking the great Mississippi, received its charter from President Andrew Jackson in 1819 and, like Liverpool, began to flourish because of shipping and trade. Its major commodities were timber and cotton – the so-called 'white gold' which rode the rails to steamers bound for Liverpool!

It was cotton which was the making of Memphis, with rich merchants building huge mansions with their profits. And as the population boomed, Memphis became increasingly renowned for music-making, a reputation which was boosted in 1917, when the Secretary of State closed the blues district of New Orleans after a spate of serious violence and crime. Jazz musicians looked for other alternatives and finding a ready and receptive musical culture in Memphis, descended on Beale Street, already a magnet for the trumpet and sax culture which John Hiatt described as 'sweet as sin'.

Today Memphis, like Liverpool, is a fascinating fusion of old and new. The Pyramid, a 32-storey multi-purpose arena overlooking the Mississippi, is the major venue for sports and entertainments events. The huge river is home to the Memphis Queen line's five paddlewheel riverboats. While the home of W.C. Handy – whose famous Memphis Blues is a tribute to the city – is the centre of a revived Beale Street and Handy Park hosts festivals and jam sessions.

Kevin Kane, spokesman for the Memphis contingent which visited Liverpool, says the link between the two music-mad cities was entirely logical:

Memphis and Liverpool had more impact in the development of rock'n'roll than just about any other community in the world," he explains. Chris Brown, Director of Operations at the Mersey Partnership, says The two locations sit at the top of the global music charts and share a great musical heritage which will never be forgotten.

Councillor Warren Bradley, executive member for Culture adds:

We are looking to use the Memphis brand in some of our major musical events, such as the Summer Pops season, the Mathew Street Festival and our music-themed Capital of Culture events.

While council Leader Mike Storey says: We are delighted to be playing a leading role in this landmark anniversary. Liverpool is the Capital of Pop with the most Number One records in the known universe. It is really exciting that we will now be teaming up with the birthplace of rock'n'roll. Among plans which will capitalise on the Tennessee twinning is a proposal to send groups of schoolchildren across to Memphis to learn more about US culture.

Shanghai
The Chinese community which is the oldest Chinese quarter anywhere in Europe has always added a rich seam of exuberance and colour to Liverpool city centre. It was entirely fitting that China's largest city, whose name denotes its commanding position 'on the sea', should select Liverpool as its only UK twin.

And our Chinese fans were especially delighted when the news of the Capital of Culture win was announced. Dr Kegang Wu, Director of ChinaLink, said Those of us who work in ChinaLink feel a great sense of excitement. It is from the great city of Liverpool that we provide our China specialist service to our clients.

In our view the vibrant UK and China trade and involvement will benefit from a city on the rise and so will our services.

With the Chinese economy widely predicted to overtake that of the US and given that Shanghai is the 'engine' powering the financial life of China, the twinning, which was cemented in 1999, will clearly continue to be cherished by both cities. Dr Wu says The Shanghai/Liverpool arrangement reflects the prime global status of each city.

Shanghai's place in Liverpool life is confirmed symbolically by the spectacular arch – a gift from our Chinese cousins to commemorate the twinning – which is the doorway to Liverpool's Chinese quarter, at the end of Cornwallis Street. Streets studded with many authentic Chinese restaurants and a dazzling New Year parade which has become a fixture on Liverpool's calendar are just part of an Oriental legacy which, of course, includes a plethora of business and trade connections.

More than 6,000 Chinese people choose to have Liverpool as their home, many the descendants of the sailors and merchants who decided to settle here during Victorian times. And the official bond with Shanghai is a source of great pride within this community, even though the cultural roots of contemporary Liverpool Chinese families are enormously diverse.

Cologne
Liverpudlians now have a daily opportunity to visit the city with which we have the longest-established bond of brotherhood – historic Cologne.

Thanks to the new easyJet service from John Lennon Airport to Cologne/Bonn, there is now no excuse not to sample the cultural life of our German counterparts. The friendship between Liverpool and Germany's oldest city dates back to 1952 and has been characterised by many exchange visits and alliances over the decades.

And the new accessibility of Cologne is being viewed as a great boon which will enhance the affinity between the two centres.

Neil Pakey, managing director of the John Lennon airport says: "Everyone at the airport is pleased about the new air links to Germany. This was a key priority after the Capital of Culture success."

Ray Webster, easyJet chief executive, adds: "Cologne is a great city and the fact that it is Liverpool's twin is just the icing on the cake for us."

Cologne, a city of more than a million inhabitants, is well known for its attractions. As well as providing a range of historical and artistic attractions for visitors – the magnificent Cathedral,the Roman Dionysus mosaic, the Wallraf Richartz museum, the medieval Overstolzenhaus and the modern Opera House and media park, it has more than 3,000 pubs, breweries and restaurants – more than any other German city! And for anyone with the self-discipline to stay away sufficiently long from the Kolsch bier, also worth visiting are the Hohestrasse for street music and the Cathedral concourse – favoured by many talented pavement artists.

Tallinn
Estonia may not rank as an obvious choice as a country with which to build links.

But like Liverpool, Tallinn is a key port, trading centre and international gateway. And its awesome 3,500 year history means that it teems with interest and atmosphere.

Liverpool is connected to Tallinn in a twinning link developed as a result of similarities in the historic and economic profiles of the two cities. Over the last 10 years the medieval capital – recognised as a port and market place by Scandinavian and Russian merchants as early as the 10th century – has developed as a modern and open urban centre, with many tall glass and steel buildings.

These days it is known for a five-yearly song festival – one of Estonia's most feted events – for its museums, galleries and for the colourful market on Town Hall Square and for the popular cave-like pubs in the Old Town. Go to the traditional Russian restaurant, which – like Liverpool's – is called St. Petersburg! for an aristocratic vodka and caviar menu.

Dublin
Dublin hardly needs an introduction.

Eire’s premier city – an alluring blend of fine heritage and modern edge – was the first to twin with Liverpool on a formal basis.

But the civic rubber-stamping in 1997 only gave official weight to a friendship and a fondness which has made Dublin and Liverpool inseparable throughout their long interlinked histories. Liverpool is almost certainly the most Celtic of English cities, with many families claiming Irish descent or having immediate relatives still living in the Emerald Isle. Grounded in a history which is almost mythical, the connection across the Irish Sea is said to have sprung from St. Patrick himself, who is alleged to have embarked from the Mersey on his Christian mission to Ireland.

Today the Mersey and the Liffey are just one aspect our two cities have in common. But as well as the influence of their waterways on their development, Dublin and Liverpool share a creative spirit, an enthusiasm for poetry, art and music – and the kind of vivacity, wit and cultural fervour which makes them endearing to all-comers.

Both are well endowed with more than their fair share of architectural splendours and galleries and museums which celebrate their many historical landmarks. And another uniting factor is the student life fostered in both Dublin and Liverpool, with a multiplicity of universities and colleges and a strong student sub-culture which adds energy and cool to the night-life equation.

Tourism is vitally important to both cities. Of course, there has always been a healthy exchange of visitors between Dublin and Liverpool, helped by the good ferry and air links – and this strengthening of the connections remains undiminished.

For both Liverpool and Dublin, the picture and the prospects for the 21st century are positively rosy.

I visited the City of Culture shop when I was up there last week, and what a depressing affair that is! For a start, the premises are unsuitable, it's got an off-putting shop-front that is more suited to some kind of expensive jeweller. Then, inside, you just face rows of cheap over-priced CoC tat - pure rubbish with that crap logo on it. There are the ubiquitous flat screens, but they were switched off when I was in there. Probably just as well. But what is the point of it? They should have premises that are welcoming, and with people in it (there were two scowling receptionist types staffing a desk/till thing), and information about culture and what is planned! They should have computers where you can read the bid document and the plans for events. Total waste of money, and really off-putting. The irony is that one of the main reasons Liverpool won was that it promised a genuinely engaging programme that drew on and benefitted all the city.

I visited the City of Culture shop when I was up there last week, and what a depressing affair that is! For a start, the premises are unsuitable, it's got an off-putting shop-front that is more suited to some kind of expensive jeweller. Then, inside, you just face rows of cheap over-priced CoC tat - pure rubbish with that crap logo on it. There are the ubiquitous flat screens, but they were switched off when I was in there. Probably just as well. But what is the point of it? They should have premises that are welcoming, and with people in it (there were two scowling receptionist types staffing a desk/till thing), and information about culture and what is planned! They should have computers where you can read the bid document and the plans for events. Total waste of money, and really off-putting. The irony is that one of the main reasons Liverpool won was that it promised a genuinely engaging programme that drew on and benefitted all the city.
How can anyone take this chimp seriously?

I wasn't too impressed by the shop either. Perhaps it will improve before 2008. It was full of all of the typical tat. Liverpool, Everton, Beatles, lamb banana souvineers and waterfront pictures. Everything the tourist/outsiders expect. Liverpool has a lot more to offer on the culture front and they should be visibly driving this to show we have plenty more to offer than footy, beatles and liver birds. People already know about that. Hopefully the flat screen monitors will include this in the future.

I think the location isn't particularly clever too. It should be near Lime Street station where outsiders are coming in, not poked into an obscure area of the city near a shopping mall.

Has anyone bought a lambanana statue, beatles lunch box or a retro 80's Everton shirt ?

How can anyone take this chimp seriously?

Will you stop trolling for a reaction all the time? Now and then, fine, but it's a become a regular thing with you.

Has anyone bought a lambanana statue, beatles lunch box or a retro 80's Everton shirt ?

I've got a "three graces" fridge magnet, but it's too heavy or the magnet too weak, and it falls off all the time.

People like tack.

Indeed. I know people who feel the need to bring back tat from every country or town they visit. It just ends up in the loft. The memories and photographs should suffice.

I buy tack from everywhere I go. Then I put it on a huge bookshelf in my room :D

It depends on the degree of tat IMO. I have a framed picture of the Liverpool waterfront at night from the Albert Dock which IMO was well worth buying and is a very nice picture. My Dad has a Liverpool mug with a black and white drawing of the skyline- looks good to me. I don't see any harm in self-promotion of this sort. And at the end of the day, if people are willing to pay for it then why shouldn't somebody try to make a living from it?

Having said that, I do draw the line at teddy/doyley/fluffy shite. I'm not sure where this shop is that you're all talking about. I went into the Tourist info place at the back of St Johns a few months ago (-the one near the bus hub)- the lad I spoke to was enthusiastic and helpful. This is pretty important- when I come across a lazy assistant who doesn't want to help me I fell like pushing one of their stands over or sweeping a load of their tat off of the shelves. A'hem...

I buy tack from everywhere I go. Then I put it on a huge bookshelf in my room :D

I didn' think you were very well read. :)

I didn' think you were very well read. :)
I was in the top class for English (Lang AND Lit) in school! :D

I was in the top class for English (Lang AND Lit) in school! :D

I didn't think Preston's schools were up to much :laugh:

What are the tat souvineers like in Preston then ?

What are the tat souvineers like in Preston then ?

Ooh, you can get all sorts dear Zod! Specialties include

Pie fridge magnets
Framed pictures of pies
Dried pies
Half-eaten pies
Pie badges
Pies
And models of their most famous land mark of all- the 60s bus shelter/car park.

http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100regionalnews/tm_objectid=16266534%26method=full%26siteid=50061%26headline=masterpiece%2dof%2dfamous%2dskyline%2dto%2dmark%2dcapital%2dof%2dculture%2dyear-name_page.html

Masterpiece of famous skyline to mark Capital of Culture Year Oct 19 2005

By Jessica Shaughnessy Daily Post Staff

IT WILL take years to complete and be based on thousands of miniature drawings and it will span 170 acres of Liverpool.

The most detailed ever painting of the city's skyline, which will be 128 sq ft, has just been started by internationally renowned artist Ben Johnson.

Commissioned by National Museums Liverpool, the ambitious project will be finished to mark the city's Capital of Culture Year in 2008.

Llandudno-born Mr Johnson is famous for his cityscapes that are so detailed and precise that at first glance it could be a photograph - until you look closely and see there are no people or vehicles, making the city look eerily calm and still.

Mr Johnson was in Liverpool yesterday, sketching the city at different vantage points in preparation for his work.

He said: "The size of the painting will be 8ft by 16ft. The painting will be the most ambitious of my panoramas.

"It will be in fact, a collection of many thousands of miniatures, where as much detail is paid to the simplest of warehouses as to the most important ecclesiastical building."

He continued: "Following six weeks of investigations into views and studies of buildings, the importance of the River Mersey, the Three Graces and the two cathedrals became obvious."

And these are the landmarks Mr Johnson has decided to feature in his work.

The left hand boundary of the picture will include Chapel Street and Tithebarn Street, reaching back to Everton; the right hand extreme will take in the Albert Dock up to the Anglican Cathedral.

Mr Johnson, 59, who studied at the Royal College of Art, has already produced famous cityscapes of Hong Kong, Zurich and Jerusalem.

He captures every minute detail of his subjects by taking hundreds of photographs, considering alternative viewpoints and absorbing the atmosphere of the city.

Then detailed drawings are produced, often numbered in their thousands.

A near bird's-eye perspective is then established using computer and physical models to act as a template for making the drawing.

In turn the drawing process helps produce the intricate stencils used to transfer the painting to canvas. They take years of painstaking work.

The Liverpool cityscape will be the first time the artist has worked directly with a public gallery to produce a commission on this scale.

It is planned that the final work on the painting will take place in the Walker Art Gallery in front of a live audience in early 2008 where it will be on display for the rest of the year, before taking up its permanent home in the Museum of Liverpool.

Cllr Mike Storey, leader of Liverpool City Council, said: ''Liverpool's waterfront is one of the most recognisable and famous in the world, ranking alongside Manhattan and Sydney and the architecture that spreads up to our cathedrals is stunning.

"It's fitting that the museum has commissioned such a renowned artist to capture the immensity of our World Heritage city in such detail for European Capital of Culture year.

"Liverpool in the 21st century is worthy of a modern masterpiece."

The project has been co-commissioned with the Liverpool Culture Company and Professor Phil Redmond and his wife Alexis Redmond.

Professor Drummond Bone, chairman of the Liverpool Culture Company said: "Having seen the work of Ben Johnson, Liverpool has an artist who will evoke its beauty and majesty on a truly historic scale.

"I'm sure this portrait will be a big attraction and crowd-pleaser in 2008 and will inspire people for many generations to come.\"

jessicashaughnessy@dailypost.co.uk

I was in the top class for English (Lang AND Lit) in school! :D

Klevar lital boy, sow did i !! :)

I've got a "three graces" fridge magnet, but it's too heavy or the magnet too weak, and it falls off all the time.

I also have three graces fridge magnet ( +8 others ) and todate none have fallen off, you might have a cheap fridge poly :)

I also have three graces fridge magnet ( +8 others ) and todate none have fallen off, you might have a cheap fridge poly :)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v634/qwerty1234520012000/PA200020.jpg

Is it the same as this one? I've put it back up, but if I try to use it to hold up paper or anything, it'll fall off again. The fridge is not a SMEG or anything fancy, but it's made of metal I think.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v634/qwerty1234520012000/PA200020.jpg

Is it the same as this one? I've put it back up, but if I try to use it to hold up paper or anything, it'll fall off again. The fridge is not a SMEG or anything fancy, but it's made of metal I think.

Ha, that's the best fridge magnet I've ever seen. I'll have to look out for one. The tourists should be chuffed with those.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v634/qwerty1234520012000/PA200020.jpg

Is it the same as this one? I've put it back up, but if I try to use it to hold up paper or anything, it'll fall off again. The fridge is not a SMEG or anything fancy, but it's made of metal I think.

Thats the one I have, it has slipped a couple times when I have slammed the door, usually when I discover the fridge is empty, that is no :) beer

http://www.businessliverpool.co.uk/news/shownews.asp?recordid=125
(Not sure if this has been posted previously - apologies if it`s a duplicate post.)

Revealed: £95m plan for Capital of Culture .....

Sam Lister Daily Post

LIVERPOOL is to spend almost £100m delivering ”the best-ever European Capital of Culture”.

Liverpool City Council is stumping up £53m - just over half of costs - with government,, European and other grants bringing in another £33m. The remaining £10m will come from commercial sponsors.

The Liverpool Culture Company in charge of running the celebrations, has already secured 90% of the cash which it claim puts it in prime position to become the most successful culture winner yet.

Chief operating officer Jason Harborow said: ”To be 2 1/2 years away from 2008, and to be able to say you are nine-tenths of the way there in funding your plans, is an unbelievable advantage that no other city which has been granted this accolade has ever had.”

The business plan for Liverpool's reign in 2008 sets out how much cash will go to artistic events, cultural buildings, community projects and marketing the city to the world.

Mr Harborow added: ”The plan is worth its weight in gold because it shows the city has the vision, confidence and ability to deliver our 800th birthday celebrations, and 2008, in style.”

The largest part of the budget, just under £35m, has been set aside for arts projects.

The 2008 schedule is being drawn up by artistic director Robyn Archer and will include local and international commissions and unique events.

It will also build upon the city's existing festivals, such as Mathew Street and Africa Oye.

Around £26m will go on building new venues and improving existing ones such as the Sugar Silo, which would host some of the largest events.

A further £12m will be used to market the city nationally and internationally between now and 2009 to make it a ”world-class city".

- deleted

I'm beginning to get a little uneasy about ECOC. Does anyone if there are any concrete plans whatsoever for what will happen in 2008? There's only two years to wait now and I think I'm right in thinking we still no absolutely nothing about what events/festivals/performances/openings, etc. are to happen apart from the regular Biennial that falls in 2008 and vaguely promised opening and closing ceremonies.

Has that fat women from Australia who is the artistic director arrived yet? I have a fear that the contuing presence of David Henshaw who managed to get himself the job as the chief exec of the Liverpool Culture Company as well as the city might be holding things back. Like with the council, things can't move on until he leaves, and he is doggedly refusing to do so. With the ECOC, there's a massively important deadline appraching and no time to lose.

The Aussie sheila has been in the job for about a year now, but don't know exactly what is planned yet. There is 2 years so should be plenty of time yet, so i'm not too worried yet. As for Henshaw, i hope he sod's off also, i reckon Mike Storey will have more run ins with Henshaw because Storey did mention he didn't like the way things were going with ECoC, and he wouldn't mind getting more involved to put it back on track. (no tram pun intended :) )

Cheers Juxta

I hear that, post appointment, Robyn Archer didn't actually take residence in Liverpool straight away. Can anyone confirm that she now lives in dear old Livvy? You don't hear much from her or see her in photos of CoC events much.

Yes there are two years. Although, I would have thought (wrongly, perhaps) that we'd know much more about what would be happening in 2008 by now.

I dunno, I want 2008 to a massive success. That's why I'm perhaps paranoid, but I am feeling a bit uneasy at the moment. It's interesting that more than one of the Lib Dem candidates for leadership have expressed concern about progress from the Liverpoool Culture Company (chief exec, Sir David Henshaw). The company's current chief executive's indentity might have something to do with this, unfairly, maybe. Still I'm a bit worried right now

Aye aye steady on Awayo.

not bad after getting back from the pub tho. legitimate concerns.

perhaps.

I was just concerned about this cultured lady being photographed in COC events.

yep, she's a hard lady to hide. her dimensions see to that. looks a bit like Queen Victoria in Derby Square. she's a Victorian hersen as well (smartarse wanky comment, as she's from Melbourne).

She moves over in the Spring of next year, although Im not sure why that particular season is deserving of a capital S...stoopid keyboard

From Awayo
Has that fat women from Australia who is the artistic director arrived yet? I have a fear that the contuing presence of David Henshaw who managed to get himself the job as the chief exec of the Liverpool Culture Company as well as the city might be holding things back. Like with the council, things can't move on until he leaves, and he is doggedly refusing to do so. With the ECOC, there's a massively important deadline appraching and no time to lose.

From Juxtapol
The Aussie sheila has been in the job for about a year now, but don't know exactly what is planned yet. There is 2 years so should be plenty of time yet, so i'm not too worried yet. As for Henshaw, i hope he sod's off ...

Still not a great deal to worry about, I guess (hope) but with with Henshaw's record ...

Culture chiefs pledge: we won't let you down

By Sam Lister Daily Post Staff (January 6th)

THREE leading figures behind Liverpool's European Capital of Culture plans last night came out fighting and vowed: "We will not let the city down."

Sir David Henshaw, Jason Harborow and Warren Bradley spoke out amid growing criticism over the culture of secrecy surrounding plans for the celebrations.

In an exclusive Daily Post interview, they finally admitted that Australian artistic director Robyn Archer does not yet have a visa to work in the UK, and has not signed her contract of employment. But they insisted that everything was in hand for 2008.

Ms Archer, meanwhile, continued to refuse to answer any questions, despite the mounting concern expressed over her status.

A fatal misunderstanding, though one that the CoC heads believe too, is that the Culture Company is going to be the font of EVERYTHING that will occur during the year.

They are NOT. They are only one of the many thousands of companies and organisations, individuals and groups that will have to be putting stuff on if the year is to be a success.

If we don't understand this as a populace then we're fucked coz the culture company couldn't generate 100th of the activity we will need to make the place buzz in 08... even if they had the inclination to.

A terible irony about it all is that the culture comapny are doing exactly what all public sector departments do...lower expectations and set their own threshold definition of success so low that they won't be able to be accused of failure. They assume that they will and should do all the things... a terrrible trap for the city to find itself in. Finally we wil lfind out that 95% of what they will provide as their calander will be stuff alreadsy established.

nety growth will be nil. We may get a few good cultural events, but what does this do to grow the city's creative/cultural infrastructure and capacity?

I agree. I'm looking forward to the buzz provided by fringe events during 2006, 2007 and 2008. Can't wait for this year's biennial - there's always more edge outside the main events.

Here's a link to the biennial site to save trawling for it.

http://www.biennial.com/?q=faq

Forgotten where the thread for this kind of thing is, but it's sort of relevant. The BBC, writing our news from Manchester and Cardiff, plainly don't know that the event has been held in Greater Liverpool before. Basic local history is missing from the alien "local" news reports this organisation creates.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/north_east/4588338.stm

a little, though telling point, that was raised at todays gathering was that Robyn didn't know about the tate Gallery in Cornwall, saying that the one at the Albert Dock was the only one 'outside London'

From today's Post:

Heritage of China show is 2008 coup

By Joe Riley Daily Post Correspondent

A PRICELESS treasure trove of Chinese art will give a silver lining to Liverpool's Capital of Culture celebrations in 2008, it has emerged.

Hundreds of glittering exhibits from the legendary Forbidden City will provide a direct link between Liverpool and Beijing, which is hosting the Olympic Games the same year.

The revelation comes after a week which has seen wide public criticism at the lack of detail so far released about the 2008 celebrations.

The show is described as the best display of Chinese art ever seen in the UK and also celebrates Liverpool as home to Europe's oldest Chinese community.

The exhibition marks a great coup for Liverpool's year as Europe's artistic hub.

TV presenter Loyd Grossman, chairman of National Museums Liverpool, said: "Liverpool is a global city, and here we mark the deep connections it has with China."

The Culture Company is part-funding the exhibition, which is costing £1m, together with a major private sponsor. It is understood the Culture Company and National Museums Liverpool are finalising financial details.

The six-month show will reveal life behind the scenes in China's historic imperial palace.

The exhibits include Buddhas, temple hangings, armour, weapons, clothing, personal jewellery, ornaments and musical instruments.

Some of the works are unique Chinese art forms, using jade and ceramics, and all will be backed up with videos and scale models.

A spokesman for National Museums Liverpool said: "It will be awe-inspiring, capturing the magnificence of the Imperial Court, and the world's greatest and wealthiest empire."

The exhibition, to be housed in the newly-opened wing of World Museum Liverpool, will centre on the reign of China's most famous emperor, Quianlong, who ruled from 1736-1795.

Joanna Rowlands, of NML, said: "Visitors can experience first hand what life was like at the Imperial Court."

Living With The Emperor - the working title of the exhibition - will also examine how one man met the challenges of running such a vast and multi-ethnic empire.

NML staff are working with counterparts at the Imperial Palace Museum in Beijing and Chinese scholars in Chicago to prepare the exhibition.

Culture boss speaks out! To Australians, at least . . . Jan 7 2006

By Larry Neild, Daily Post


WHILE the people of Liverpool are being kept in the dark about plans for the city's 800th birthday and Capital of Culture events, audiences in Australia have been given a taste of Robyn Archer's plans.

Addressing a recent conference in Melbourne, the Liverpool Culture Company's artistic director revealed there will be a wide variety of "performative uses" of the many museums in the city.

She told delegates from theatre and performing arts circles: "Liverpool is particularly rich in such institutions through National Museums Liverpool which looks after World Museum Liverpool, the Walker Art Gallery, the Lady Lever Art Gallery, the Maritime Museum, the Museum and Centre for Understanding of TransatIantic Slavery, the National Museum of Customs & Excise and the National Conservation Centre.

"There are extensive programme opportunities for all these, especially with regard to the 200th anniversary of the Abolition of Slavery in the British Parliament in 2007, and our programme Cities on the Edge which will link Liverpool, Naples, Marseille and Istanbul."

Yesterday, the Daily Post reported that Australian Ms Archer has continued to refuse to answer any questions here, despite mounting concerns over her status.

Earlier in the week it emerged she does not yet have a visa to work full-time in this country, leaving it to others here in Liverpool to answer questions on her behalf.


In an earlier conference in Victoria, Australia, late last year, Ms Archer described in a keynote speech how she was appointed Artistic Director by the Liverpool Culture Company.


She told the audience at a high-profile lecture how she received a call from "way out in the blue", and spoke of the scale of the challenge ahead.


She said: "This task is even more specifically and overtly about the needs of a place and the very real hopes for urban regeneration through culture.


"It has already propelled me out of my comfort zone of two-week or ten-day festivals and annual or biennial programming cycles into shaping whole years across a whole city, since 2007 is also Liverpool's 800th birthday and warrants a program almost as comprehensive as 2008.


"It also propels me from the familiar environs of a beloved and beautiful Australia into the tough terrain of a city which is, on first sight, a place still very much in the process of recovery.


"It replicates, in different guise, what happened to me as a performer: working and learning in little old Adelaide and going straight from there to the National Theatre of Great Britain in London to find that what I had acquired at home was enough to equip me for the world stage."


Ms Archer described her first visit some years ago to Liverpool (long before the job offer) for something of a Merseyside reunion. She met the poets Roger McGough and the late Adrian Henri who became a friend.


She continued: "It is possible for some arts lovers to maintain a blinkered view of Australia, just as in most Australian cities it is easy to avoid the ugly bits if you can choose to live in the nice bits. This is not possible in Liverpool, for instance.


"You can choose to live in a leafy spacious area, or the up and coming docklands, but for the moment you are only ever a couple of streets away from the possibility of ongoing poverty.


"This has clear implications for the kind of arts programme one might work towards in Liverpool. It is not possible to programme only for one kind of audience there, or to favour one aesthetic over another, one artform or age group over another: in Liverpool they're all in your face and you discriminate at your peril.


ND just in case you're getting the wrong idea about Liverpool I should let you know that it is a city of 480,000, albeit with a catchment of 8-10m, and has the best visual arts profile and collections of any British city outside London - a great heritage collection from Medieval to 20th century at the Walker, the only branch of the Tate outside London (Tate and Lyle made their sugar fortune through the port of Liverpool), the only major biennial of art in Britain - a fabulous affair boasting five streams one of which is the Independents who are 120 artists in number, and a space called FACT.


"Liverpool? Well it's a challenge, but the raw material is fantastic. In approaching a place which celebrates its 800th birthday in 2007, has the oldest Chinese community in Britain and was the principal transfer point for so many Europeans, particularly Jews and Russians fleeing persecution and seeking new lives in the new world, I already see that it is different from the rest of Britain, and that the people of Liverpool are special.


"The job there is to make that place and the people of that place shine as brightly as they did in the glory days of the great port and the cavernous revival of the sixties. The focus is on them and those invited in must have meaning within the context of that huge challenge."

Quite intelligent and fairly well-informed comments (her error about the number of Tate franchises has been picked up on elsewhere) from Ms Archer about Liverpool. I'm a *somewhat* reassured. She needs to get into the job over here, full time, pdq, however.

From today's Post:

Heritage of China show is 2008 coup

By Joe Riley Daily Post Correspondent

A PRICELESS treasure trove of Chinese art will give a silver lining to Liverpool's Capital of Culture celebrations in 2008, it has emerged.

Hundreds of glittering exhibits from the legendary Forbidden City will provide a direct link between Liverpool and Beijing, which is hosting the Olympic Games the same year.

The revelation comes after a week which has seen wide public criticism at the lack of detail so far released about the 2008 celebrations.

The show is described as the best display of Chinese art ever seen in the UK and also celebrates Liverpool as home to Europe's oldest Chinese community.

The exhibition marks a great coup for Liverpool's year as Europe's artistic hub.

TV presenter Loyd Grossman, chairman of National Museums Liverpool, said: "Liverpool is a global city, and here we mark the deep connections it has with China."

The Culture Company is part-funding the exhibition, which is costing £1m, together with a major private sponsor. It is understood the Culture Company and National Museums Liverpool are finalising financial details.

The six-month show will reveal life behind the scenes in China's historic imperial palace.

The exhibits include Buddhas, temple hangings, armour, weapons, clothing, personal jewellery, ornaments and musical instruments.

Some of the works are unique Chinese art forms, using jade and ceramics, and all will be backed up with videos and scale models.

A spokesman for National Museums Liverpool said: "It will be awe-inspiring, capturing the magnificence of the Imperial Court, and the world's greatest and wealthiest empire."

The exhibition, to be housed in the newly-opened wing of World Museum Liverpool, will centre on the reign of China's most famous emperor, Quianlong, who ruled from 1736-1795.

Joanna Rowlands, of NML, said: "Visitors can experience first hand what life was like at the Imperial Court."

Living With The Emperor - the working title of the exhibition - will also examine how one man met the challenges of running such a vast and multi-ethnic empire.

NML staff are working with counterparts at the Imperial Palace Museum in Beijing and Chinese scholars in Chicago to prepare the exhibition.

Wow! Now it's happening. I can't wait for that. China will be the biggest source of non-European tourists within........well you guess, their middle class able to afford longhaul holidays will probably outnumber the entire UK population within how many years? 10? 15? 20 years.?........It's VITAL that Liverpool establishes itself as a gateway and a friendly city for that market - and as a second city to visit outside London for Chinese tourists. This event could help start something incredibly valuable in the long-term. I wish Liverpool would open a representative office in Beijing or Shanghai. I know it's probably expensive and the Audit Commission might take a dim view, but honestly, a bit of long-term relationship building would be so valuable with the Chinese. That's why we need a city regional government, so such ventures would be more affordable.


EDITED: Sorry to ramble off topic, but thinking about it, it's probably not that expensive. Think of all the "partnership" staff from the numerous agencies that overlap and spend their entire working lives meeting one another to manage that overlap and "align" their damn strategies and plans. Surely one of those agencies, including the City Council, could simply designate one of its posts as based in Shanghai instead of Liverpool, and use modern IT to make sure they are part of the organisation (like working from home, but home would be in China instead of Heswall)...it would probably be cheaper than basing that person in Liverpool...you would need two staff, each on two year tours, one rotating each year to ensure consistency...and you could easily use locally recruited staff at a very low cost to do the office admin......... Liverpool's very own embassy to the Peoples Republic of China. Their job would be to know everyone who counts in the travel and tourism industry, to attend every conference and event, wine and dine, and remorsely sell the idea of Liverpool as a European centre with a Chinese history and heritage worth visiting (like the Welsh tourism in Argentina thing)........or something like that. Just thinking aloud, better stop and pause for breath.

http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100regionalnews/tm_objectid=16607965%26method=full%26siteid=50061%26headline=n%2dwales%2dmay%2djoin%2dcity%2dparty-name_page.html

Good news from across the modern "border" (of course, Offas Dyke was set further back)

The body behind Liverpool’s Capital of Culture 2008 preparations has announced it will sponsor Tranmere Rovers FC. The Liverpool Culture Company has agreed to sponsor the League One team until the end of the current season. The 2008 logo will appear on the back of players’ shirts and shorts to advertise the event across England. Birkenhead-based Rovers chairman, Lorraine Rogers, said the deal did not mean the club was no longer proud of its Wirral identity.

more here. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/4633178.stm)

http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100regionalnews/tm_objectid=16607965%26method=full%26siteid=50061%26headline=n%2dwales%2dmay%2djoin%2dcity%2dparty-name_page.html

Good news from across the modern "border" (of course, Offas Dyke was set further back)

"Llandudno was designed by Liverpool architect Owen Williams as a seaside getaway for city residents in the 1800s."

Cllr Parry said: "What better combination could there be than the queen of the Welsh resorts meeting up with the city of culture in 2008?

"When tourists arrive in Liverpool, we want to show them what there is in the city's back garden."

:eek2:


Now if only there was a decent rail service and or connections.

:runaway:

Think 'Bay Area'!

By Sam Lister, Daily Post. Jan 27 2006

DETAILS of every event being labelled part of Liverpool's Year of Performance were yesterday unveiled by culture boss Robyn Archer. The artistic director has put together a programme for the next 11 months which she hopes will change perceptions of Liverpool and allow people to "broaden their horizons". It includes the European premieres of shows Super Vision, a look at Big Brother-style surveillance, and The End of Cinematics, an insight into the world of film. All the events are listed in a brochure which will arrive on doormats at every house in Liverpool today.

Liverpool Performs, the fourth of the themed years in the run-up to 2008, is seen as a trial run to the city's reign as Capital of Culture. Ms Archer insisted the high-brow programme of events would reach local as well as national and international audiences. She said: "This gives a good indication of where we are heading in 2008. The best we can do is to change people's minds about Liverpool. The city is in a profound moment of change. The 06 programme is very much a tester for 2008. If there are any slips this year then that's why we did it. It has been a hustle to get to this point, but I think it's been well worth it. What is popular? Does it simply mean something that attracts hundreds of thousands of people? You cannot get close to those artists, they come and rake in an enormous amount of money, do the gig then go away. Or is it an artist that wants to work with the local community and wants to stay longer than just a night? We are bringing people in who want to spend time here and are interested in the city. We need to be broadening horizons. Everybody in Liverpool has a ferocious appetite for the new. If we get this right it will serve as a model for other places. That would be part of the legacy of 2008.

The six showpiece events for 2006, which are from artists based in United States or Canada, will also feature the UK premiere of the Carbon Copy Building, dubbed "comic book music theatre". The piece, which has won an OBIE award for Best New American Work, examines the lives of people living in two buildings which have the same footprint.

The brochure, Liverpool Performs 2006, has a month by month breakdown of events in the city between now and December. It also lists long-standing events such as the Grand National, the Mathew Street Festival and even the derby between Liverpool and Everton. But Ms Archer insisted Liverpool Culture Company was investing and improving such events, not just attaching their logo to them. She said: "This is not simply about putting a lasso around things. This has been a carefully curated brochure. The Culture Company will today announce its plans for its sports programme for Liverpool Performs. It is expected to include the formation of a new sports world ranking and sponsorship deals for the Grand National.

Events for Liverpool Performs 2006 are:
* Super Vision; A collaboration between New York's The Builders Association and digital media company dbox, the performance looks at surveillance and how it has affected everyday life. Royal Court, May 4-6
* Trisha Brown Dance Company; Contempory art dance group led by world renowned choreographer Trisha Brown. Playhouse, June 7-8
* Bang on a Can All-Stars; Part rock band and part jazz band it will perform arrangements from Brian Eno's ambient classic Music for Airports.Philharmonic Hall, October 4.
* Scrap Arts Music; A family show featuring five musicians who play a fusion of world music on instruments they have made from scrap metal. Royal Court, October 10.
* Bang on a Can - The Carbon Copy Building; "A comic book music theatre" takes a behind-the-scene tour of urban life. Comic book artist Ben Katchor's words and drawings brought to life with music by Bang on a Can. Royal Court, October 25-26
* End of Cinematics; 'Hollywood special effects'. Royal Court, November 16-18.

Still no answers from artistic director on doubts over her visa and plans to work in Liverpool CULTURE company supremo Robyn Archer yesterday again refused to say whether she holds a visa during her first face-to-face interview since doubts were raised about her working status.The artistic director, who lives in Australia, is due to take up her position in the city full-time from March. But earlier this month it emerged she did not have the correct permit to take up the job and had not signed her contract.When asked when she would be starting work in Liverpool full-time, an obviously irritated Ms Archer said: "That is a stupid question. I do not respond to gossip and rumour. Life is too short." She has been working part time from her Australian office as well as making trips to Liverpool. When pressed on the issue, she refused to clarify her current status, adding: "Would I have been able to produce this (the 06 brochure) if I was not working full time?That's the end of the matter as far as I'm concerned, I'm drawing a line under it.

Ms Archer was brought in as the artistic director, responsible for producing the programme of celebrations for 2008, two years ago. She has more than a decade's experience in organising large scale international events and her CV also includes prestigious positions such as artistic director of the National Festival of Australian Theatre.

Culture Capital fears as Team Liverpool crumbles

By Andy Kelly, Daily Post

WHEN Charlie Parker spoke on his final day as Liverpool's regeneration director last week, he used one word above any other - team. What we have witnessed over the last few months is the systematic dismantling of "Team Liverpool".

Yesterday saw the most significant departure yet, that of chief executive Sir David Henshaw, the man most responsible for gathering that group together.
It was not unexpected, of course. Most had expected Sir David's departure before the end of last year.

If he had any lingering hopes that his days in Dale Street could continue, they would have evaporated on December 5 last year. That was the evening Warren Bradley won a decisive victory in a vote of Lib-Dem councillors to become the new leader of Liverpool.

Cllr Bradley had been groomed for the leadership by Cllr Mike Storey, the man whose resignation had prompted the vote. With a supporter of Cllr Storey - Sir David's nemesis - back in charge, his position had finally become untenable.

But what no one was banking on was the fact that the chief executive would be only one of a number of high-profile departures. The city has not only lost the team captain, but a lot of other key players as well.

The aforementioned Mr Parker, executive director for regeneration. Gone. His deputy Tom McCabe. Gone. City solicitor Graeme Creer. Gone. With Sir David's departure, the future of two of his most trusty lieutenants, executive directors David McElhinney and Phil Halsall, will also be called into question.

With the city's 800th birthday in 2007 and Capital of Culture now looming large, the lack of senior public servants in place is deeply concerning.
Sir David's departure also highlights the lack of leadership at the Culture Company, where he has been acting chief executive.

The job was finally advertised earlier this month but an appointment could be months away. Australian artistic director Robyn Archer has still not revealed whether or not she has got a visa to work in Liverpool. And it is not a situation which is likely to be swiftly rectified.

Headhunters are in place to track down replacements for Tom McCabe and Charlie Parker (though significantly not for the Culture Company role) and will be used for the chief executive's post, but it is a long process.

Last night David Hunt, director of Liverpool-based Alexander James executive search, said: "You are looking at a typical three-month search period before you even get to the offer stage. Then whoever you appoint is almost certain to be in a job requiring a three to six month notice period.They'll be lucky to have anyone in place by the end of the year."

As Sir David himself said in reference to the Culture Company job: "Anyone who is readily available is not someone who will be good enough for Liverpool." But that situation leaves a worrying vacuum at the Town Hall, and the natives are growing restless.

As one leading businessman said last night: "We've got an inexperienced council leader and a load of empty desks which should be filled with senior executives. How does that look as we're trying to deliver an unforgettable experience?"

There is, however, a significant upside to the departures. Many in the business community had lost faith in the upper echelons of the council and felt a change was needed. There is now a chance for the new man or woman to start with a clean slate.

andykelly@dailypost.co.uk

http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100regionalnews/tm_objectid=16683853%26method=full%26siteid=50061%26headline=a%2dnew%2dchapter%2dfor%2dbook%2dfans-name_page.html

A new chapter for book fans Feb 9 2006

Exclusiveby Nick Coligan, Liverpool Echo

ONE MILLION books will be on the shelves of Liverpool's revamped Central Library.

The £50m redevelopment will double the library's shelf space, holding more works than ever.

About 350,000 books will be available for people to browse at any one time, but they will be frequently rotated from the million-strong pool.

Currently, visitors can choose from only around 150,000, with the rest shelved in 19th century library's storerooms.

Liverpool council has spent years planning Central Library's transformation, and will send their proposals to the government tomorrow.

Ministers should then rubber-stamp the £47.9m scheme, allowing the council to start a Europe-wide search for a developer to carry out the work.

Joyce Little, head of Liverpool's libraries, said: "The current building is magnificent but is in urgent need of restoration.

"Developments over the last century have left a building that is confusing to find your way around and has inadequate visitor facilities.

"The new Central Library will make the reading experience exciting and stimulating."

Central Library, which was one of the country's first libraries when it was built in 1852, will close for two years while the refit takes place.

The building in William Brown Street will be given a new entrance, an archive centre and space for 250 computers.

The classic Picton, Hornby and Oak reading rooms will also be restored to their former glory.

Central Library's collection includes letters from Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, Florence Nightingale and George Stephenson.

nick.coligan@liverpool.com

http://www.merseyside.org.uk/displaypage.asp?page=31

Talk the walk so you can talk the talk

As Liverpool gears up to be European Capital of Culture 2008 tourism officials are making sure that everybody in local industry is fully briefed on what is going on in the city.

The Mersey Partnership (TMP), in conjunction with Liverpool Culture Company, has launched 'Talk the Walk', a series of guided walking and coach tours designed to improve city centre workers' knowledge about the changing face of Liverpool. The tours will help improve the reception offered to visitors, which forms part of the Liverpool Welcome initiative.

The 'Talk the Walk' programme comprises two tours - a 'Coach Talk' and a 'Talk Walk'. The 'Coach Talk' starts in William Brown Street at World Museum Liverpool and takes in the city centre, waterfront area and South Liverpool. The 'Talk Walk' starts at the 08 Place, taking in the Radio City Tower to look at the changing Liverpool skyline and the new Liverpool One development from the viewing platform at Paradise Street.

The tours are free of charge and led by a fully qualified Mersey guide. Places per walk are strictly limited and must be booked in advance. Coach Talks start at 9.30am and Talk Walks at 2pm. Both tours last no more than 90 minutes.

The tours are aimed primarily at people working in the tourism, leisure, hospitality and transport industries but would also be suitable for anyone interested in the regeneration of the city or those having frontline contact with visitors*.

Martin King, Director of Tourism at The Mersey Partnership, said:
"We would encourage all local businesses to send their staff on these tours. With the increasing number of tourists, investors and decision-makers visiting the region we need to make sure every one of our workers is fully briefed about what is going on all around them."


· Talk the Walk is promoted by The Mersey Partnership as part of its contribution to The Liverpool Welcome and European Capital of Culture.
· Tours are not open to the General Public

SOME reckon Liverpool beer Cains tastes perfect - but the brewer has just made it better by tapping into a natural spring beneath the Toxteth site.

Now all its beers are brewed using the spring water which bubbles through the bedrock 175ft beneath the Stanhope Street plant.

The spring was a key reason why the original brewery was established there more than 200 years ago. Founder Robert Cain bought the site and the spring so he could guarantee the purity of his pint.

But a century ago the plant switched to conventional water supplies.

Now, after a £250,000 investment in new technology, current owners Sudarghara and Ajmail Dusanj have re-established the historic link with Cains' natural liquid asset.

The Dusanj brothers had heard rumours of the underground spring and decided to investigate further.

Sudarghara said: "To us it's the equivalent of a vineyard finding a secret cellar full of vintage wine it didn't know existed.

"It's a fantastic asset for a brewery to have its own water source. As soon as we knew about it we began looking into how we could use it again.

"We're very passionate about the quality and authenticity of the ingredients we use and are keen to stick to the original recipes that made Cains famous - and that includes using the same water source.

"A lot of money has been spent putting in sophisticated filtration equipment which allows us to tap into the underground source and we have been trialing the water just to make sure that they tasted as great as we hoped they would.

"The feedback has been excellent. "Our brewing team and staff have been tasting selected beers brewed with the water for the past six months and are delighted with the quality, flavour and consistency."

Liverpool council leader Warren Bradley said: "Liverpool has always been proud of its own brewery, now we have our own water making our own beer in our city."

Cains --> capital of culture beer?

Cains --> capital of culture beer?

I think they're a sponsor of coc,a small link to it I know. :)

Cains --> capital of culture beer?

How very `hip and hic` :) :cheers:

http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100regionalnews/tm_objectid=16700725%26method=full%26siteid=50061%26headline=daily%2dpost%2dand%2decho%2dsign%2d%2dpound%2d2m%2dcapital%2dof%2dculture%2ddeal-name_page.html

Daily Post and Echo sign £2m Capital of Culture deal Feb 14 2006

By Sam Lister Daily Post Staff

THE Liverpool Daily Post and its sister title, the Liverpool Echo, today announce a £2m deal to become official partners of the European Capital of Culture 2008.

It is the latest in a string of major sponsorship deals secured by Liverpool Culture Company which are crucial to the funding of the celebrations in less than two years' time..

The deal, which is worth £2m in a combination of cash and marketing support, opens up a range of new publishing opportunities for the newspapers' parent company, Trinity Mirror North West and North Wales.

They are the eighth official partners to sign up alongside lawyers Hill Dickinson, United Utilities, Radio City 96.7, Enterprise Plc, North West Regional Development Agency, Alliance & Leicester Commercial Bank and Sayers.

Sara Wilde, Trinity Mirror North West & North Wales Regional Managing Director, said: "The Liverpool Echo and Liverpool Daily Post are part of the fabric of Liverpool. Our papers have a heritage stretching back to 1855 and we will continue to be at the heart of the city's culture.

"We see ourselves as playing a hugely important role in providing the oxygen of publicity to the '08 programme of activity and beyond.

"Our titles are read by three-quarters of the population on Merseyside and will play a key role in galvanising the local community and our readers and advertisers at this crucial time for the city."

Daily Post editor Jane Wolstenholme added: "Being named European Capital of Culture was one of the biggest good news stories in Liverpool's history.

"We were determined to be a part of it. Now, as the preparations for 2008 gather momentum, being an official partner will allow the Liverpool Daily Post to play an integral role. We couldn't be prouder to be on board."

Today, a plane will fly a banner over the Liverpool skyline to celebrate the announcement.

As well as in the Daily Post and Echo, Capital of Culture will be promoted in the company's extensive portfolio of weekly newspapers and magazines across Merseyside, Cheshire, North Wales and West Yorkshire. Altogether they have a combined readership of more than 1.7m, which is 75% of the region's population. All newspapers will however remain editorially independent.

Liverpool's European Capital of Culture status is predicted to attract an estimated £3bn of investment, and attract an extra 1.7m visitors to the city.

Around one third of Liverpool businesses are planning to invest in their company ahead of the Capital of Culture year in 2008.

Cllr Warren Bradley, leader of Liverpool City Council, said: "This deal with Trinity Mirror North West & North Wales will get the '08 message on to the high street and to millions of people - not just in Liverpool but right across the region. For the company, which publishes great media brands such as the Liverpool Echo and Liverpool Daily Post, to see the benefits of being part of 2008 is a great boost to our plans."

Jason Harborow, Chief Operating Officer of Liverpool Culture Company, said: "Our portfolio of partners demonstrates business is backing Liverpool '08 in a big way. With Trinity's support, the culture company now has the ability to reach more than five million people and tell them the exciting plans we have in store for '08."

samlister@dailypost.co.uk

I'm glad that these titles want to continue to be at the heart of local culture. It will be interesting to see how they report CoC during 2008. Should be surreal given their reputation for checking facts before publication.

Positive report on CoC in the DP today.

Interesting quote from Mike Taylor Business Liverpool, "Liverpool is such a genuine world-class brand and I think there is a growing awareness of that internationally"


http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0200businessnews/tm_objectid=16704727%26method=full%26siteid=50061-name_page.html

Feb 15 2006. Sam Lister, Daily Post

THE organisation behind Liverpool's Capital of Culture celebrations is set to stay in the city until 2015, the Daily Post can reveal. Executives are drawing up a business plan that will secure the team's future once Liverpool's reign is over. They want to continue signing up private investors as well as winning public sector cash to fund cultural events in the city well into the next decade.If it proves successful Liverpool Culture Company could continue indefinitely.

Cllr Berni Turner, executive member for environment and heritage, was given special responsibility for the city's post-08 culture strategy in the council's cabinet reshuffle last month. She said: "2008 is the springboard from which we jump to greater heights. "This is a new role created specifically to ensure the city has a true lasting legacy. What happens from 2009 onwards is vital and we need a very clear strategy. Some streams of funding will no longer be available so we must plan properly and creatively to ensure it is a great success." The culture company was set up in 2000 with a staff of just five to bid for the title. Since then it has grown into a 100-strong department with a £95m budget. The organisation would continue to canvass private support on the back of the reputation it builds during the 08 celebrations.
That money would help to maintain the momentum built up during the reigning year and secure Liverpool's status as an international cultural tourist destination. The team's remit would be to continue attracting big festivals, international events, theatre premiers and other cultural attractions.
Council leader Warren Bradley said: "We are not going to shut up shop on December 31, 2008 and say that's it, it's all over. There is a robust structure in place that will see more regular funding than any other council in the country. "Hopefully, at the end of 08 they will be self sustainable. We have got a long term strategy, the infrastructure is already here. We are looking at the future."

The business plan is expected to go before the culture company's executive board and Liverpool City Council for approval this year. Yesterday the Daily Post and its sister paper the Liverpool Echo announced it had become the eighth official partner of the 08 celebrations in a £2m deal. A plane declaring our support was flown over the city to mark the special new partnership.

Jason Harborow, chief operating officer, is confident the private sector investment will continue. He said: "We want to ensure there is a real legacy."

...

From today's Guardian. A piece by David Ward

Interesting illustration of journalistic lack of research,attitude and angles too. Also, obviously written before the landing stage had a few problems



When Liverpool was named the European Capital of Culture for 2008, everyone rejoiced. But, three years on, with feuds rumbling and projects abandoned, there's still no sign of the major events promised.

The Mersey waterfront in Liverpool is both a world heritage site and one of the draughtiest places in western Europe; today a biting east wind is bullying the 16 flags that line the path from the maritime museum to the Pier Head.
Look closely and you will see that each flag announces that Liverpool will be European Capital of Culture in 2008 - but also that each flag is ragged and grubby. To your right lies an empty Porsche car showroom. By now it should have been flattened to create a spectacular site for the Cloud, a shimmering building designed for this space by the architect Will Alsop. Plans for the Cloud stirred up huge controversy, not least because no one seemed to know what was going to go in the building, but they helped win Liverpool the culture title. Now it will not be built because the money for it has already been diverted to other, less iconic, projects.


Sad flags and failed ambition: inauspicious signs, with less than two years to go, for what is meant to be a year of celebration for Liverpool.
When news broke in June 2003 that Liverpool had, perhaps to its own surprise, won the big prize, the city rejoiced: this would be the crowning glory in the renaissance of a faded seaport finally stirring after a long period of decline. Everyone was behind the project. "If one had to say one thing swung it for Liverpool, it would have to be that there was a greater sense there that the whole city is involved in the bid and behind the bid," said Sir Jeremy Isaacs, the chairman of the judges.

But what did the whole city think capital of culture was about? A glorious high-art cultural festival, a kind of year-long Edinburgh? A community knees-up that would have them dancing in the streets of Toxteth and Speke? Or a chance to show the world that Liverpool, a bit later than several other British cities, was heavily into economic regeneration and dockside apartments?
The message was never clear - and it still isn't. Today the euphoria has faded and, with 22 months to go, it is hard to say what is actually going to happen in 2008.

What has certainly not helped is a poisonous feud between two of the men most deeply involved in the capital of culture bid. Liverpool council's leader, Mike Storey, and the council's chief executive, Sir David Henshaw, danced with delight when Liverpool won the title. A year later, they fell out. Storey criticised Henshaw for his lack of progress on a £170m tram system for Liverpool. It all went very wrong.

Storey resigned last November and Henshaw - who had also taken on the job of chief executive of the Liverpool Culture Company, which manages the 2008 project - has also decided to quit. He leaves the council this month.
While the feud has been rumbling on, other projects have faltered. The National Museums Liverpool announced a Cloud replacement, a £65m Museum of Liverpool. But the x-shaped building came under fire for being unworthy of a world heritage site. Then the Heritage Lottery Fund turned down an application for a grant of £11.4m to fit it out. An appeal is planned, but even if it goes ahead, the building will not be finished by 2008.

Support for 2008 is still there. But many in Liverpool are increasingly impatient to know what the big year will bring. Fear not, says the Culture Company: "Liverpool's 2008 programme will be Europe's biggest and most diverse celebration of culture, with more than 50 international festivals in art, architecture, ballet, comedy, cinema, food, literature, music, opera, science and theatre," boasts the LCC website.

Which sounds great. But this may be a triumph of aspiration over concrete detail; in private, some of the city's big cultural players are talking gloomily of a lack of substance. You would, for example, have thought that Sir Paul McCartney, who has done more for Liverpool than most, would by now have been signed up for a great 2008 gig. But nothing has been arranged.
Of course, there are plans; Robyn Archer, artistic director of Capital of Culture, is said to be scouring the world for delights to bring to Merseyside. Some things, suggesting that a broad definition is being applied to the word "culture", are known: Sir Simon Rattle, former timpanist with the Merseyside Youth Orchestra, is coming home from Berlin to conduct the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. The World Firefighter Games will be coming to Liverpool, as will the European amateur boxing championships. The Open golf championship will be held at Royal Birkdale (more Southport than Liverpool), there'll be the start of the tall ships race and the end of the clipper round-the-world yacht race.

But that is about all we know with any certainty and Archer is giving little away. When appointed in 2004, she said she had a million ideas in her head. Since then she has dropped few hints about what is to come, suggesting only that some, if not all, will be revealed in the autumn. To the frustration of local media keen to know what is going to be happening, Archer, an acclaimed cabaret singer and festival director, is based in Australia and will not be working full-time on the 2008 Liverpool project until April 1. Attempts to contact her by email lead only to replies from press officers in Liverpool.
"She is talking and thinking 100% about Liverpool, even if she isn't in the city," a spokesman says, but Liverpool's journalists are not entirely appeased by such assurances. One refers to 2008 as "capital of cobblers"; another talks of "a complete cock-up from the beginning". "There has been a massive breakdown in communications, public relations and credibility," claims a third.

What is lacking, argues Peter Kilfoyle, MP for Liverpool Walton, is clarity. "Culture capital needs to notch its act up three gears and communicate a clearer vision to the people of Liverpool, never mind anybody else, about how this is going to be Liverpool's year of culture," he says.
David Fleming, director of National Museums Liverpool, is confident that there is no looming 2008 crisis. "But communications need to improve from the [Liverpool] Culture Company. In a city such as Liverpool, if people are asking questions, you have to answer them. You cannot say, 'You'll have to wait.' That's like blowing oxygen on to a fire." With Archer unavailable, Jason Harborow is left to deal with the prophets of doom. Harborow, LCC's chief operating officer, was this week appointed its chief executive - his the appointment is "interim", lasting only until the autumn.

"Twenty-two months out, we have the most organised and efficient capital of culture there has ever been," says Harborow. "The highlights of 2008 will be announced in the autumn. Never before in the history of capitals of culture has that happened. Patras [this year's capital] has still not announced its highlights for 2006. Cork announced its programme eight weeks before the start of its year. "We have always said we will not announce our artistic programme until contracts are signed and artists committed and it would be foolish to start talking about ifs and maybes. The cultural organisations in the city have received a briefing about what our plans are and they are delighted with that."

Lewis Biggs, director of the Liverpool Biennial (which, in 2004, stirred things up a bit by hanging huge Yoko Ono posters of female breasts and pubic triangles), takes a measured view. "I think there is a lack of clear thinking about the whole situation, both within the Culture Company and those criticising the process," he says. "It is a complicated and many-layered situation.

"Robyn Archer is employed to deliver an international arts festival. She isn't employed to create a programme of community development. But at the moment no distinction is being made between those things. Consequently, those looking for an arts festival say all they hear about is community things. And those who, because they live in a deprived neighbourhood, ask, 'What's in it for me?', and don't know [what to expect]. But there doesn't seem to be a recognition that there are different answers to those different questions.
"I'm quite sure there will be a fantastic programme in 2008 - because there is a fantastic programme most years in Liverpool which most people don't know enough about."

Time to hit the streets and look at all the cranes creating (or about to create) the new Liverpool: the £390m arena and conference centre at King's Dock; the huge £92m (sic) Paradise Street redevelopment scheme forging ahead across the road from the Albert Dock; the £15m cruise liner terminal on which work is due to start soon. Cranes are easier to see than cultural programmes. At the Pier Head, Steve Cogley is checking the tickets of those about to embark on the famous Mersey ferry. Asked about capital of culture, his face lights up.

"I think it's wonderful," he says. "It's putting us on the map again where we should be. It will bring improvements, give us something to be proud about, put a smile on our face. You can see what is happening already, notice the changes. We are like a phoenix rising from the ashes. "I want a big party in 2008. I'm standing here in my party frock, ready to go. But we are also looking beyond 2008. It doesn't stop there. It's about what happens afterwards - more jobs, improved prospects, a better society.

Typical stock article on Liverpools supposed woes.
I can't be bothered buying newspapers anymore,they just seem to fill up their pages with sensational rubbish.

:cheers: :cheers:

well what a load of crap

I`ve sent an email to the Gaurdian regarding this articlt as I regard it as the same old `Liverpool bashing` that we have been so used to over the years.

Amongst other things I have pointed out the rather local glaring ommission of a sunken landing stage and that the £92m (sic) redevelopment was in fact £900m.

I have suggested that they suspend any payment he was expecting and that they should send in a proper reporter - a 10 year old with some pen and paper.

Good man. Reading through that article is making me laugh quite considerably. It makes it sound as though armageddon is upon us.

I'm glad I've got my tickets to the open at Birkdale too, which is more Southport than Liverpool, I totally agree. Oh wait a minute, isn't the open at Hoylake?? Damn! What a load of shite, you'd think the Guardian would at least get one of the major facts right to bash the city with!!!!!

Grauniad letters page 11/03/06 (http://www.guardian.co.uk/letters/story/0,,1728498,00.html)

"Liverpool already has many magnificent buildings - the waterfront, St George's Hall, the Phil, the Walker Art Gallery - and what it doesn't need is more,"

From the Grundid link above... Jeepers...

Mar 24 2006
Sam Lister
Daily Post


CHERIE BLAIR joined a host of celebrities yesterday to become an ambassador for Liverpool's 2008 celebrations. The Prime Minister's wife was helping the campaign to sign up new recruits for the 08 Ambassador Programme. Comic king Ken Dodd, Olympic swimmer Stephen Parry, singer Liz McClarnon and chairman of Tranmere Rovers FC Lorraine Rogers will all help to promote Liverpool in the run-up to celebrations and want others to join up.

The campaign, which culture officers hope will span the globe, was launched outside the 08 Place in Whitechapel. Ken Dodd, 79, was the first 08 Ambassador to join up. He said: "I am proud to be a citizen of Mirthyside. It has a great heritage of comedy performances and humorists. So many of my heroes have lived and worked in this wonderful city of colourful characters." Mrs Blair, said: "I support Liverpool, European Capital of Culture 2008, because it is the best place for culture today."

Jazz musician George Melly and singer Gerry Marsden have also put their names to the campaign. Mr Melly said: "Liverpool is a city which has pulled itself up by its own boot laces. It is full of wonderful buildings, both Georgian and Victorian, and now has the Tate in the North, the constantly improving Walker Art Gallery, its theatres, music and above all its largely Irish sense of humour and inventive delivery."

The campaign has also won support from Patrick Kelly, Archbishop of Liverpool. He said: "2008 is an opportunity for the people to become wiser by appreciating the history of the city.'' But Liverpool Culture Company insists the key to its success will be Merseyside residents. People who join will receive a welcome pack including a fact sheet about the city's cultural assets, an ambassador badge and regular updates about Liverpool, in particular the 08 programme as the city builds up to the big year.

Cllr Warren Bradley, leader of Liverpool City Council, said: "We want everyone who loves Liverpool to tell the world about why Liverpool is a great city to visit and why it will be a brilliant European Capital of Culture in 2008. "Ambassadors can come from all walks of life but having such famous Liverpudlians who perform all over the world will be a great boost. By providing up to date news we can ensure people can talk about the city knowledgeably and with pride. This army of friends will give Liverpool the best type of recommendation - by word of mouth."

Professor Drummond Bone, chairman of Liverpool Culture Company, said: "Everyone can play a part in making 2008 a great success. By spreading the word at home or abroad, the 08 Ambassadors can make a big difference to how the city is perceived as a cultural beacon. They will also be doing friends and family a big favour. By inviting them to sample Liverpool's culture they're introducing them to an unforgettable experience in an incredible city."

http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100regionalnews/tm_objectid=16856779%26method=full%26siteid=50061%26headline=celebrities%2dsign%2dup%2dfor%2dthe%2d%2dlove%2dof%2dliverpool%2d-name_page.html

Celebrities sign up for the 'love of Liverpool' Mar 24 2006

My apologies for the double post ..... however in addition.

http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100regionalnews/tm_objectid=16859438%26method=full%26siteid=50061%26headline=meet%2dour%2dfirst%2dlady-name_page.html

Meet our first lady Mar 24 2006

By Laura Sefton, Liverpool Echo

MEET Christine Lawrenson - the First Lady of the new Liverpool 08 Ambassador programme.

Christine was the first person to sign up to the scheme, a joint initiative between Liverpool Culture Company and the ECHO, at its launch in the city centre.

Scouser Christine, who now lives in Skelmersdale, said she was more than happy to sign up when she was accosted by DJ Pete Price - an 08 Ambassador himself - in town..

She said: "I love Liverpool. This Ambassador scheme is very important. The people deserve the Capital of Culture after we've been misrepresented throughout the country."

Christine, who was visiting her 76-year-old father, says she always brings her friends to Liverpool because the city has so much to offer.

Everyone who signs up as an Ambassador will be pledging their support to the city in the run up to Capital of Culture 2008.

You will get a special 08 Ambassador badge to wear, and information about what is happening in the run up to 2008 and how you can get involved.

All you have to do is spread the word about how great Liverpool is.

Proud Scouse celebrities were out yesterday to drum up support for the scheme.

Ken Dodd and Liz MacLarnon were in Whitechapel to pledge their pride in their city.

Ken Dodd said: "Until now, people thought Liverpool 2008 was a prize, but it's more than that. It's an opportunity to show everyone what we can do. It's only 18 months away."

Liz MacLarnon said: "Eve-ryone knows this is my home and I love it. People tell me to shut up about it, but I won't!"

* How to sign up:

You can become an ambassador by visiting the 08 Place in Whitechapel, at One Stop Shops or by logging on to www.liverpool08.com - and look out for sign-up forms in your ECHO.

Snap your grot spot Mar 27 2006

By Nick Coligan, Liverpool Echo


MOBILE camera phones could become the latest weapon in the fight against Liverpool's grotspots.

Pictures of graffiti or dumped rubbish could be sent straight to council clean-up teams.

The system has already been a huge success in London, where almost 5,000 vandal attacks have been tackled in six months.

Now Liverpool leaders are investigating whether it could help tidy up city communities in the run up to Capital of Culture.

A final decision has yet to be made, but they admit the mobile camera phone set-up would be a "useful" tool..


Lewisham council in London launched the idea last year and estimates it wiped out more than 14km of graffiti in just six months as a result.


Cllr Malcolm Kennedy, opposition spokesman on resources, said he believed Liverpool could now learn from the scheme's success.


He said: "In my Kirk-dale ward, graffiti is a constant problem and it is one of the most common complaints I receive.


"Whether it is abusive graffiti or just people's names, it can be very intimidating for residents and gives a bad impression of an area.


"It is usually possible to have it removed, but


this system could speed up the process. Virtually everyone has a mobile phone now and residents could help clean up their community.


"It has been very successful in Lewisham, and Liverpool should learn from good ideas tried out somewhere else."


Cllr Dave Antrobus, executive member for community safety, said officials from Enterprise-Liverpool and Liverpool Direct are working out if the city could adopt the scheme.


They have to decide if the council's IT systems can handle the system.


Cllr Antrobus added: "In theory, the capturing of these types of nuisance could be expanded to cover a number of services, such as fly-tipping and litter, and would be useful.


"However, at this stage we cannot provide a definite answer on implementation."


How it works


THE Lewisham scheme was launched in February 2005 with stunning results.


Residents download free software onto their mobiles from a website, which lets them send digital photos of graffiti by phone or computer.


Pictures are then put on the council website, the graffiti is removed, and a second photo showing the cleaned-up site is added.


A council spokesman said: "It has made the reporting and cleansing of areas more efficient as we get the information straight away.


"We removed 4,844 graffiti jobs, which is the equivalent of 14.2km, in the first six months."

That`s a really good and positive idea.....

Liverpool is a 'city on the rise again' Mar 28 2006

LIVERPOOL was today being praised as the "best ever prepared" European Capital of Culture at a parliamentary reception.

The claim, at a cross-party luncheon on the House of Commons terrace, was made on the back of a £2bn regeneration programme and booming business growth.

But Culture Company officials meeting MPs and members of the House of Lords admitted much work remained in selling the success to the public.

An independent national survey said: "The most important findings were that many people are not aware of what Liverpool has to offer as a destination, while outside Merseyside, there is limited awareness that Liverpool is the Capital of Culture for 2008.

"This will provide the direction for our marketing strategy in 2006-7."


The survey had shown that 50% of those interviewed held positive impressions of Liverpool.


There was also overwhelming agreement that Liverpool was "a city on the rise again."


MPs were being shown how Capital of Culture had become the main boost to business, with 61% of companies expecting to grow by more than 5% by 2009.


The report said: "Almost 1,000 new firms were launched last year.


"There is clear evidence that Liverpool has already turned a corner.


"The city is ranked top in the league for availability of sites and premises, and second as a place for competitive operating costs."


City council leader Warren Bradley said: "At almost every level, from record school results and record graduate retention through to investment and cultural activity, Liverpool is performing better than ever."

Emin pledges: City will get its culture year artwork Apr 5 2006




LEADING British artist Tracey Emin last night pledged to keep her promise to create a new artwork for Liverpool in its European Capital of Culture Year in 2008.

It will go on show in Liverpool Cathedral. "It will be a big piece because it's a big cathedral," she revealed yesterday.

Ms Emin promised a work for 2008 after her piece Roman Legion, better known as "the bird on a stick", was unveiled outside the cathedral. She admitted that the last time she was in the city "I took a taxi, waved at my bird, and came back".

Unusually, she says she is not a big fan of public art. "Liverpool has some wonderful architecture and the last thing it needed was a big piece of public art. That's why I made the bird so small. People could take it or leave it."


And she was amused that someone had put an even smaller bird on a pole next to her £60,000 commission. "I expect it has been removed now, but I would have liked to have seen it."


Ms Emin was in the city to join the team of judges evaluating entries for this year's John Moores Exhibition.


It is a painting exh She joined fellow judges like Sir Peter Blake, veteran leader of Britain's Pop Art movement and creator of The Beatles Sergeant Pepper album cover and former John Moores winner Jason Brooks.


This year has seen the exhibition's biggest entry since 1963, some 2,300 works.


Ms Emin says she has already had some "wow" moments with the entries (judging started yesterday and will continue tomorrow) and had seen some themes emerging "which I cannot talk about at the moment".


Fellow judge Sir Peter Blake was less discreet. "Among the themes this year there are 'boxes' while many have a cosmic feel about them."

Like Ms Emin, he confessed to being a big fan of Liverpool where his work has already been staged at Tate Liverpool. He was also an early entrant in the biennial John Moores exhibition.

Another judge, Jason Brooks, was a runner-up £1,000 winner of the John Moores in 1997. "Winning, both the money and the prize, was important to me," he said.

Even though he missed the £25,000 first prize that year, the following year he picked up the £26,000 NatWest Art Prize."The John Moores exhibition is still going" - this is its 43rd year - "and it remains the most important painting contest in the country."

The judges, who also included Andrea Rose of the British Council and Ann Bukantas, director of fine art at The Walker, started work yesterday.

All entries - and anyone can enter for a £15 fee, professional or amateur - are submitted to the judging panel anonymously.


Final judging takes place in June when the panel will reassemble and examine the actual works, when they will also be shown to them anonymously.


philkey@dailypost.co.uk

by Sam Lister
Daily Post


CULTURE secretary Tessa Jowell has called a series of meetings to discuss concerns about Liverpool's preparations for 2008, the Daily Post can reveal. The minister has met with city politicians and Culture Company board members, telling them they must deliver their promise of producing the "best-ever" Capital of Culture. Liverpool council leader Warren Bradley confirmed last night that he had met Ms Jowell, but said her concerns had been fully answered. Government sources told the Daily Post Ms Jowell asked for reassurance and expressed concern on a number of issues including:

* The amount of autonomy the Culture Company has;
* The impact of the very public spat between former council leader Mike Storey and former chief executive David Henshaw;
* The way the appointment of interim chief executive Jason Harborow was handled;
* The lack of prominent names on the culture company's board which oversees the direction of the 08 plans.

Ms Jowell did praise the way Liverpool Culture Company had brought the private sector on board and has already secured eight firms, including the Liverpool Daily Post and the Liverpool Echo, as partners in deals worth a total of £16m.But she has called for a genuine partnership to be developed between the city council, culture company and all local political groups.

The Daily Post understands Ms Jowell was concerned about the potential impact if the celebrations were to fall short of expectations, both in the city and throughout the UK. The Government has always viewed the Capital of Culture title as a win for Britain as well as Merseyside.

The source said: "Although Tessa Jowell praised the culture team for its work with the private sector she did have some serious concerns. She was unhappy at the way the chief executive job appointment was handled and she is worried the culture company is too autonomous. She meet with the leader of the council, Warren Bradley, and other officials and politicians while she was in Liverpool and has told them now is the time to pull together and form a genuine partnership for the good of the city."

Liverpool Culture Company, the department in charge of delivering the 08 programme, came under fire earlier this year for not releasing information about how the programme is developing and for failing to involve local people enough. Its artistic director, Robyn Archer, was also at the centre of a media storm after it emerged she had not signed her new contract and had not received a visa allowing her to work full time in the country.


She was due to start at the end of March, although she is now expected to begin by the end of this month.There were yet more problems for the organisation when it had to restart its recruitment process to find a new chief executive after it was criticised for failing to give applicants long enough to apply for the job, which is one of the key positions in the city.


It was rounded on again when only two men were shortlisted for the job. Council leader Warren Bradley said: "Tessa Jowell met with Jason Harborow, Colin Hilton and myself in my office. "She raised some concerns but we answered them fully and she seemed content with what we told her. She asked about how things had settled down after Mike Storey and David Henshaw and also asked about the funding and governance of the culture company. It was a 20-minute meeting which was open and honest. When we won Capital of Culture an officer from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport was put in Liverpool to keep an eye on things but they have now been sent back to London, which shows how well we are doing."


Professor Drummond Bone, Vice Chancellor of the University of Liverpool, also met Ms Jowell during Condoleezza Rice's visit. They had a private, one-hour-long conversation about Liverpool's Capital of Culture year. Professor Bone said: "The minister and I agreed that the Capital of Culture title is seen as the UK's contribution to the Europe - it must not just be seen as a Liverpool event."


Cllr Joe Anderson, Labour group leader, who also had a meeting with the Culture Secretary, said: "The bottom line is, everyone wants what's best for this city and the Capital of Culture Celebrations, and now we've just got to make sure we deliver that."

Restaurant fined for passing off counterfeit booze Apr 14 2006

by Larry Neild, Liverpool Daily Post


A TOWN centre restaurant in the cultural quarter of St Helens has been fined £1,800 for displaying and selling cheap alcohol as brand-name spirits.

Why do the Echo constantly harp on about "cultural quarters"? - how many quarters are there in the city & its outlying boroughs? and what the f*** is so cultural about St. Helens - is this where the "inbreeding museum" is or the "pie making museum" is???

Restaurant fined for passing off counterfeit booze Apr 14 2006

by Larry Neild, Liverpool Daily Post


A TOWN centre restaurant in the cultural quarter of St Helens has been fined £1,800 for displaying and selling cheap alcohol as brand-name spirits.

Why do the Echo constantly harp on about "cultural quarters"? - how many quarters are there in the city & its outlying boroughs? and what the f*** is so cultural about St. Helens - is this where the "inbreeding museum" is or the "pie making museum" is???

You've not been to the St. Helens charm school then?

You've not been to the St. Helens charm school then?

Is that the one in the cultural quarter? ;)

in the cultural quarter of St Helens

:hilarious

Hey, don`t throw stones at people who live in glass houses.

Live in glass Houses - get it, huh, huh, glass houses, Pilkingtons.

Oh never mind. :runaway:

:)

In any case in order for St Helens to have a cultural quarter three people would have to join the bloke standing on the corner........ :runaway:

(I like St Helens market actually and some of the pubs aren`t bad either....)

Hey, don`t throw stones at people who live in glass houses.

Live in glass Houses - get it, huh, huh, glass houses, Pilkinsons.

Oh never mind. :runaway:

:)



In any case in order for St Helens to have a cultural quarter three people would have to join the bloke standing on the corner........ :runaway:

(I like St Helens market actually and some of the pubs aren`t bad either....)

Its shopping centre is quite large. From what I remember, much larger than Preston's. Just lay off the hot pot pies - especially the ones with a layer of congealed grease on the top :puke:

Hmmmm, sounds yummie.

I used to like a `Meat and Potatoe` or a `Steak and Kidney ` pies dropped in the `Chippies fat.....`

I suppose I`d better buy in some `Benecol` or `Actemol`.....

and a good old fashioned `fry up` with all of the `juice`.....

Pimlet's pars are luvvle'

http://www.liv.ac.uk/newsroom/press_releases/2006/04/Impacts_08.htm

University study to evaluate Capital of Culture 08 impact
Liverpool, UK - 26 April 2006: A major collaborative research programme to assess the impact of Liverpool's status as European Capital of Culture 2008 will be launched next week.

Impacts 08 – the Liverpool Model, is a joint research initiative involving the University of Liverpool and Liverpool John Moores University, which will evaluate the social, cultural, economic and environmental impact of Liverpool’s European Capital of Culture status on the city, its people and the Northwest.

The project, commissioned by Liverpool City Council, will examine the progress and impact of the Liverpool 08 cultural programme from the period of the bid through the preparation stages to 2008 and beyond. The aim of the project is to develop a research model for evaluating the multiple impacts of culture-led regeneration programmes that can be applied to events internationally as well as the UK, such as the London 2012 Olympics.

The team will collect quantitative data as well as carry out qualitative research across Liverpool about people’s experiences and interpretation of the cultural programme. They will also analyse the impact of the cultural programme on Merseyside businesses, its portrayal in the media and interview a range of senior figures in key public and private sector organisations.

The team will work closely with Liverpool 08’s stakeholders (including Liverpool City Council, Liverpool Culture Company and Culture Northwest) to report back areas of success and suggestions for improvement to ensure an excellent programme is realised. Key findings will be reported on a new Impacts 08 website and will link into the Northwest Culture Observatory Gateway.

Dr Beatriz Garcia, Director of the Liverpool Model, came to the programme having completed a major retrospective study on the long-term cultural legacy of Glasgow 1990 and is currently a cultural advisor to the London Olympics.

Dr Garcia said: “Impacts 08 will set a benchmark in the evaluation of major cultural events and programmes in assessing their impact on society. I am looking forward to directing such a ground-breaking research project to assess what I consider the most prestigious culture-defined urban regeneration programme in Europe. This is a very exciting time for Liverpool.”

Impacts 08 – the Liverpool Model will be launched on Tuesday, 2 May. The event will be will be hosted by the Chairman of the Liverpool Culture Company and Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Drummond Bone and Professor Michael Brown, Vice-Chancellor of Liverpool John Moores University and Board Member of the Liverpool Culture Company. Speakers include Robert Palmer, Cultural Advisor to the European Commission, Loyd Grossman, Chair of Culture Northwest and Deputy Chair of the Culture Company, and Dr Beatriz Garcia, Director of Impacts 08.

Notes to editors

1. Members of the media are welcome at the Impacts 08 – the Liverpool Model event. This will be held at the RENEW Rooms on Wood Street on Tuesday, 2 May from 12pm. Please contact Jo Robotham if you plan to attend.

2. The Liverpool Culture Company was established by Liverpool City Council in 2000 to lead the bid to be European Capital of Culture in 2008. Since June 2003 its main objective has been to deliver a themed year programme of events leading up to 2010, including 07 - the city's 800th birthday year and 08. This programme includes artistic commissions and collaborations, large scale events and hundreds of community projects in the city's neighbourhoods.

Plans for 2007 will be unveiled in July this year and highlights for 08 in November. The 2006 themed year is Liverpool Performs which focuses on performance in art, business and sport. Staffed by more than 110 people, the Liverpool Culture Company also controls marketing of the city and operating its tourism information centres. Its 2005-09 Business Plan outlines a £95m budget funded by both public and private sector - principally Liverpool City Council, Arts Council Northwest, NWDA and DCMS. It currently has eight Official Partners. For more information log on to www.liverpool08.com

3. The Northwest Culture Observatory is hosted by Culture Northwest. Culture Northwest is a thinking, networking and advocacy organisation. Culture Northwest is the Cultural Consortium for England's Northwest, established in 1999 by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, and its role is to drive the Regional Cultural Strategy. Culture Northwest's core funding is predominantly provided by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Northwest Regional Development Agency. For further information visit www.culturenorthwest.co.uk

4. Liverpool John Moores University is the top-ranked new university in the UK for research, with international and national centres of research excellence in areas such as sports-related subjects, general engineering, physics, social science and professions allied to medicine.

5. The University of Liverpool is one of the UK's leading research institutions. It attracts collaborative and contract research commissions from a wide range of national and international organisations valued at more than £90 million annually.

The Cultural sector as a whole accounts for 12% of Gross Value Added in the Northwest... twice that of financial and business services

Arts, Creative Industries, Heritage, Libraries,Tourism, Sport and Recreation form the Northwest's Cultural economy. Together they employ 12% of the region's workforce and contribute £15 billion to the region's economy.

Culture Northwest is a thinking, networking and advocacy organisation, responsible for the Regional Cultural Strategy.

We are the catalyst for the region's cultural sector, driving new ideas and policy, championing fresh partnerships and celebrating the exceptional.

http://www.englandsnorthwest-culture.com/cultural/contact_links.asp

Contact Us
Culture Northwest
Giants Basin
Potato Wharf
Castlefield
Manchester
M3 4NB

t. 0161 817 7421
e. culture.northwest@nwda.co.uk

This is a contact list for all our Stakeholders and key partners. For a comprehensive guide to cultural links please visit www.englandsnorthwest.com

All contacts and links are displayed alphabetically below. For contacts related to specific sectors you can use the search facility on the side of the page.

If your contact details are not up to date please contact us here

------------------------------------------------------------
Arts and Business

Arts & Business is the world’s most successful & widespread creative network. Helping business people support the arts & the arts inspire business people, because good business & great art together create a richer society.

01612362058

www.aandb.org.uk

Arts Council England North West

The regional office of the Arts Council of England.

0161 834 6644

www.artscouncil.org.uk

Catalyst Conference

The major 3-day European conference on cultural entitlement being held in Liverpool and Manchester on 15-17 September 2005


www.catalystconference.co.uk

Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment

Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) is the champion for architecture in England, promoting high standards and inspiring people to demand more from their buildings and spaces. CABE use their skills and resources to work for a higher quality of life for people and communities across England, making the case for change, gathering hard evidence, providing education opportunities and through direct help on individual programmes and projects.


www.cabe.org.uk

Culture North East

The regional cultural consortium for the North East

www.culturenortheast.org

Culture South West

The regional cultural consortium for the South West of England

www.culturesouthwest.org.uk

English Heritage North West Region

English Heritage's role is to ensure that the historic environment of England is properly maintained and cared for

0161 242 1400

www.english-heritage.org.uk

Government Office North West

Government Office North West (GONW) represents Central Government in the region; it also feeds back the region's views to Whitehall. GONW's aim is to work with regional partners and local people to increase the prosperity of the region, promote sustainable development and tackle social exclusion.

0161 952 4000

www.go-nw.gov.uk

Heritage Lottery Fund

The Heritage Lottery Fund uses money from the National Lottery. Giving grants to support a wide range of projects involving the local, regional and national heritage of the United Kingdom

0161 831 0861

www.hlf.org.uk

Libraries North West

Libraries North West brings together all groups within the library domain in the North West. To provide a strategic lead through the formulation of plans, policies, representations and expressions of view

01244 220362

www.lnw.org.uk

[ Contacts 1 to 10 of 26 ] more >>

Culture Culture and Cash .....£££££

and a lot of it starts with an 0161....

erm... above post... not much based in Liverpool then... merseywaterfront perhaps?!

Sorry Pie but that post is a perfect example of the wankery of 'engerlundsnooerthwest'... what does it mean?

Does Liverpool cultural sector take up 5 or 20% of our economy? What is Manchester's? can it really be safe to average out these stats as the cultural industries make up virtually the same in Barrow as in Chester?... who the fuck knows?


We should put a ban on anything with a 'northwest' average or indices... it is a waste of your time reading them!

Agree with that, unfortunately, given the way money flows down the system, eg through the Arts Council's regional office in Manchester, and through the NWDA, there are too many funders who simply require "northwesternification". I think the Arts Council was committed to funding the evaluation, so it's a shame if its manky "north west" office have bastardised the thing into a north west study. Typical.

That said, the evaluation sounds good, you can never have too much evaluation. Weird as it sounds, a good evaluation will be one of the legacies of 2008, as it will be an opportunity for Liverpool to boast on the global arts-led regeneration circuit about how clever it was (even if it wasn't). The good thing about these kinds of studies is that they tend to accentuate the positive, the failures are sometimes softened into "lessons that were learned" and "areas were expectations and delivery were not fully aligned".

I think you actually missed my last line(s) Tony.....

Culture Culture and Cash .....£££££

and a lot of it starts with an 0161....

I just wondered is `Manchester` is trying to also cash in on the control of `Northwest` Tourism.....

Juding by the links it would be hard to say they weren`t.....

Far from being a waste of time it`s quite an eye opener given Liverpools existing `Tourism` gain and it`s future potential - even if Liverpool is set to also cash in on it`s heritage in yet more ways.

Trans atlantic and ever more globally.

If it wasn`t we wouldn`t have talked on the forum so much about `Global` branding.

`Northwest` global branding doesn`t exist - `Liverpool` global branding does.

The Cultural sector as a whole accounts for 12% of Gross Value Added in the Northwest... twice that of financial and business services

Arts, Creative Industries, Heritage, Libraries,Tourism, Sport and Recreation form the Northwest's Cultural economy. Together they employ 12% of the region's workforce and contribute £15 billion to the region's economy.

Culture Northwest is a thinking, networking and advocacy organisation, responsible for the Regional Cultural Strategy.

We are the catalyst for the region's cultural sector, driving new ideas and policy, championing fresh partnerships and celebrating the exceptional.

http://www.englandsnorthwest-culture.com/cultural/contact_links.asp

Contact Us
Culture Northwest
Giants Basin
Potato Wharf
Castlefield
Manchester
M3 4NB

t. 0161 817 7421
e. culture.northwest@nwda.co.uk

This is a contact list for all our Stakeholders and key partners. For a comprehensive guide to cultural links please visit www.englandsnorthwest.com

All contacts and links are displayed alphabetically below. For contacts related to specific sectors you can use the search facility on the side of the page.

If your contact details are not up to date please contact us here

------------------------------------------------------------
Arts and Business

Arts & Business is the world’s most successful & widespread creative network. Helping business people support the arts & the arts inspire business people, because good business & great art together create a richer society.

01612362058

www.aandb.org.uk

Arts Council England North West

The regional office of the Arts Council of England.

0161 834 6644

www.artscouncil.org.uk

Catalyst Conference

The major 3-day European conference on cultural entitlement being held in Liverpool and Manchester on 15-17 September 2005


www.catalystconference.co.uk

Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment

Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) is the champion for architecture in England, promoting high standards and inspiring people to demand more from their buildings and spaces. CABE use their skills and resources to work for a higher quality of life for people and communities across England, making the case for change, gathering hard evidence, providing education opportunities and through direct help on individual programmes and projects.


www.cabe.org.uk

Culture North East

The regional cultural consortium for the North East

www.culturenortheast.org

Culture South West

The regional cultural consortium for the South West of England

www.culturesouthwest.org.uk

English Heritage North West Region

English Heritage's role is to ensure that the historic environment of England is properly maintained and cared for

0161 242 1400

www.english-heritage.org.uk

Government Office North West

Government Office North West (GONW) represents Central Government in the region; it also feeds back the region's views to Whitehall. GONW's aim is to work with regional partners and local people to increase the prosperity of the region, promote sustainable development and tackle social exclusion.

0161 952 4000

www.go-nw.gov.uk

Heritage Lottery Fund

The Heritage Lottery Fund uses money from the National Lottery. Giving grants to support a wide range of projects involving the local, regional and national heritage of the United Kingdom

0161 831 0861

www.hlf.org.uk

Libraries North West

Libraries North West brings together all groups within the library domain in the North West. To provide a strategic lead through the formulation of plans, policies, representations and expressions of view

01244 220362

www.lnw.org.uk

[ Contacts 1 to 10 of 26 ] more >>

Culture Culture and Cash .....£££££

and a lot of it starts with an 0161....

Wow, how many '0161' phone numbers does that post contain. And some people seem to be genuinely flabergasted as to why others percieve anything 'North West' as almost always 'Manc-centric'.

Apologies dear Pie... I did indeed miss your last line!

Indeed Gareth, my overall point but the bottom line is the wealth generation.

However we are not with out some(ish) independant (?) muscle.....

http://www.merseyside.org.uk/displaypage.asp?page=34

Tourism Business Networks
The Tourism Business Networks brings together tourism networks in Liverpool, Halton, Knowsley, Sefton, St Helens and Wirral to develop tourism excellence across the region.

The initiative is facilitated by The Mersey Partnership Tourism Development Team and is part supported by Merseyside's Objective One programme.

Tourism Industry Website

Our new Tourism Industry website - Merseyside Online Support for Tourism www.merseyside.org.uk/most is now live. If you require any further details please contact Sarah Hague on 0151 237 3964 or at sarah.hague@merseyside.org.uk

Tourism Scene Newsletter

For Tourism news and views for businesses across Merseyside Tourism Scene provides a wealth of information. Download the latest version (pdf file) here

Student Information

If you would like more information about tourism in Merseyside, please see our student webguide www.merseywise.com

http://www.merseyside.org.uk/displaypage.asp?page=81
The Mersey Partnership Annual Tourism Awards Ceremony takes place on Friday 19th May at St George's Hall, Liverpool.

This year the event is being hosted by Les Dennis and supported by Roger Phillips.

The keenly contested award categories are:

Tourist Website of the Year - sponsored by New Mind
Best Performing Venue - sponsored by Radio Merseyside
Best Small Tourism Business of the Year - sponsored by GME
Business Tourism Award of the Year (was conference venue)
Tourism for All - sponsored by NWDA
Best Apprentice in Hospitality & Tourism Training - sponsored by LSC
Best Bar of the Year
Taste of Merseyside (was restaurant of the year) - sponsored by live'smart
Small Visitor Attraction of the Year (under 100k visitors)
Best Small Event of the Year (under 50k visitors) - sponsored by Finch
Bed & Breakfast of the Year - sponsored by Liverpool Empire
Small Hotel of the Year (under 50 beds) - sponsored by Eviivo
Large Visitor Attraction of the Year (100k+ visitors) - sponsored by Liverpool Echo
Best Tourism Experience of the Year (was large event, 50k+ visitors) - sponsored by Merseytravel
Large Hotel of the Year (over 35 beds) - sponsored by Liverpool John Lennon Airport
Outstanding Customer Service (Southport, St Helens, Wirral, & Liverpool)* - sponsored by The Liverpool Culture Company
All categories are now closed for nomination.

The event will adopt the Culture Company's 'Liverpool Performs' theme and an array of varied entertainment will be showcased throughout the evening. From South Asian bands to local Beatles tribute bands - it will certainly be an evening to remember!

500 guests will attend the four-course gala dinner in the magnificent surroundings of St George's Hall. During the evening the winners will be announced and will each receive a unique glass award designed and created by World of Glass, St Helens.

The Annual Tourism Awards have been running for more than 10 years. In the build up to 2008, when Liverpool will become the European Capital of Culture, the profile of the event is set to increase, to reflect the importance of Merseyside as a Tourist destination.

Each year the Awards event is a sell out success with strong local and regional media coverage, providing exposure for the industry as a whole and especially the award winners. The event gives the region an opportunity to showcase its tourism assets and celebrate excellence in one of its fastest growing economic sectors.

Sponsorship Opportunities

To raise your profile before, during and after the event please contact Lisa Tolley, Events Manager at The Mersey Partnership on 0151 237 3950 or email lisa.tolley@merseyside.org.uk

Tickets - on sale now!

If you would like to purchase tickets for the Tourism Awards please email Lauren O'Neill at tourismawards@merseyside.org.uk. You can download your ticket booking form here

Friday 19th May 2006, 7.00pm for 7.30pm
St George's Hall, Liverpool. Black Tie.

Individual Ticket (Members Rate) £70.00 + VAT (£82.25)
Individual Ticket (Non Members Rate) £80.00 + VAT (£94.00)
Table of 10 (Members Rate) £700.00 + VAT (£822.50)
Table of 10 (Non Members Rate) £800.00 + VAT (£940.00)

http://www.merseyside.org.uk/displaypage.asp?page=7

Our Members

Member Survey | Conference Membership | Tourism Membership | Corporate Membership | List of Members | Sponsorship Opportunities | Membership Enquiry Form | Member Search | Membership Fees

Welcome to The Mersey Partnership Members pages which have been designed to help profile existing members and to guide others in how they can benefit and play their part in promoting Merseyside as a great place to live, work, invest and visit.

The Mersey Partnership is recognised as one of the foremost examples of the private and public sector working. With over 400 members, the region's major organisations and many of its most forward thinking enterprises are committed supporters working with us to win more business for Merseyside. Members, large and small, play an important and significant role in supporting and developing our activities in our three core areas of:

Economic Development
Investment
Tourism

Participation in our membership programme provides your business with exclusive access to a wide range of benefits & opportunities in exchange for payment of an annual membership subscription. Membership is divided into three categories - Corporate, Tourism and Conference - each with a different set of benefits and joining fees.

Please either complete the online enquiry form or contact Carolyn Houghton, Membership Manager on 0151 237 3927 or email membership@merseyside.org.uk for more information.

We look forward to welcoming you into membership of The Mersey Partnership.

I was at my local north london tube this morning - Archway - and I saw one of those big ads for Capital of Culture - it was the Anthony Gormley statues on the beach. The poster was stunning. Hopefully it will have the desired affect, there was one at Euston northern line tube as well.

I was at my local north london tube this morning - Archway - and I saw one of those big ads for Capital of Culture - it was the Anthony Gormley statues on the beach. The poster was stunning. Hopefully it will have the desired affect, there was one at Euston northern line tube as well.

That's good to hear, Kenrick, I've not seen any ads for it yet. Welcome to the Forum, by the way. :)

Thank you.

Anyway, this will be my mission on this forum, to spot CofC posters at tube stations

Great, there are now almost a handful of us "southern" residents posting - Fitzroy is in London also, I work in London, Awayo lives in a youth hostel in Guildford, scouserdave lives in Luton.

Awayo lives in a youth hostel in Guildford

That's a culture in itself, it's like our very own fly on the wall.

scouserdave lives in Luton.

The poor bastard! I can now see why is like that.

That's a culture in itself, it's like our very own fly on the wall.

There's stories I could tell you, lads.

No, it's quite boring really. Various characters keep trying to convert me to fundamentalist Christianity.

One of the members of staff keeps on sitting next to me when I'm at breakfast and asking how I am. I think he's my case worker.

New flat, May 11. They've promised me this time. :wallbash:

Great, there are now almost a handful of us "southern" residents posting - Fitzroy is in London also, I work in London, Awayo lives in a youth hostel in Guildford, scouserdave lives in Luton.

My mission is to locate one of those pubs in and around London that now stocks Cains Lager. I'll take a photo on my camera and post it once I've gotten hold of a pint.

:cheers:

The fat lass from down under with the big pair of lungs has finally arrived.

clicky clicky (http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100regionalnews/tm_objectid=17005096%26method=full%26siteid=50061%26headline=capital%2dof%2dculture%2ddirector%2darrives%2dto%2dtake%2dup%2dher%2dpost-name_page.html)

My mission is to locate one of those pubs in and around London that now stocks Cains Lager. I'll take a photo on my camera and post it once I've gotten hold of a pint.

:cheers:

I was thinking about this yesterday funny enough. I wonder how Cains is going down in London?

Do let us know what you find old boy :cheers:

There's a list (http://www.cains.co.uk/index/articles_view.php?article_id=286&main_cat=1&cat_id=87&first_art=true&logger_name=Where%20to%20Taste) on Cains' website that lists them all.

There are mostly in rather upscale bits of west central and west London that where I don't usually find myself when I'm in London.

However, the Royal George on Charing Cross Road (that rare thing, a popular west end pub near Leicester Square that isn't horrendously awful) is easy for me to get to and near where I usually check out for shopping when I'm in London (the bookshops, Fopp in Seven Dials).

There's a Cains Finest lager with my name on it, probably this weekend. :cheers:

Ooh, the list shows this pub, Blabs: Adelphi, 3-5 Hunslet Road, LEEDS LS10.

Snap to it!

There's a Cains Finest lager with my name on it, probably this weekend. :cheers:

Ooh, the list shows this pub, Blabs: Adelphi, 3-5 Hunslet Road, LEEDS LS10.

Snap to it!

A-haa! I wondered whether there would be any in Leeds. So I take it that list only applies to the lager? I'm more of a bitter man myself (-as you can probably tell from my posts :) I wish they would start distributing their cask stuff more. The bitter in particular is excellent and I'm sure would go down well over here in Yorkshire.

I'm perusing my Good Beer guide and I can't find this 'Adelphi' pub, which makes me suspicious. But then again, they don't mention all good pubs. I think I know where it is. I will go there today and post up later!!!

:cheers:

Yeah, the Good Beer Guide is very selective and only lists pubs that the local CAMRA group has voted should be included, the selection criteria being based on the quality of their cask beer more than anything else.

This can sometimes result in some minging pubs that have a good cellarman getting in and a lot of good pubs, who most of the time serve good beer being excluded.

As you know Blabs (I'm a CAMRA member, like you) some CAMRA types can be a bit precious and can take umbrage over fairlyminor issues. I remember many years ago, when scumbag Whitbread bought Higsons and closed it down, whilst continuing to sell a counterfeit Higgies brewed in Sheffield.

CAMRA organised their usual admirable and rigorous campaign against the brewery closure and quite correctly formed a low opinion of shithead Whitbread passing off a Yorkshire-brewed beer as the famous Liverpool brew.

However, the local branch decided to act upon their feelings by excluding every single former Higson's pub in Liverpool from the next few year's Good Beer Guide, no matter how well kept their beers were. As most of Liverpool's historical old boozers were Higson's houses (Higgie's being the local brew) this resulted in the Liverpool section of the GBG being bloody useless and missing many of the city's best pubs.

Still, all this led to Cain's being started in the old Higsons plant abandoned by Whitbread so all's well.

Good look with your important mission, Blabs.

Cheers Awayo. And thanks for the info re: Higsons.

Liverpool is well represented now. I spent most of this week in Newcastle and only five of its pubs are mentioned. Liverpool has several pages worth in my 2004 ed.

I just looked up the Adelphi. As it happens, I walked past there the other week when I was going to photograph Brewery Wharf. I remember wondering whether they'd taken the name from Liverpool's hotel, but didn't bother stopping as it looked a bit dirty and had net curtains, which is so often a sign that horrors lurk within. Apparently it is a classic victorian pub. Hopefully I won't get jumped for taking pics of the pumps- the landlord might think I'm shooting his daughter's tits.

I've not been to many CAMRA meet ups of late, but intend to get back into it during the summer.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y187/rob*******1/DSCF1958.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y187/rob*******1/DSCF1950.jpg

Awayo!

De Cains is there! I had three bottles. As I say, I ain't a lager man really, but that was lovely stuff. You can taste the malt and hops and it's very smooth. A world away from any other British lager (i.e. gassy, sweaty feet, piss water)- it's becuase they brew the Cains stuff for 3 months, as opposed to a few days, as per Fosters, et al.

The bottle seems to be well marketed. It has a GQ booklet attached with some facts on, and about the lager being voted as the best thing ever (or some shit) in GQ magazine.

The pub was excellent by the way- The Adelphi. A bit on the pricey side as it is in the city living quarter. But very good atmosphere; lots of gay clientele it seemed. A good vicotrian pub with lots o good beers. It's a shame they don't have Cains on tap- the land lady says theyve had it for 2 weeks and it has been popular with people who try it- but not many people know about it just yet.

Is being a piss artist qualification enough for our year as capital of culture then?

I knew that they have cast the net widely in their definitions of culture, but hadn't guessed just how wide!

That fellow who owns Caines didn't email me back.

Kenrick, welcome to SSC, as well as checking on the posters around London it would be very interesting to know if people pass any comment about them, stop and stare at them, put graffiti on them, anything to show they are making an impact.

Is being a piss artist qualification enough for our year as capital of culture then?

I knew that they have cast the net widely in their definitions of culture, but hadn't guessed just how wide!

That fellow who owns Caines didn't email me back.

Err... Well I can start a new thread if food and drink don't satisfy your definition of culture. I think the city should be proud to produce a high quality product like this, and I don't think culture means purely: art and music. Fact is, anybody who knows about beer knows that this country has been waiting for a long, long time for a decent home-made lager. It just so happens that the brewery that finally got off it's arse and challenged the rubbish we usually get are a famous Liverpool brewery. That can only be a good thing- they've also gone out of thier way to advertise Liverpool in the marketing and on the label- also advertising Capital of Culture on the neck of the bottle.

:cheers:

Good work Blabs. :cheers: I'm off into London thisavvy to meet a mate for a few beers. I've told him to meet me in one of the Cains-stocking pubs in the capital.

It'll take a little while to post the pic, but I'll get it on the forum eventually

You're right that Liverpool's historic brewery and its beer are undoubtably part of the city's culture. The fact that Cain's paid a million quid into the Capital of Culture coffers and promote the ECoC on every single bottle they sell and all of the adverts, which have appeared in The Guardian newspaper and on London buses is another reason why this is far from being the wrong thread for this. Although we don't want it to be filled with nothing but beer discussion, of course!

Good article on Cains in this month's "What's Brewing", btw. Next fiendish plan: a stout.

Err... Well I can start a new thread if food and drink don't satisfy your definition of culture. I think the city should be proud to produce a high quality product like this, and I don't think culture means purely: art and music. Fact is, anybody who knows about beer knows that this country has been waiting for a long, long time for a decent home-made lager. It just so happens that the brewery that finally got off it's arse and challenged the rubbish we usually get are a famous Liverpool brewery. That can only be a good thing- they've also gone out of thier way to advertise Liverpool in the marketing and on the label- also advertising Capital of Culture on the neck of the bottle.

:cheers:


Oops.... it was a joke!

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y187/rob*******1/DSCF1958.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y187/rob*******1/DSCF1950.jpg

Awayo!

De Cains is there! I had three bottles. As I say, I ain't a lager man really, but that was lovely stuff. You can taste the malt and hops and it's very smooth. A world away from any other British lager (i.e. gassy, sweaty feet, piss water)- it's becuase they brew the Cains stuff for 3 months, as opposed to a few days, as per Fosters, et al.

The bottle seems to be well marketed. It has a GQ booklet attached with some facts on, and about the lager being voted as the best thing ever (or some shit) in GQ magazine.

The pub was excellent by the way- The Adelphi. A bit on the pricey side as it is in the city living quarter. But very good atmosphere; lots of gay clientele it seemed. A good vicotrian pub with lots o good beers. It's a shame they don't have Cains on tap- the land lady says theyve had it for 2 weeks and it has been popular with people who try it- but not many people know about it just yet.

Just love that blackboard, Liverpool Larger, Thailand and Pacifico!!!!

I always knew Liverpool had an exotic side.....

:cheers: :cheers: :cheers:

and it is a good larger to boot.....although I have only so far drunk it in Dr Duncans.

Some of the bars around the Albert Dock don't serve Cains! At the Blue Bar, the barmaid hadn't even heard of it!

Some of the bars around the Albert Dock don't serve Cains! At the Blue Bar, the barmaid hadn't even heard of it!

Trouble is L8 you just can`t get the staff. :) Maybe it isn`t posh enough for them.

Now I know this is old news but I liked the way it was presented so here it is .....

`New Liver Bird`

http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2005/02_february/24/emin.shtml

"Internationally renowned artist Tracey Emin today unveiled her first ever piece of public art.

Tracey's sculpture Roman Standard, commissioned by the BBC as part of the art05 festival and Liverpool's year as European Capital of Culture in 2008, is a tribute to the legendary Liver Bird."

etc.....

The location for the piece was chosen by Tracey who was attracted by the neo-Roman feel of the city's architecture and the Victorian romanticism conjured up by the site.

etc....

Julian Treuherz, Keeper of Art Galleries for National Museums Liverpool, says: "Tracey's sculpture will bring a new dimension to an area of Liverpool already rich in great historic buildings and historical associations.

"I am really pleased that we have been able to help Tracey realise this imaginative and intriguing work of art."

Trouble is L8 you just can`t get the staff. :) Maybe it isn`t posh enough for them.

Now I know this is old news but I liked the way it was presented so here it is .....

`New Liver Bird`

http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2005/02_february/24/emin.shtml

"Internationally renowned artist Tracey Emin today unveiled her first ever piece of public art.

Tracey's sculpture Roman Standard, commissioned by the BBC as part of the art05 festival and Liverpool's year as European Capital of Culture in 2008, is a tribute to the legendary Liver Bird."

etc.....

The location for the piece was chosen by Tracey who was attracted by the neo-Roman feel of the city's architecture and the Victorian romanticism conjured up by the site.

etc....

Julian Treuherz, Keeper of Art Galleries for National Museums Liverpool, says: "Tracey's sculpture will bring a new dimension to an area of Liverpool already rich in great historic buildings and historical associations.

"I am really pleased that we have been able to help Tracey realise this imaginative and intriguing work of art."

Pie, have you seen her 'sculpture'? It looks like a sparrow on a pole. Very literal. Both the sparrow and the pole are well rusted. Trace said that she thought it captured fragility, and hope. Oh, and the 'resilience' of small things that fly, too. She's promised a 'follow-up'. Can't wait. Brit art - don't you love it?

Pie, have you seen her 'sculpture'? It looks like a sparrow on a pole. Very literal. Both the sparrow and the pole are well rusted. Trace said that she thought it captured fragility, and hope. Oh, and the 'resilience' of small things that fly, too. She's promised a 'follow-up'. Can't wait. Brit art - don't you love it?

L8,

I did see it not too long after it was first installed - at the time I thought it was a bit of a waste of space (so tiny) but now I like the concept and it is a pity it is not being maintained.

The Liverpool environment is very harsh on sculptures etc - just look at the new chinese arch - already `flaky`..... :bash:

http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100regionalnews/tm_objectid=17021200%26method=full%26siteid=50061%26headline=cult%2dwriter%2dsigns%2dup%2dfor%2dcity%2dfestival-name_page.html

Cult writer signs up for city festival May 2 2006

By Catherine Jones Culture Reporter, Liverpool Echo

CULT author Philip Pullman is to head the bill at a new literary festival to celebrate Capital of Culture year.

The writer of His Dark Materials is the first big name to be signed up to the Liverpool University event.

The festival is expected to take place over several days in November 2008 and will include local and national names taking part in readings, discussions and debates.

Dinah Birch, head of the university's School of English, says it is the first time in many years if ever that the department has held anything similar.

The festival, likely to be titled Shipping Lines in homage to Liverpool's history as one of the world's greatest ports, is one of a number of ideas the department has to mark Capital of Culture year.

But Prof Birch has emphasised it is still in the early stages of development and the final programme will be dictated by funding available.

She said: "November may seem late in Culture year, but it will be good to spread events out a little.

"We're planning a diverse programme because we want to celebrate the diversity of Liverpool's identity. We'll be looking at specific local voices but also facing outwards in the way the city has always done.

"When you think of Liverpool as an English city, what is it that gives it it's very individual, specific feeling, and it's that more than anything, a sense not of being on the edge of things, but of looking to other cultures and values."

Shipping Lines will be in addition to Liverpool ' s acclaimed independent Writing on the Wall festival which takes place annually in April.

Most of the programme will be based at the university itself, but organisers are looking at whether some events can take place in other city venues.

Prof Birch added: "We want the festival to be a way in which people who aren't professional literary types can encounter different kinds of writers. "Philip Pullman's writing has been enormously popular but it's also profoundly academic and engages with the great literary traditions of Milton and Blake."

ECHO Essentials .

Philip Pullman was born in Norwich in 1946, and educated in England, Zimbabwe and Australia, before his family settled in North Wales.

* His first children's book was Count Karlstein (1982), followed by The Ruby in the Smoke (1986), the first in a quartet of books featuring the young Victorian adventurer, Sally Lockhart.

* He is most famous for the trilogy His Dark Materials, which has won many awards including the Whitbread prize - the first time it has ever been awarded to a children's book. . The first of the trilogy, Northern Lights - known as The Golden Compass in America, is being made into a film which is due for release in 2007.

http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100regionalnews/tm_objectid=17035229%26method=full%26siteid=50061%26page=1%26headline=a%2dliverpool%2dwelcome%2dfor%2d2012%2dolympics-name_page.html

A Liverpool welcome for 2012 Olympics May 5 2006

By Sam Lister Daily Post Staff

SPORTS fans turning up to the London Olympics will get a warm welcome - Liverpool style.

The 2012 team wants to use the city's plans to train up workers at pubs, shops and venues to give visitors help and information when they arrive.

They are in talks with the culture company to pilot the Liverpool Welcome programme, which 30 flagship businesses, including John Lewis and the Met Quarter, have already signed up to.

Chief executive Jason Harborow said: "We are the first city to attempt something like this on such a large scale.

"We are in discussion to pilot this for 2012. Our target is to get 1,500 people to go through the training before '08.

"We have also got more than 300 people signed up to our volunteer programme and we now have a bespoke centre for training them."

The culture company chief also revealed the team is in talks to fill the last three dates for the Summer Pops, but is keeping July 9 free at the moment in case England gets through to the final of the World Cup.

It comes as the city that was the stage for one of Liverpool's biggest and most dramatic sporting wins is to become a non-European Capital of Culture.

Istanbul has been put forward to share the title in 2010 with two other cities, the German town Essen and the Hungarian city P?cs.

It became the lucky city for Liverpool FC last May when the team came back from 3-0 at half-time to win the European Championship for the fifth time.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said it was "not just a victory for the city, but for all of Turkey's citizens. With this chance, Istanbul can win over the world."

The chairman of the selection panel, Sir Jeremy Isaacs, said Istanbul's application had made a "very considerable impression" on the jury.

The Council will decide on the panel's recommendations in the second half of this year.

Istanbul is part of Cities on the Edge, a major conference that will be held in '08, looking at areas with similar histories to Liverpool.

Last night, artistic director Robyn Archer said: "We knew they were bidding and that was one of the reasons why we approached them to join our Cities on the Edge programme.

"It is a natural partner for Liverpool, it has been a world trade port and is an edgy city.

"The recommendation is excellent news."

samlister@@dailypost.co.uk

http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100regionalnews/tm_objectid=17036825%26method=full%26siteid=50061%26headline=extra%2d%2dpound%2d1%2d2m%2dfor%2devents-name_page.html

Extra £1/2m for events May 5 2006

By Joe Riley Arts Editor, Liverpool Echo

LIVERPOOL is set to save more than £500,000 paying for its 2007/8 double party celebrations.

Costs for licensing outdoor events for the city's 800th birthday and Capital of Culture will be slashed by more than £440,000.

Culture company boss Jason Harborow hailed the clawback as "real money which can now be spent on events".

Licensing individual large scale occasions such as the Mathew Street and Mersey river festivals could each cost more than £60,000.

But a new umbrella annual licence - the largest of its kind in the UK - will cost only £64,000 to prime and £32,000 a year to top up - a total of £128,000 to cover major outdoor events until December 2008. The licences cover all streets and public spaces, including the Pier Head and St George's plateau, as well as Liverpool's major public parks.

Mr Harborow said: "This is much better than a time consuming and case by case approach."

A large-scale public meeting on Capital of Culture is being held in St George's hall on July 3, replacing the former closed 'stakeholder' meetings which had been criticised for being 'cliquey'.

The Capital of Culture customer welcome scheme, aimed at improving tourism and service industry standards, would now be used as a pilot scheme for the London Olympics.

Thirty flagship businesses have signed up and 1,500 staff would be receiving training this year.

Music legends welcome rebirth of the mighty Picket May 8 2006

LEADING figures from the music world have given their blessing to the re-emergence of Liverpool's internationally-renowned Picket venue.

After a two-year battle, The Picket's director Philip Hayes was last month given the licence he needs to host club nights and festivals at the new site in the £1.5m arts district near the city's waterfront.

Music legends Sir Paul McCartney, Paul Weller and Elvis Costello have now welcomed the news the club would remain open.

Elvis Costello, a longstanding supporter of The Picket, said: "It's great to see that the Picket is back on the Liverpool scene.


"Support the Picket and party like it's 2008."


The Picket closed in 2004 when spiralling debts forced the venue out of its former base in The People's Centre, Hardman Street.


Its original home in the Grade II listed building provided a community performance venue for the last 20 years, and a recording studio since 1986. But funding cuts left the centre thousands of pounds in debt.


Thousands of music lovers have since championed the Save The Picket campaign including the late John Peel and Joe Strummer.


Now the new-look venue will officially reopen on May 27 when Liverpool band Deaf School will reform for the occasion. It is now based in a specially-adapted industrial unit in Jordan Street.

Liverpool will be known for Premium Lager.

http://www.cains.co.uk/includes/binary_details.php?binary_table=download_data&download=1&id=21

:cheers:

Tried that stuff a few times Blabbs and am a fan, mmmmmmmmmmm

Liverpool will be known for Premium Lager.

http://www.cains.co.uk/includes/binary_details.php?binary_table=download_data&download=1&id=21

:cheers:
Tried that for the first time in the Radisson, Cains Premium Lager. Very nice. Got Raisin Beer at home, also very nice. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:

I might see if I can order a crate of bitter and lager. Not sure if they deliver to Leeds though.

:cheers:

They deliver to Guildford, Blabs (I got a crate of Cains Lager a few months ago), so you'll get the stuff alright.

CAINS CREAMY STOUT A ‘TASTE OF THE BREWERY’S ROOTS’

Specialist brewer Cains has gone back to the brewery’s Irish roots by launching a full-flavoured Creamy Stout to challenge the likes of Guinness and Murphy’s.

Brewery founder Robert Cain hailed from Cork and, for many years, Cains was famous for its stout.

Now craft brewers at the Liverpool site have perfected the taste of what brewery owners Ajmail and Sudarghara Dusanj believe will be another successful beer to add to Cains’ growing reputation outside of the North West.

The 4.1 ABV stout – brewed with the finest dried hops and water pumped from the brewery’s own natural source - is being launched exclusively in Cains’ own pubs before being offered for wider distribution.

It was developed with the help of expert tasters from the Local branches of the Campaign for Real Ale who were brought in during the brewing process to help define the taste Cains wanted to achieve.

Despite launching into a section of the beer market dominated by major brand names, joint managing director Sudarghara Dusanj believes the new stout is filling a taste-niche.

He explained: “We are offering something different, a full flavour brewed by traditional methods. It may look like the other stouts on the market but it is
elegant and smooth – a black velvet texture with a beautiful creamy, rich, chocolate taste

“It’s all about the flavour. The big name stouts currently on sale are either quite bitter or sweet – we are aiming somewhere between.

“This brewery was partly built on the reputation of its stout and it feels right to be bringing a version back. It’s a taste of Cains’ history.”

Steve Downing, CAMRA’s Liverpool branch secretary said: “Cains’ Creamy Stout is a fantastic addition to the brewery's range. They have nothing else like this. I remember Cains’ Superior Stout but this is a sweeter brew - full-bodied, distinctive with interesting roast flavours. I'm sure it will be very popular."

I'm not a huge fan of stout. Although I'm glad Cains is adopting an aggressive policy and fighting its corner in many different style of beer. :cheers:

There are much better stouts than Guiness and Caffreys IMO. Will this be cask conditioned?

Cask? Good question; I was thinking that. It doesn't say. The old Cains Superior Stout was cask. The "Creamy" part of the new beer's name suggests that its a nitrokeg like Guinness and Murphy's. It might be available in both versions. After all they've got the local Camra guy to comment.

I find myself drinking Guinness down here quite a lot, as often a decent alternative isn't available. I can't abide Carling, etc., and I think that my days of Stella Adventures (waking up in the strangest of places, with the strangest of new friends) are best left to my younger days. I'm not that keen on many southern bitters, tbh, also, certainly not in large quantities as the bitterness tends to build up after a couple of pints.

You're right about Guinness being a fairly average product. It's the power of advertising. Draft Guinness must be one of the blandest beers around - it is the Bud of stouts. Mass marketing, mass produced and brewed to be as tasteless as possible to aid rapid drinking and hence further pint purchases. The Guinness Original or that thick, treacly Nigerian stuff are a different matter, of course.

Tomorrow, I'm flying to Milwaukee with work. The "Brewer City", they say. I'll try to give Miller, et al., the swerve and check out the wide variety of new microbreweries and brewpubs that I read exist in the area.

Cask? Good question; I was thinking that. It doesn't say. The old Cains Superior Stout was cask. The "Creamy" part of the new beer's name suggests that its a nitrokeg like Guinness and Murphy's. It might be available in both versions. After all they've got the local Camra guy to comment.

I find myself drinking Guinness down here quite a lot, as often a decent alternative isn't available. I can't abide Carling, etc., and I think that my days of Stella Adventures (waking up in the strangest of places, with the strangest of new friends) are best left to my younger days. I'm not that keen on many southern bitters, tbh, also, certainly not in large quantities as the bitterness tends to build up after a couple of pints.

You're right about Guinness being a fairly average product. It's the power of advertising. Draft Guinness must be one of the blandest beers around - it is the Bud of stouts. Mass marketing, mass produced and brewed to be as tasteless as possible to aid rapid drinking and hence further pint purchases. The Guinness Original or that thick, treacly Nigerian stuff are a different matter, of course.

Tomorrow, I'm flying to Milwaukee with work. The "Brewer City", they say. I'll try to give Miller, et al., the swerve and check out the wide variety of new microbreweries and brewpubs that I read exist in the area.

Thanks for the post Awayo.

I think the 'creamy' does suggest nitro will be involved. But yeah, I can see them having a run for both.

I was reading this thing the other day about how annoyed the Grerman brewers are at the fact that Bud is the official beer in all of the stadiums. Budweiser doesn't even class as 'beer' in Germany as it isn't made from malt and hops.
I like your point about the marketing- and the weakness of the drink to aid in consumption. Certainly, the most mass produced and marketed beers are the most pissy and tasteless. Bud is more like the "witless and feckless pleb of beers." And the corporation is utterly vile in the way it treats smaller competitors.

Maybe the bitterness in the south is due to the water supply?

I went to a beer festival in Chesterfield on Friday. Mainly Sheffield and other South Yorkshire brews. I had me one called St Petersburg which was 7.7%ABV :cheers:

I hear there are a lot of micro brewers in the US now. They're into their home brewing too- I don't blame them with the shite they have in their pubs.
Anyway, let us know how you find it fella.

:cheers:

I think that my days of Stella Adventures (waking up in the strangest of places, with the strangest of new friends) are best left to my younger days.

I take it you've given the YMCA your months notice then? ;)

It'll probably end up in both cask and keg variants, the same way the IPA and Finest Lager has. Keg to get their foot in the door at chain pubs/bars and cask for the enthusiasts who like fine drink. :)

Awayo, have a good trip, and remember to keep us posted as you "hop" from bar to bar

I'm not a huge fan of stout. Although I'm glad Cains is adopting an aggressive policy and fighting its corner in many different style of beer. :cheers:

There are much better stouts than Guiness and Caffreys IMO. Will this be cask conditioned?

Tried my first pint of Cains MILD at the Docs last saturday, most enjoyable :cheers:

The pity is that most of the famous American beer names sound Germanic (Miller=Mueller, Schiltz, Budweiser, Anheuser-Busch) as these breweries were set up by German immigrants in the US, several in the Milwaukee area, hence the city's nickname.

The original German-brewed Bud, Miller, etc., must have been good beers, brewed the German way. Unforntunately Prohibition wiped out most of the US brewing industry, allowing a small number of big corporations, large enought to survive on other business whilst alcohol was illegal, to consolidate the market into a near monopoly situation where they could get away with brewing the lowest-demonator beers, such as Bud (not even techically a beer, as you say, Blabs: beer does NOT contain rice, ffs!) backed up by megamarketing.

Before Prohibition the US had hundreds of breweries I've heard. Still now that microbrewers have gotten popular in the US (more so than here, as it happens) there's some great beers to be had, although they are usually, but not always, keg.

I had a surreal experience of downing a pint of mild in sitting outside a restaurant in in a blazing Denver August afternoon a few years back. It's difficult to get mild back in the uk, nowadays.

I'll report back on my findings this time, for sure.

I take it you've given the YMCA your months notice then? ;)

How'd you think I ended up here then? I had a good life, a nice house, wife, kids, Ford Mondeo. Then Stella came into my life and things just haven't been the same since.

Stella, she's lovely.

. It's difficult to get mild back in the uk, nowadays.

I'll report back on my findings this time, for sure.

See you at the Docs Awayo, my treat a pint of Cains best Mild :cheers:

What have I said, me buying beer, I`m off :runaway:

Awayo, have a good trip, and remember to keep us posted as you "hop" from bar to bar

Cheers Wooders. I might be able to make the odd post from my WI location. In another stark contrast to my regular abode, I'm staying in the swanky-sounding Hyatt Regency Hotel (rotating restaurant, check it out!), so it'll have wifi intrynet access I reckon.

Cheers Wooders. I might be able to make the odd post from my WI location. In another stark contrast to my regular abode, I'm staying in the swanky-sounding Hyatt Regency Hotel (rotating restaurant, check it out!), so it'll have wifi intrynet access I reckon.

How posh, "carry your bag ,sir" Better than a DHSS Hostel ???
Let us know when your can make it back for a walk-about ?

My Dad drinks Brown (+) Mild- apparently he is one of the last of em left. :laugh: :cheers:

Brown-mild works tastewise! Try it out sometime. Also, Brown-bitter. My dad tells me that these sorts of combos were popular in the old days as the ale in pubs was often the pits. Adding some sweet brown, bottled stuff made it just about drinkable.

Anyone else tried that 70s retro team-up of one half bitter, one half lager - "golden"? Truly horrid.

Wasn't black and tan (guinness and brown ale?) the Liverpool signature drink back in the old days (old timers?)?

I wish I was back in Liverpool, Liverpool Town where I was born.

There ain't no trees, no scented breeze, no fields of waving corn

But there's lots of girls with peroxide curls and the black-and-
tan flows free,

With six in a bed by the old pierhead and it's Liverpool Town for me.

See you chaps at the next Liverpool meet up, I hope.

Brown-mild works tastewise! Try it out sometime. Also, Brown-bitter. My dad tells me that these sorts of combos were popular in the old days as the ale in pubs was often the pits. Adding some sweet brown, bottled stuff made it just about drinkable.

See you chaps at the next Liverpool meet up, I hope.

Your Dad was correct, I in my youth drank ,Brown mixed which was half of bitter in a pint glass complete with a bottle of brown, you always seemed to get more than a pint. But in the south (London) they would first pour the brown ale into a pint mug then top it up with bitter= BIG FROTHY HEAD =LESS THAN A PINT :bash:

Cheers lads, given me some great ideas for next time I'm down the old boozer. Brown/Mild combo sounds a given.

Dr Duncans is a great pub, it must be said. Cracking ceiling too.

Cains Stout- will have to try that. Should suit those faces Orange and Green as mentioned in the above song.

Brown Mix (or brown bitter as I used to call it.. mix being mild) is a lovely drink, but more than a few gives you the terrible shits!

Brown Mix (or brown bitter as I used to call it.. mix being mild) is a lovely drink, but more than a few gives you the terrible shits!

My sister and brother both had part time jobs in the pubs and clubs of Liverpool, Pink Parrot, Wooky Hollow etc etc, and I was 12 and 11 years younger respectively.....(How well do I remember the smell of Spanish Omellets wafting up the stairs late at night and waking up with my head in a bag of chips!!!!)

At one time my brother was also a bar man in a pub at the end of the road (well Lane actually :) on the avenue! )

but also liked to drink `Higsons` beer and we shared a bedroom.

I didn`t want to grow up believe me :bash:

Talk about wind in the willows.

:) :cheers:

I have the utmost respect for bar persons providing they know their job and are civil and are friendly.

"It is a blessing to welcome the stranger."

Apart from that I take the piss out of them :)





:cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:

New York gives Central perk to cultural capital May 26 2006


NEW YORK is set to be linked with Birkenhead as part of a trans-Atlantic exhibition planned for the Capital of Culture celebrations.

The Big Apple's famous Central Park was modelled on its much less well-known predecessor in the Wirral town.

And culture chiefs want to make the most of the parks' connection, which also links other North American cities.

Among them is Vancouver, where many of the green spaces are thought to have been based on Merseyside models.
The Civic Trust now plans aparks conference for 2008, which would then tour north America.


Ian Harvey, the trust's development officer based in Liverpool, said: "We're looking into aproject for 2008 that will see Merseyside celebrate its great cultural assets - its parks.


"This is as a way to celebrate the success of Merseyside parks in The Green Flag Awards and also because parks will play amajor role in 2007 and 2008.


"We want community groups and the public to let us know if they would be willing to share, for a period, old photos of Merseyside parks." The aim of the project is also to record, promote and give people access to information so they can learn more about the role parks have played in Merseyside's heritage and culture.


Mr Harvey said: "We want to record the memories of local people and ensure the history discovered is conserved for the future.


"We're looking to develop an exhibition, video and CD-Rom that will introduce the parks, outline their key aspects, explain design concepts, and identify their social and historical significance.


"The project will explore and celebrate local heritage and will have ambitions of travelling to Central Park to link both cities during 2008."


Organisers hope the initiative would also explain the benefits parks have had on local areas, helping to create asense of ownership.


Liverpool alone has 10 Green Flag awards, the national standard for parks and green spaces in England and Wales.


They include Greenbank Park, Everton Park Nature Garden, Springwood Crematorium Gardens and Falkner Square and it is hoped the 2008 Green Flag Award ceremony will take place in Sefton Park.


How our public spaces helped shape the world


BIRKENHEAD PARK: Acknowledged to be the first publicly-funded park in Britain it was designed by Sir Joseph Paxton, whose concept was to create an idealised countryside landscape of open meadows and naturalistic woodland belts.


The lakes are shaped to appear as sinuous rivers with views across them to features such as the Boathouse and Swiss Bridge.


In 1850 American Frederick Olmsted visited the park as part of atour of Europe. He later became famous as the designer of New York's Central Park, into which he incorporated many of the features he first observed in Birkenhead Park.


STANLEY PARK: 45-hectare park in North Liverpool designed by Edward Kemp and opened in 1870.


Stanley Park in Vancouver features huge Douglas-fir, Western Redcedar, and Western Hemlock trees which grow up to 300ft tall. It was opened in 1888 and it is estimated eight million people visit the park yearly.


Both were named after Lord Stanley, 16th Earl of Derby and Governor General of Canada.


RUNCORN: Sandstone from Runcorn was used in the building of both the Liverpool Docks and the docks at New York, as well as Liverpool Cathedral.

I plan to come back to the pool for a vacation this year and expect it to be a building site but the more I read these forums I get more the impression that 2008 will be either still be that or we will be still hearing about schemes that are now going 'full speed ahead' such as the canal link, X museum , lime st gateway etc. with others either dead (trams ) or killed (Maro, Cheiftain)

The only schemes that seem remotely on track are PSDA and maybe Kings Dock (will the hotels be ready ? )

Once again lots of bluster from LCC and Liverpool Vision but very little results.

Africa Oye festival to be seen by millions in US Jun 13 2006

MILLIONS of Americans will be tuning into this week's Africa Oye festival in Sefton Park.

The US-based Africa Channel, which is subscribed to by more than 10m viewers stateside, will film the free three day festival featuring some of African music scene's biggest stars which begins on Friday.

"Not only will the eyes of America be on us as a festival but as a city too," said 37 year-old Paul Duhaney, who organised this years festival with director and founder Kenny Murray.

Because of the interest Mr Duhaney said they had "decided to speculate to accumulate" for this year's festival the 13th of its kind. The stage will be upgraded with a bigger sound system and more stalls selling wider variety of ethnic goods and foods.

"Since we moved back to Sefton Park from Birkenhead Park the festival become more popular than ever and this one could be the best yet because all of the artists are right out of the top drawer," said London-born Mr Duhaney, who calls himself "an honorary Scouser flying the flag for Liverpool."


Among those appearing this year are Nuru Kane from Senegal, Bonga (Angola), Eyuphuru (Mozambique) and Tiken Jah Fakoly (Ivory Coast).


The Africa Channel approached Mr Duhaney about filming the festival when he attended the Womex music conference which was held this year in Newcastle.


"Like us they wanted to focus on something positive about Africa other than the usual stuff about war, poverty, aids and famine," explained Mr Duhaney, who added that not only would the coverage give a platform to Liverpool in America, but in Britain too.


It is expected to be one of the first programmes broadcast when the channel is launched here early next year.


An estimated 25,000 people attended last year's event which was broadcast by BBC Radio 3.


This year's even begins at 8pm on Friday at the Magnet on Hardman Street when Nuru Kane and Eyuphuro play with music from Lake of Stars DJs.


The Sefton Park performances take place on Saturday and Sunday.


The former starts at 1pm and ends at 8.30pm, the latter begins at 12.30pm, finishing at 7.30pm.

should be a number of Liverpool companies fighting to broadcast it to them!

Great news though

Liverpool - global city agenda!

It's 2008 Jun 19 2006

LIVERPOOL will host the finish of the Tour of Britain in Capital of Culture year.

It means Britain's biggest and most prestigious bike race will finish outside London for the first time.

The decision to stage the tour's showpiece event in 2008 is part of a three-year deal between the Culture Company and the tour organisers.

It is being backed by Merseyside cycling star Chris Boardman.

The world, Olympic and national champion from Hoylake said today: "An event like this is something that's great for Liverpool. It's about awareness and something everyone can get involved in.


"We've always been strong in the north west for cycling, and this is an extra incentive for people to do well."


As part of the deal, the city will stage the end of the north west stage this year on Wednesday, August 30.


In 2007 it will host the start of the regional stage during the week of Liverpool's 800th birthday celebrations.


Thenorth west stage of the tour is sponsored by the Northwest Regional Development Agency. Last year the stage, which ran from Carlisle to Blackpool, attracted 55,000 spectators.


This year it will start in Blackpool and competitors will race a 90 mile route to Liverpool.


Council leader Warren Bradley, said: 'Hosting the finale of the Tour of Britain in 2008 is a huge honour.


"It will give the city great profile and a chance to showcase the renaissance which has been taking place. It's set to be a memorable highlight of our Capital of Culture year.''

It's 2008 Jun 19 2006

LIVERPOOL will host the finish of the Tour of Britain in Capital of Culture year.

It means Britain's biggest and most prestigious bike race will finish outside London for the first time.

The decision to stage the tour's showpiece event in 2008 is part of a three-year deal between the Culture Company and the tour organisers.

It is being backed by Merseyside cycling star Chris Boardman.

The world, Olympic and national champion from Hoylake said today: "An event like this is something that's great for Liverpool. It's about awareness and something everyone can get involved in.


"We've always been strong in the north west for cycling, and this is an extra incentive for people to do well."


As part of the deal, the city will stage the end of the north west stage this year on Wednesday, August 30.


In 2007 it will host the start of the regional stage during the week of Liverpool's 800th birthday celebrations.


Thenorth west stage of the tour is sponsored by the Northwest Regional Development Agency. Last year the stage, which ran from Carlisle to Blackpool, attracted 55,000 spectators.


This year it will start in Blackpool and competitors will race a 90 mile route to Liverpool.


Council leader Warren Bradley, said: 'Hosting the finale of the Tour of Britain in 2008 is a huge honour.


"It will give the city great profile and a chance to showcase the renaissance which has been taking place. It's set to be a memorable highlight of our Capital of Culture year.''

:cheers: :cheers:

Guide's praise for LiverpoolJun 22 2006




Daily Post






LIVERPOOL has received a glowing report in the latest Rough Guide to the United Kingdom, published this week.

The travel guide, famous for its frank accounts of venues, says: "Things are looking up, as the successful bid to be European Capital of Culture for 2008 promises to transfor mthe city."

Some of the city's most famous buildings also come in for praise, with St George's Hall described as "one of Britain's finest Greek Revival buildings" and the Anglican Cathedral receiving the accolade of "the last of the great British neo-Gothic structures".

The review marks another small step on the road to transforming the city's image both nationally and globally

:cheers:

http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/business/news/tm_objectid=17308656%26method=full%26siteid=50061%26headline=business%2dleaders%2dplan%2dtactics%2dfor%2dmaking%2dthe%2dmost%2dof%2dcapital%2dof%2dculture%2d-name_page.html

Business leaders plan tactics for making the most of Capital of Culture .....
Jun 29 2006

Daily Post

BUSINESS leaders representing Merseyside companies large and small gathered yesterday to discuss ways in which local firms can make the most out of European Capital of Culture.

The 14-strong 08 businessconnect Business Advisory Group, the members of which were chosen from 100 applications, gathered in Liverpool city centre.

They discussed ways of helping local businesses maximise the opportunities in a city that is preparing to welcome 20m people in 2008. Launched in January, 08 businessconnect now has more than 1,500 members, with special access to networking events and business opportunities.

Nichola Lee, director of 08 businessconnect, said: "We're delighted so many people wanted to be involved in steering the direction of our activities."

Jason Harborow, chief executive of Liverpool Culture Company, added: "This group reflects a flourishing economy with a vibrant creative sector.

"It's also another example of the growing desire within the business community to work with us to ensure 08 is a long term success story."

The group will be chaired on a rotating annual basis by one of the official 08 Partners.

* FOR more information, see news section www.08businessconnect.com.

---------------------------------------------------------------------
"Opportunities in a city that is preparing to welcome 20m people in 2008."

20m is that a typo - where did that figure come from?

I`ve only previously read of about 1.5m visitors which I have always thought was a bit low given that 3.5m attended the 1984 Liverpool International Garden Festival and first `Tall Ships`.

20m, oh go on then and you can bring a friend :)

In fact bring a couple and your Granny.

City will host memorial day Jun 29 2006

LIVERPOOL has been chosen to host the UK's Holocaust Memorial Day in 2008.

Organisers say the city's proven sensitive approach to the memory of the victims of genocide, together with its creative flair, were the key factors in winning the bid, involving seven other undisclosed British cities.

The worldwide remembrance - traditionally on January 27 - will be one of the first major events in Liverpool's Capital of Culture year.

City council leader Warren Bradley said: "Holocaust Memorial Day has played an integral role in Liverpool's civic calendar for many years."


Stephen Smith, chairman of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, said: "The trust was very impressed by the bid put forward by Liverpool and by the team's professionalism, enthusiasm and under-standing of the importance of learning the lessons of the Holocaust.


"Considerable planning goes into each Holocaust Memorial Day and we're confident that Liverpool city will deliver a memorable, moving occasion."


Liverpool Riverside MP Louise Ellman, who is a member of the memorial day trust, said: "I think there is value for all communities in Liverpool to work together to make the event as meaningful as possible."


The January 27 date was chosen to coincide with the liberation of the Auschwitz death camp and commemorates not only the victims of Nazi persecution, but also of other genocides in places like Bosnia and Rwanda.


The 2007 British host city is Newcastle with the theme The Dignity of Difference.


The theme for 2008 has yet to be chosen.

Beatles families come together at new show.

THE remaining Beatles and their families will prove that love is all you need when they attend the premier eof Cirque du Soleil extravaganza LOVE in Las Vegas tonight.

Sir Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono, Olivia and Dhani Harrison, Julian and Sean Lennon, Cynthia Lennon and Sir George Martin are all expected at the gala event.

More than 4,000 guests will watch two performances of the multi-million pound production, which showcases more than 100 Beatles songs, before going on to an aftershow party.

Among them will be Paul's brother Mike McCartney and wife Rowena.

Mike McCartney has also pledged to ask bosses of the Canadian acrobatic troupe if they will bring the fantasy tribute show to Liverpool's new Kings Dock arena for Capital of Culture year.
He said: "Our kid and I came across Cirque du Soleil when they weren't really that well known.


"Rowena and I saw them in Manchester and Paul saw their show in London or Vegas. Neither of us knew the other had seen it, but my brother fell in love with it." lOVE has a fine Beatles pedigree.


It was born from a friendship between the late George Harrison and Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Lalibert?, agreed by Paul, Ringo and Yoko, and brought to the stage by Sir George Martin.


It links together 60 international artists from the Cirque du Soleil and more than 100 Beatles songs to present, in its creators' words, "a vivid, intimate and powerful entertainment experience".


The unique soundtrack has been created using original master tapes from Abbey Road studios.


Sir George, who worked on the project with son Giles, said: "We wanted to make sure there are enough good, solid hit songs in the show, but we don't want it to just "best of's".


"We also wanted to put in some interesting and not well-known Beatles music and use fragments of songs."


Each of the seats in the Mirage is equipped with three speakers to give fans an intimate experience.


It is expected lOVE could run for at least 10 years, packing 2,000 people into the theatre twice a night, five nights a week, with ticket prices ranging from $69 (£38) to $150 (£82).


I want to see this I hope it comes to the KD arena .
:cheers:

A Tall Ships 2008 taster.

TALL ships are arrivin Liverpool for a two-day visit this weekend.

The Culture Company says it has organised the All Aboard weekend as a taster event for 2008, when Liverpool will host the start of the Tall Ships Race.

Most of the ships will be based at Wellington and Sandon Docks, off Regent Road, while HMS Albion will be at Canada Dock, and Artemis at the Albert Dock.

Council leader Warren Bradley said: "There are few cities in the world with a seafaring history as rich as Liverpool's, and seeing the tall ships arrive on the Mersey is a fantastic sight.

"All Aboard will be a great opportunity for people to have alook around these fascinating ships."

Ships in Wellington/Sandon Dockwill be the Christian Raddich, considered to be Norway's grandest sailing ambassador; Bessie Ellen, Britain's last wooden coasting ketch still under sail; Swan Fan Makkum, one of the world's largest brigantine and two-masted ships; Eye Of The Wind; Iris, and Le Orla, an Irish naval coastal patrol vessel.


Albert Dock will host former whaling ship Artemis, while amphibious assault ship HMS Albion will be at Canada Dock.

Rock around the rockJun 30 2006

By Kate Mansey, Liverpool Echo

AN old Merseyside naval fort is putting the rock back into rock'n'roll.

Fort Perch Rock, New Brighton, will be hosting a series of concerts at the end of the summer to rival other outdoor events.

Leading indie bands like British Sea Power and Liverpool's The Pedantics are already lined up to play the gigs on the picturesque sandstone outcrop.

Organisers have labelled the regular shows Nautical to celebrate Fort Perch Rock's 180-year history.

Promoter Craig Pennington, 22, from Wallasey, said: "We wanted to do something different, which is a little bit fresh and Fort Perch Rock seemed like the ideal location because it is so iconic.


"The site is of huge historic significance and there's a big musical history behind it as well.


"The Beatles' appearances at the Tower Ballroom are just part of the area's rich musical heritage and we need to bring this back."


The building of Fort Perch Rock started in 1826 in the aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars after military officials decided Liverpool needed to secure its defences.


While the centre has hosted jazz nights and other music events in the past, this will be the first time a regular rock and indie night will be held at the venue.


August 5 will be the first of three planned parties on the rock and organ-isers hope to continue the shows outdoors into the autumn while the weather lasts.


Andy Rostron, keyboard player with local band Seal Cub Clubbing Club, said: "I think it can onlybe agood thing that culture is being injected into areas of Wirral.


"I hope this takes off as a popular venue because all too often we play in Liverpool because there aren't enough events in Wirral."


Sasha Cairns, who oversees the running of the fort said: "The newnights will be very exciting.


"We've had a huge response from music fans who want to book tickets."


Seal Cub Clubbing Club... :rofl:

Mike McCartney has also pledged to ask bosses of the Canadian acrobatic troupe if they will bring the fantasy tribute show to Liverpool's new Kings Dock arena for Capital of Culture year.
He said: "Our kid and I came across Cirque du Soleil when they weren't really that well known.

Would be superb to see this staged here,(and not just for one showing), at our new Kings Dock Arena, and even better if the Beatles families could attend. :cheers:

http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/4807/tallship5hs.jpg


http://img238.imageshack.us/img238/8290/tallship10bt.jpg


http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/5818/tallship32iq.jpg


http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/7229/tallship28al.jpg


http://img57.imageshack.us/img57/530/kangas1mg.jpg

Had a great day out yesterday on board HMS Albion in Canada Dock and around by the tall ships,everyone looked like they were having a good time and many took advantage of a cruise around the docks on the tall ships. :cheers:

http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/7229/tallship28al.jpg


http://img57.imageshack.us/img57/530/kangas1mg.jpg

Had a great day out yesterday on board HMS Albion in Canada Dock and around by the tall ships,everyone looked like they were having a good time and many took advantage of a cruise around the docks on the tall ships. :cheers:

:nuts: :cheer:

http://img318.imageshack.us/img318/9809/pict01278pd.jpg


http://img449.imageshack.us/img449/6919/pict01422ex.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Proof - if it were really needed - we're a capital of cartoon culture...Jul 3 2006

PETER GRANT talks to three of the city's top draw cartoonists

By Peter Grant, Liverpool Echo

IT'S Toon time ... This is 2006 Liverpool, European Capital of Culture's Year of Performance, and what better way to draw in the crowds than with something fresh and sparkling.

For the second year running, the Liverpool Comedy Festival's Cartoon Exhibition - this time featuring the idea of 'performance' - has attracted many of the best UK professional cartoonists and caricaturists - and local talent.

It really is THE best of British cartoonists, according to a spokesman for the new venue at the Royal Court.

Among the illustrious participants, Bill Stott, Paul Hardman and John Roberts are getting together again to showcase the twin skills of art and comedy in Liverpool.

As a part of the Cartoon Festival launch the trio will be taking part in The Big Draw in Williamson Square on Thursday, July 13.

Bill and Paul will be drawing a giant cartoon while John, who is an international caricaturist, will be drawing people in the square.

Comedy Festival organiser Gillian Miller is glad to be supporting a marriage of art and comedy. "It will be like being in a real European City."

There are many individual themes on view such as: athletic personal bests; dreadful divas and ... synchronised elk- tossing.

Some football and celebrity caricatures feature, too.

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http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100regionalnews/tm_objectid=17326357%26method=full%26siteid=50061%26headline=proof%2d%2d%2dif%2dit%2dwere%2dreally%2dneeded%2d%2d%2dwe%2dre%2da%2dcapital%2dof%2dcartoon%2dculture%2d%2d%2d-name_page.html

Cartoonist Bill actually had his first cartoon published in the ECHO.

"It was 'a long long time ago - so long in fact, that I can't remember now, but I DID get paid," he smiles.

He hopes the exhibition goes from strength to strength.

"Towns like Shrewsbury have an established cartoon festival," he says.

"Why can't Liverpool - the capital of comedy - have one that grows bigger and bigger?"

Bill, 62, who taught in Liverpool schools for 25 years, enjoyed working for such magazines as Punch and Private Eye.

etc etc

Fellow cartoonist John, like his two pals, will be displaying three pieces of his work. His are black and ink watercolours.

"I have done caricatures," says the 54 year-old, whose family came from Liverpool.

"Ricky Gervais and his monkey dance and Johnny Vegas - one of the patron's of the Festival in his shirt and with fags - his usual pose. And a singing George Michael. "I think Liverpool has been crying out for an exhibition like this with so much presence and I want to see it grow and grow."

Paul, 59, from Knotty Ash who now lives in Southport enjoyed a career as a cartoonist for national newspapers and on Channel 4's Racing Picture Puzzle.

He is now working on children's books and for National Geographical magazine.

"All three of us - and our fellow cartoonists - are keeping the art alive because that is what it is ... art," he insists.

"My ambition would be a National Cartoon Awards here in Liverpool because there isn't one, it would be the only one of its kind in England..

"Imagine the focus on Liverpool where so many great cartoonists, such as Bill Tidy, have come from. "This exhibition is something we are proud to see take off because it features some of the greatest and best cartoonists in the country." :runaway:

--------------------------------------------------------------------
Well imagine that .....

Sheila's scarpered: http://www.bbc.co.uk/liverpool/content/articles/2006/07/04/capcult_archer_resign_feature.shtml

Not good news. I'd like to know the inside track on this one - she didn't ever seem to arrive, did she? Now they've got to find a replacement, launch the programme and hold the ECoC in not much over a year's time. :ohno:

Robyn Archer quitting is the wrong side of disastrous for CoC, she did take up the office at one point but made no impact that I can recall?? I hope they don't pay her a penny more than she is due and the money she has been paid feels like Liverpool has been mugged by this woman. No doubt the story will unfold in the coming days, who can take over this job now she's gone how about Bill Kenright???

Doug I agree, I gained the impression she didn't really want the job.

Who organises the Edinburgh Festival? Can we get him or her?

Robyn Archer quitting is the wrong side of disastrous for CoC, she did take up the office at one point but made no impact that I can recall?? I hope they don't pay her a penny more than she is due and the money she has been paid feels like Liverpool has been mugged by this woman. No doubt the story will unfold in the coming days, who can take over this job now she's gone how about Bill Kenright???

Bill Kenright ..... not a bad idea at all

I`m glad Robyn Archer is gone to be honest - the `Walabby Wannabe`......

who gives a XXXX

I like ozzies in general though :)

The Independent

Liverpool's city of culture plans in tatters as boss quits

By Ian Herbert

Published: 05 July 2006

When Liverpool beat Newcastle for the coveted title of 2008 European Capital of Culture, the city anticipated 14,000 new jobs, 1.7 million extra visitors and £1bn in investment. Instead it increasingly seems that Merseyside may have a fiasco on its hands.

The problems that have beset the city's preparation for its year in the limelight deepened yesterday when the Australian who was hired on a six-figure salary as artistic director abruptly left her post.

Robyn Archer, the singer, actress and writer who had previously directed festivals in Canberra, Melbourne and Adelaide, cited personal reasons for her departure. But her contribution had come under increased scrutiny as Liverpool struggled to line up events and venues befitting the capital of culture year. A decision over her future was reached after a board meeting last week of the Liverpool Culture Company, which is co-ordinating the 2008 festivities.

Ms Archer's struggle to steer Liverpool towards its year in the spotlight was not helped by her decision to remain in Australia until April. Since then, she has been in and out of the country, an elusive figure to many.

There was also widespread resistance to the kind of artistic programme she was developing. Ms Archer is strong on performing arts, rather than conceptual art. But above all, according to her critics, she was simply too indecisive. "She won't release money and when she does she wants to decide exactly what institutions should do," one city source said.

Liverpool was awarded the title because of the "greater sense that the whole city is involved in the bid and behind it," according to Sir Jeremy Isaacs, chairman of the judges. The headline plan was for a futuristic Cloud building, designed by Will Alsop to be built on the banks of the Mersey. But that plan was dropped and matters got worse when a public row erupted between David Henshaw, the council chief executive, and Mike Storey, council leader, resulting in both men leaving their posts.

Mr Henshaw's successor, Jason Harborow, was only appointed in March. Amid the spats there have been few signs of progress besides a planned return from Berlin for Sir Simon Rattle, a former timpanist with the Merseyside Youth Orchestra, to conduct the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic in 2008; Liverpool securing the World Firefighter Games in 2008 and being named the host city for 2008 Holocaust Memorial Day.

The chief executive of the North West Development Agency, Steven Broomhead, warned that Capital of Culture was on his "risk radar". The city wants to hear of more grandiose plans: a blockbuster show from the theatre impresario Bill Kenwright, perhaps, a contribution by Sir Paul McCartney or a permanent exhibition of the city's John James Audubon art collection.

When Liverpool beat Newcastle for the coveted title of 2008 European Capital of Culture, the city anticipated 14,000 new jobs, 1.7 million extra visitors and £1bn in investment. Instead it increasingly seems that Merseyside may have a fiasco on its hands.

The problems that have beset the city's preparation for its year in the limelight deepened yesterday when the Australian who was hired on a six-figure salary as artistic director abruptly left her post.

Robyn Archer, the singer, actress and writer who had previously directed festivals in Canberra, Melbourne and Adelaide, cited personal reasons for her departure. But her contribution had come under increased scrutiny as Liverpool struggled to line up events and venues befitting the capital of culture year. A decision over her future was reached after a board meeting last week of the Liverpool Culture Company, which is co-ordinating the 2008 festivities.

Ms Archer's struggle to steer Liverpool towards its year in the spotlight was not helped by her decision to remain in Australia until April. Since then, she has been in and out of the country, an elusive figure to many.

There was also widespread resistance to the kind of artistic programme she was developing. Ms Archer is strong on performing arts, rather than conceptual art. But above all, according to her critics, she was simply too indecisive. "She won't release money and when she does she wants to decide exactly what institutions should do," one city source said.
Liverpool was awarded the title because of the "greater sense that the whole city is involved in the bid and behind it," according to Sir Jeremy Isaacs, chairman of the judges. The headline plan was for a futuristic Cloud building, designed by Will Alsop to be built on the banks of the Mersey. But that plan was dropped and matters got worse when a public row erupted between David Henshaw, the council chief executive, and Mike Storey, council leader, resulting in both men leaving their posts.

Mr Henshaw's successor, Jason Harborow, was only appointed in March. Amid the spats there have been few signs of progress besides a planned return from Berlin for Sir Simon Rattle, a former timpanist with the Merseyside Youth Orchestra, to conduct the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic in 2008; Liverpool securing the World Firefighter Games in 2008 and being named the host city for 2008 Holocaust Memorial Day.

The chief executive of the North West Development Agency, Steven Broomhead, warned that Capital of Culture was on his "risk radar". The city wants to hear of more grandiose plans: a blockbuster show from the theatre impresario Bill Kenwright, perhaps, a contribution by Sir Paul McCartney or a permanent exhibition of the city's John James Audubon art collection.

Locally they're trying to put a positive spin on this fiasco.

Mike Storey "I'm quite relaxed about Robyn's departure. I don't think it's a disaster, quite the opposite" I think you may be on your own there Mike!!

On the other hand

Rex Makin "She was a hill-billy singer in Australia, perhaps she brought a hill-billy outlook with her. I don't think she made much of a difference from beginning to end"

It seems Robyn will get a payoff, was she worth it??

With eigtheen months still to go we could build the `Empire State Building` if we put our mind to it.....plus a bit of muscle.

Either that or we`ll just have to wheel out Ken Dodd and a few jam butties :)

I look forward to Liverpool increasingly confounding the doom and gloom merchants yet again. :)

She wasn`t good enough and she had to go. :bash:

Rex Makin is bit of a nasty old man. His comment manages to be ignorant, snobbish and xenophobic at the same time - even if Ms Archer was a useless waste of money.

The anti-Archer spin machine has certainly gone into operation this morning. Maybe the criticisms are justified, but remember they made the decision to hire her, allow her to work from Melbourne for two years as a "consultant" (new to hear her described that way) and then spend little time in the city when she became permanent.

It seems clear that they've finally that they've fucked up and decided to sack her (with the customary golden shower to see her off). This, however, less than 18 months before the start of the ECoC year.

Much of the trouble must have been to do with the dead hand of Henshaw only recently being released from the control of the Culture Company. Remember the rehearsal of this debacle, when the company appointed a chief executive, only for them not to turn up and Henshaw decided to step in as CE of the Company as well as the city. Not long after this, Henshaw launches his war against Liverpool in defence of his pension.

Only since Harborrow became CE this spring has the management of the company become clear again.

Locally they're trying to put a positive spin on this fiasco.

Mike Storey "I'm quite relaxed about Robyn's departure. I don't think it's a disaster, quite the opposite" I think you may be on your own there Mike!!

On the other hand

Rex Makin "She was a hill-billy singer in Australia, perhaps she brought a hill-billy outlook with her. I don't think she made much of a difference from beginning to end"

It seems Robyn will get a payoff, was she worth it??
Doug, Jason Harborrow said yesterday she won't be getting anything.I did note the tone of the reporting from BBC North West, words like crisis,disaster and "it's all gone wrong for Liverpool" they seem to revel in it. The facts are,it hasn't all gone wrong.The way i see COC ,is it's more about the journey than the arrival.The title of ECOC has been a massive boost for the city.

The Beeb will be luvin this!! time and again they shown their willingness to parade the bad news from Liverpool, whilst overlooking some of the positive things, check the threads over the England north contingent arriving at LJLA.


On the evidence that's in the public domain I think it is a good thing that she's gone people who worked with her have described her as combative and secretive.

Doug, Jason Harborrow said yesterday she won't be getting anything.I did note the tone of the reporting from BBC North West, words like crisis,disaster and "it's all gone wrong for Liverpool" they seem to revel in it. The facts are,it hasn't all gone wrong.The way i see COC ,is it's more about the journey than the arrival.The title of ECOC has been a massive boost for the city.

"The title of ECOC has been a massive boost for the city."

Totally agree and it will also be a massive success despite the doom and gloom merchants and the hanging on back biter gum suckers. :)

I rather suspect that she thought she could teach an old sea dog new tricks - where ever the wind blows Liverpool might not necessarily follow.

But we know how to `tack` to best advantage. :scouserd:

ArchergateJul 5 2006

EXCLUSIVE by Nick Coligan, Liverpool Echo

ROBYN Archer's Capital of Culture plans face a massive overhaul with some acts axed for being too high-brow.

The blueprint programme of performances and events drawn up by the former artistic director for the run-up to 2008 is not expected to survive her resignation yesterday.

The rest here. (http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100regionalnews/tm_objectid=17334997%26method=full%26siteid=50061%26headline=archergate-name_page.html)

None of that high-faluting artistic stuff from Robyn now (now, who is a hillbilly, exactly?).

On its way, Stan Boardman's Festival of European Friendship, "Dem Jearmins bombed ar chippy!", non-stop perfomances from Sonia, the Reynolds Girls and Cllaig from Big Brother, building up to the end of year finale: Carla Lane's Bread, the musical - on ice.

Capital of Cack. :ohno:

building up to the end of year finale: Carla Lane's Bread, the musical - on ice.



:hilarious

So what's gone wrong this time?

This charming young lady's blog is worth checking out for current arts new stuff in L'pool (http://www.art2008.co.uk/blog/). She quotes Tony Parrish’s Henshaw-and-his-mates-are-an-evil-cabal-of-satanic-scum-scoffers blog (or whatever)

Known as ‘Robbing’ Archer, she enjoyed a £150,000 a year salary, but did bugger all for CofC. She only arrived permanently in Liverpool from Down Under three months ago and had already achieved a reputation for her vanishing acts - to scout ‘new talent’.
Not surprisingly she was a Henshaw appointment - he forced through her selection two years ago, despite opposition from Mike Storey (so no change there then).

Parrish's blog has disappeared today (has the the cabal got to him?).

Still, another reason to blame Henshaw.

On its way, Stan Boardman's Festival of European Friendship, "Dem Jearmins bombed ar chippy!", non-stop perfomances from Sonia, the Reynolds Girls and Cllaig from Big Brother, building up to the end of year finale: Carla Lane's Bread, the musical - on ice.

Capital of Cack. :ohno:

You forgot Cilla's Cultural Blind date extravaganza - where local residents compete to be selected by someone from a different postcode, and could win a day out at Knowsley Safari park as an opportunity to engage in some first class 'cultural exchanges'.

Oh and the 'Ferry cross da Mersey' concert at Pier Head where famous Liverpool singers past and present make a one off appearance to sing Ferry Cross the Mersey in harmonious unison to a crowd of potentially hundreds.

Be still my beating heart....

The Independent

Liverpool's city of culture plans in tatters as boss quits

By Ian Herbert

Published: 05 July 2006

When Liverpool beat Newcastle for the coveted title of 2008 European Capital of Culture, the city anticipated 14,000 new jobs, 1.7 million extra visitors and £1bn in investment. Instead it increasingly seems that Merseyside may have a fiasco on its hands.

The problems that have beset the city's preparation for its year in the limelight deepened yesterday when the Australian who was hired on a six-figure salary as artistic director abruptly left her post.

Robyn Archer, the singer, actress and writer who had previously directed festivals in Canberra, Melbourne and Adelaide, cited personal reasons for her departure. But her contribution had come under increased scrutiny as Liverpool struggled to line up events and venues befitting the capital of culture year. A decision over her future was reached after a board meeting last week of the Liverpool Culture Company, which is co-ordinating the 2008 festivities.

Ms Archer's struggle to steer Liverpool towards its year in the spotlight was not helped by her decision to remain in Australia until April. Since then, she has been in and out of the country, an elusive figure to many.

There was also widespread resistance to the kind of artistic programme she was developing. Ms Archer is strong on performing arts, rather than conceptual art. But above all, according to her critics, she was simply too indecisive. "She won't release money and when she does she wants to decide exactly what institutions should do," one city source said.

Liverpool was awarded the title because of the "greater sense that the whole city is involved in the bid and behind it," according to Sir Jeremy Isaacs, chairman of the judges. The headline plan was for a futuristic Cloud building, designed by Will Alsop to be built on the banks of the Mersey. But that plan was dropped and matters got worse when a public row erupted between David Henshaw, the council chief executive, and Mike Storey, council leader, resulting in both men leaving their posts.

Mr Henshaw's successor, Jason Harborow, was only appointed in March. Amid the spats there have been few signs of progress besides a planned return from Berlin for Sir Simon Rattle, a former timpanist with the Merseyside Youth Orchestra, to conduct the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic in 2008; Liverpool securing the World Firefighter Games in 2008 and being named the host city for 2008 Holocaust Memorial Day.

The chief executive of the North West Development Agency, Steven Broomhead, warned that Capital of Culture was on his "risk radar". The city wants to hear of more grandiose plans: a blockbuster show from the theatre impresario Bill Kenwright, perhaps, a contribution by Sir Paul McCartney or a permanent exhibition of the city's John James Audubon art collection.

When Liverpool beat Newcastle for the coveted title of 2008 European Capital of Culture, the city anticipated 14,000 new jobs, 1.7 million extra visitors and £1bn in investment. Instead it increasingly seems that Merseyside may have a fiasco on its hands.

The problems that have beset the city's preparation for its year in the limelight deepened yesterday when the Australian who was hired on a six-figure salary as artistic director abruptly left her post.

Robyn Archer, the singer, actress and writer who had previously directed festivals in Canberra, Melbourne and Adelaide, cited personal reasons for her departure. But her contribution had come under increased scrutiny as Liverpool struggled to line up events and venues befitting the capital of culture year. A decision over her future was reached after a board meeting last week of the Liverpool Culture Company, which is co-ordinating the 2008 festivities.

Ms Archer's struggle to steer Liverpool towards its year in the spotlight was not helped by her decision to remain in Australia until April. Since then, she has been in and out of the country, an elusive figure to many.

There was also widespread resistance to the kind of artistic programme she was developing. Ms Archer is strong on performing arts, rather than conceptual art. But above all, according to her critics, she was simply too indecisive. "She won't release money and when she does she wants to decide exactly what institutions should do," one city source said.
Liverpool was awarded the title because of the "greater sense that the whole city is involved in the bid and behind it," according to Sir Jeremy Isaacs, chairman of the judges. The headline plan was for a futuristic Cloud building, designed by Will Alsop to be built on the banks of the Mersey. But that plan was dropped and matters got worse when a public row erupted between David Henshaw, the council chief executive, and Mike Storey, council leader, resulting in both men leaving their posts.

Mr Henshaw's successor, Jason Harborow, was only appointed in March. Amid the spats there have been few signs of progress besides a planned return from Berlin for Sir Simon Rattle, a former timpanist with the Merseyside Youth Orchestra, to conduct the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic in 2008; Liverpool securing the World Firefighter Games in 2008 and being named the host city for 2008 Holocaust Memorial Day.

The chief executive of the North West Development Agency, Steven Broomhead, warned that Capital of Culture was on his "risk radar". The city wants to hear of more grandiose plans: a blockbuster show from the theatre impresario Bill Kenwright, perhaps, a contribution by Sir Paul McCartney or a permanent exhibition of the city's John James Audubon art collection.


Ian Herbert seems to specialise in putting the knife in Liverpool! The fat, balding twat. Sorry, I hope I'm not being too one dimensional saying that. I've read other articles by Ian in which it's clear that Liverpool taps his bile more than his smile.

Where is he from?

ArchergateJul 5 2006

EXCLUSIVE by Nick Coligan, Liverpool Echo

ROBYN Archer's Capital of Culture plans face a massive overhaul with some acts axed for being too high-brow.

The blueprint programme of performances and events drawn up by the former artistic director for the run-up to 2008 is not expected to survive her resignation yesterday.

The rest here. (http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100regionalnews/tm_objectid=17334997%26method=full%26siteid=50061%26headline=archergate-name_page.html)

None of that high-faluting artistic stuff from Robyn now (now, who is a hillbilly, exactly?).

On its way, Stan Boardman's Festival of European Friendship, "Dem Jearmins bombed ar chippy!", non-stop perfomances from Sonia, the Reynolds Girls and Cllaig from Big Brother, building up to the end of year finale: Carla Lane's Bread, the musical - on ice.

Capital of Cack. :ohno:

I think that in 2009 we'll remember CoC as much for the 'cultural' events that were not part of the official programme and it will be a good memory.

I think there's a place for naff scouse 'culture' transformed into assorted grotesques by, say cirque du soleil/Dock Road Divas, whatever. Tourists can be terrorised by them and LCC meetings can be invaded by them. Scouse stereotypes home to roost. I'm liking the idea of Davey Henshaw, full on bondage gear riding through Lime Street on a penny farthing (no saddle).

The powers that be have lined up a top notch replacement for ms archer.

better looking imho and far more cultured


[IMG]http://img117.imageshack.us/img117/8057/imppaterson3sp.th.jpg (http://img117.imageshack.us/my.php?image=imppaterson3sp.jpg)

Over on YoLiverpool, Tony Parrish (whose blog site is still down, btw) implies that Mike Storey wished to appoint the excellent Jude Kelly, who has now been snaffled up by London as the artistic director of the 2012 Olympics, for CoC and was overruled by Henshaw, who insisted on the over-paid, and generally absent outsider, Robyn Archer instead.

Jude Kelly is one of the most respected people working in the arts in the UK - she's the former director of the West Yorkshire Playhouse, a theatre whose programme, under her management, was regarded as being one of the very best in the country during the 90s, and whose reputation she built. This whilst Liverpool's famous Playhouse and Everyman were in decline.

Oh, and Ms Kelly is from Liverpool.

Henshaw. :ohno:

Fuckin' 'ell Awayo, Jude Kelly would have been a superb appointment. Talk about a missed opportunity if that's true.

Yeah, I know. This is assuming that she'd have taken the role, if offered to her, of course.

Sounds too much like a poisoned challice to me.

http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100regionalnews/tm_objectid=17340427%26method=full%26siteid=50061%26headline=we%2dwon%2dt%2dreplace%2dculture%2dsupremo-name_page.html

We won't replace culture supremo Jul 6 2006

Exclusive, Liverpool Echo

ROBYN Archer will not be replaced by a new artistic director for Capital of Culture, the ECHO can reveal.

City chiefs will instead concentrating on knocking her 2008 plans into shape, less than 18 months before the celebratory year starts.

They will not be advertising her artistic director job, paid more than £125,000 a year, in the immediate future, but are deciding how to replace the role, with some pressing for a high-profile figurehead to oversee pre parations.

Mersey TV boss Phil Redmond and playwright Willy Russell have already been mentioned as possible targets but no decision will be made for several weeks.

As the ECHO revealed yesterday, the top priority now is overhauling Ms Archer's proposed programme of events - replacing obscure performers, suggested for 2008 but as yet unbooked, with mainstream acts.

Council leader Warren Bradley, Culture Company vice-chairman, said: "I am not sure if we need an artistic director earning a huge salary when we have seven big arts organisations to help bring the programme forward."

Cllr Joe Anderson, opposition leader and Culture Company board member, said: "We have to look at our homegrown talent - even Paul McCartney might want to get involved.

"These people would be delighted to be asked for their opinions and expertise. They would know how to reconnect Capital of Culture with the public.

"We must draw a line under Robyn Archer. We now need people who are passionate about Liverpool and can get involved on a national and intern-ational stage."

Cllr Mike Storey, who oversees 2008 for the council, said: "What we are missing is someone to play the role of Bob Scott during the original bid."

Ms Archer has been lying low at to her mother's Australian home after her shock departure. Today the 82-year-old said her daughter was "fine" and had just left Adelaide.

Her agent, Rachel Skinner, said Ms Archer was on her way to Melbourne and would not make any comment.

It seems that the Sheila was filling the Liverpool 2008 C.O.C programme with Aussie acts, described as "jobs for the boys" in the Echo.

It's looking like a good decision to get rid of her, as it would be a shame to see mostly Aussie act's, when there is a whole world out there. They also need to involve all of the local groups in this programme.

It seems that the Sheila was filling the Liverpool 2008 C.O.C programme with Aussie acts, described as "jobs for the boys" in the Echo.

It's looking like a good decision to get rid of her, as it would be a shame to see mostly Aussie act's, when there is a whole world out there. They also need to involve all of the local groups in this programme.

And there was me looking forward to the musical sequel of `Pricilla Queen of The Desert` - `Don`t get under Sheilas Heels` :runaway:

I`m glad `Willemena Tell` (Robynn Archer)(Oh suit yerself.....) has gone.

Now we can get on with raiding the `Christmas Tree lights` and dusting down our grannies.

Damn, I was looking forward to her bringing Steve Irwin to Knowsley Safari Park.

All these Aussie acts can still bring their shows to Liverpool if they so wish, but i suspect the cash cow that is official C.o.C sponorship will not be there to tempt them. We will have to see.

Iron men statues set to stay on Crosby beach Jul 10 2006

ANTONY GORMLEY'S iron men statues are set to become a permanent feature on the Merseyside coast.

A charitable trust is expected to be set up within days to stop the Another Place artwork being removed from Crosby beach this autumn.

The board of trustees, to include MPs and high-profile business people, would raise funds to buy the piece, ending months of speculation over whether it would remain in the region for the 2008 celebrations.

Sefton officials believe the statues, due to move to New York in November, will act as a catalyst for the regeneration of the coastline.


Crosby MP Claire Curtis-Thomas, who would be on the board, told the Daily Post: "This is an internationally-renowned work of art and it should stay in the area. I think we may well have found a way to keep them here for Capital of Culture year."


The trust was proposed by television presenter Loyd Grossman, chairman of the North West Cultural Consortium, after repeated requests from the public and politicians to keep the statues on Merseyside.


Councillors on Sefton's cabinet are expected to approve the proposal at a meeting on Thursday.


The board would include Neil Pakey, chief executive of Liverpool John Lennon Airport, David Wade-Smith, chairman of the Mersey Partnership tourism committee, and Sara Wilde, chairwoman of Mersey Waterfront and managing director of the Liverpool Daily Post and Echo.


Members would begin assessing the viability of keeping the statues, start raising funds and enter into a contract with Sefton to keep them maintained and insured.

Negotiations have already taken place with Mr Gormley and his commercial dealer, and officials have set a working target of £2m for the purchase, modifications and maintenance.

In a report to go before cabinet on Thursday, Sefton chief executive Graham Haywood says the piece has created a "feelgood factor" in Crosby, by creating jobs, doubling visitor numbers and boosting the local economy.

He says a series of projects could benefit from the statues' positive profile, including the refurbishment of the Leeds-Liverpool Canal towpath, proposals to transform Crosby marine lake into a specialist watersports centre, and converting Seaforth's radar tower into a public observatory.

Mr Haywood also highlights the role of Another Place as "a source of local educational and artistic inspiration".

He adds: "The interest provoked by Another Place among schoolchildren, their parents and the wider community is strong, with spin-off projects already being enthusiastically supported, but it could be taken much further still."

It is hoped a planning application will be lodged in October. However, the trust needs to have carried out a programme of reviews by mid-August, amid environmental and safety concerns.

There is also a risk the statues could deteriorate over the next 10 years, or lose their appeal.


Reviews would include studies on coastal impact, wildlife and beach safety issues, as well as a transport assessment and a public consultation.


In his report, Mr Haywood states: "This is an ambitious work programme for the time available.


"There may be the need to seek an interim extension of time to assemble the longer-term case.


"Antony Gormley has recently indicated he would be prepared to defer removal to New York for a limited period if there is sufficient progress towards Another Place being purchased and remaining on Crosby beach."


The principal agency supporting the trust would be Liverpool Biennial, while Liverpool solicitors Hill Dickenson have been commissioned to provide legal advice.

Accolades - and visitors - flood in for masterpiece

A YEAR on from the official launch of Another Place, the installation has won three major tourism awards and attracted visitors from all over the UK and as far afield as Russia.

Visitor numbers to the sculptures, which were cast from Mr Gormley's body, are expected to have hit the 600,000 mark by November.

The 100 statues, instal- led at a cost of £150,000, are also expected to bring £6m to the local economy before they are due to leave - £1m more than was expected.

More than 700 pupils in 20 schools have been involved in an education project based on the sculptures.

Turner prize coming to Liverpool Tate Museum. This is the highest profile arts award in the U.K. and gets plenty of media coverage. :cheers:

Full story here (http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100regionalnews/tm_objectid=17361617%26method=full%26siteid=50061%26headline=city%2dto%2dhost%2d%2d08%2dturner%2dprize-name_page.html)

http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100regionalnews/tm_objectid=17361617%26method=full%26siteid=50061%26headline=city%2dto%2dhost%2d%2d08%2dturner%2dprize-name_page.html

City to host '08 Turner Prize Jul 11 2006

By Alan Weston Daily Post Staff

THE Turner Prize - Britain's richest arts award - is to come to Liverpool during its 800th birthday celebrations and Capital of Culture year in 2007/8.

It means the announcement of the shortlist, the exhibition of works, and the awards ceremony itself will all be held at the Tate Liverpool - the first time it is being held outside London in its 24-year history.

The city's Capital of Culture leaders were told the news at a meeting held with Peter Hewitt, chief executive of the Arts Council, and Nicolas Serota, director of the Tate, which organises the annual awards.

Last night, Liverpool's council leader, Warren Bradley, hailed the news as "good for the city and good for the Tate."

He added: "The programme of events will start in October, 2007, and carry through for most of 2008.

"It's superb news for the city and I'm thrilled to bits. Together with the completion of the new waterfront museum, and the Kings Dock arena, it means the whole logistics of the docklands area will have changed." Stacey Arnold, spokeswoman for the Tate, said: "We are planning our activities in support of 2007/08 but we cannot confirm our plans at this stage."

The awards ceremony for the Turner Prize will be featured on national television in recognition of the city's Capital of Culture status.

Securing the ceremony for Liverpool will be a major boost for the city's Tate gallery and the Capital of Culture event as a whole, due to the huge amount of publicity and controversy it generates.

He added: "The programme of events will start in October, 2007, and carry through for most of 2008.

The Turner is the most prestigious contemporary art prize in the UK and is usually hosted at London's Tate Britain.

It is awarded to a British artist under 50 for an outstanding exhibition or other presentation in the previous 12 months. Former winners have included Damien Hirst, Antony Gormley - who went on to create the "iron man" statues on Crosby beach - and transvestite potter Grayson Perry.

Earlier this year, it was revealed that Runcorn artist Phil Collins had been shortlisted for the 2006 prize. As well as being the country's richest art prize, it is also the most controversial. Previous winners have included a cast of the inside of a house, and Hirst's notorious Mother and Child, Divided which featured a pickled cow and calf in formaldehyde.

Last year's contest was won by Simon Starling, who recycled materials including bicycles and sheds to create other objects.

The winner of the Turner competition is awarded a top prize of £25,000, with £5,000 each for the three other shortlisted artists.

The prize, established in 1984, is awarded to a British artist under 50 for an outstanding exhibition or other presentation of their work in the preceding 12 months.

The Turner is the most prestigious contemporary art prize in the UK and is usually hosted at London's Tate Britain.

It is awarded to a British artist under 50 for an outstanding exhibition or other presentation in the previous 12 months. Former winners have included Damien Hirst, Antony Gormley - who went on to create the "iron man" statues on Crosby beach - and transvestite potter Grayson Perry.

Earlier this year, it was revealed that Runcorn artist Phil Collins had been shortlisted for the 2006 prize. As well as being the country's richest art prize, it is also the most controversial. Previous winners have included a cast of the inside of a house, and Hirst's notorious Mother and Child, Divided which featured a pickled cow and calf in formaldehyde.

Last year's contest was won by Simon Starling, who recycled materials including bicycles and sheds to create other objects.

The winner of the Turner competition is awarded a top prize of £25,000, with £5,000 each for the three other shortlisted artists.

The prize, established in 1984, is awarded to a British artist under 50 for an outstanding exhibition or other presentation of their work in the preceding 12 months.

It is intended to promote public discussion of new developments in contemporary British art.

Phil Collins, 35, one of this year's shortlisted artists, specialises in creating videos and photographs of people in places of conflict.

He is best-known for They Shoot Horses, a seven-hour video of a disco dance marathon filmed in Ramallah in the Palestinian territories.

He has also filmed Iraqis silently auditioning for a non-existent Hollywood film and invited people in a Basque region of Spain to undress in a luxury hotel as part of a discussion on democracy and beauty.

alanweston@dailypost.co.uk

Nothing has been confirmed yet folks. there may be an announcement today.

It seems that the Sheila was filling the Liverpool 2008 C.O.C programme with Aussie acts, described as "jobs for the boys" in the Echo.

It's looking like a good decision to get rid of her, as it would be a shame to see mostly Aussie act's, when there is a whole world out there. They also need to involve all of the local groups in this programme.


Similar to the 'Singing Estate', I think there should be a 2008 'Singing Forum' composed of leading Liverpool SSC posters, playing and singing music by the late Fritz Spiegl. The intellectual debates, in-fighting and fall-outs would make compulsive TV viewing!!! :)

Tree for every child born in 800th birthday year Jul 11 2006

A TREE is to be planted in Liverpool to mark every birth during the city's 800th birthday year in 2007.

It could mean the create of a mini-forest of up to 8,000 trees if the idea is adopted by the city council tomorrow.

Husband and wife political team Cllrs Ron and Tina Gould are putting forward the scheme at the council meeting as a novel way of helping the birthday celebrations.

They want to see a tree planted for each child born in Liverpool during the birthday year.

If the plan is backed, as expected, by the city council, the executive member for environment and heritage, Cllr Berni Turner, will carry out a feasibility study for the council..


Cllr Ron Gould, an ex-Lord Mayor of the city, said last night: "There are approximately 8,000 births registered in the city of Liverpool each year, which will mean quite a lot of tree-planting throughout the year.


"This amount of trees being planted in the Liverpool area will make a positive contribution to the environment and the local area, and it will be a lasting reminder of what will be a very special year for our city. Since I put forward the idea there has been a lot of positive reaction."




Cllr Tina Gould added: "We would ideally like to see all the trees planted together in a local park. There will be a stone placed in front of each tree, with the name of each child born throughout this year.

"Having the names of the children placed in front of each tree, will allow the children and their families to visit and look after the trees for years to come.

It is also a way to keep the memory of our 800th birthday lasting years after the event."

It is hoped that the families will become involved in the planting of the trees, and the upkeep of the mini-forest.

It is not yet been decided what type of tree would be used in the project, but it could be traditional English oak trees.

The two Aigburth councillors also want talks with local horticultural growers to find out whether a special Liverpool rose could be cultivated to celebrate the 800th birthday year.

Said Cllr Ron Gould: "It would enable citizens to plant birthday roses in their gardens."


larryneild@dailypost.co.uk

Similar to the 'Singing Estate', I think there should be a 2008 'Singing Forum' composed of leading Liverpool SSC posters, playing and singing music by the late Fritz Spiegl. The intellectual debates, in-fighting and fall-outs would make compulsive TV viewing!!! :)


Have I missed something here, ????? interllectual, what does that mean :dunno: :hilarious :

Radio 4's Today programme just did a piece on CofC. Very predictable, they went down to a community centre in Toxteth and rounded up some people who complained that they had not been consulted, and that they called the initiative: "Capital of Crap".

What's to consult? You get some art and culture booked - people enjoy it. End of story. A whole group of people have been virtually trained by constant and patronising Government funded initiatives to sit around in community centres all day moaning that they haven't been consulted. They swarm around any visiting tv or radio journalist to slag their own city off. These people are not disempowered, they have a trained negativity and are habituated to moaning about how others have let them down.

It's July 2006, the programme for 2008 isn't complete, and no doubt most of a fantastic programme can be in place before 2007 dawns. The point about a programme is that people are not expected to go to everything and see everything, they can dip in and out. You as an individual don't have to like everything, because it's not for you - it's for everyone. What makes these people think they should be deciding the programme?

That said, if there isn't a pretty slick PR campaign in all Liverpool schools by September that will be very disappointing, because that will help involve people. Every school child in Greater Liverpool (yes down in north Wales, out into Wigan, Warrington etc) should be involved - and should be involved in 2007 events as well. The Capital of Culture Company will have been remiss if they have not managed to get an intensive educational programme in place very soon. They've had the money and resource and they should be starting to spend it. Let's hope they get into gear soon - although entirely negative whingeing from certain quarters just isn't going to help.

Radio 4's Today programme just did a piece on CofC. Very predictable, they went down to a community centre in Toxteth and rounded up some people who complained that they had not been consulted, and that they called the initiative: "Capital of Crap".

What's to consult? You get some art and culture booked - people enjoy it. End of story. A whole group of people have been virtually trained by constant and patronising Government funded initiatives to sit around in community centres all day moaning that they haven't been consulted. They swarm around any visiting tv or radio journalist to slag their own city off. These people are not disempowered, they have a trained negativity and are habituated to moaning about how others have let them down.

It's July 2006, the programme for 2008 isn't complete, and no doubt most of a fantastic programme can be in place before 2007 dawns. The point about a programme is that people are not expected to go to everything and see everything, they can dip in and out. You as an individual don't have to like everything, because it's not for you - it's for everyone. What makes these people think they should be deciding the programme?

That said, if there isn't a pretty slick PR campaign in all Liverpool schools by September that will be very disappointing, because that will help involve people. Every school child in Greater Liverpool (yes down in north Wales, out into Wigan, Warrington etc) should be involved - and should be involved in 2007 events as well. The Capital of Culture Company will have been remiss if they have not managed to get an intensive educational programme in place very soon. They've had the money and resource and they should be starting to spend it. Let's hope they get into gear soon - although entirely negative whingeing from certain quarters just isn't going to help.
Poli, didn't hear it myself, but my sister did and she was seething! She's been to the PR people at COC and they were a bit sheepish.What they did say was the BBC has done them no favours as far back to the run up to the awarding of COC, they told her there will be a follow up tonight on the 10'clock news(don't whether that's radio or TV). I think this typical of how the BBC reports on Liverpool, the article was supposed to be follow up to the resignation of Robyn Archer(another negative) it was a fait accompli, go to a deprived area and ask the people how the COC has affected them.It's a fucking cliche, a cliche we're all too familiar with in Liverpool with the national media.

Hm, here it is: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/listenagain/ram/today5_culture_20060712.ram

Ill-informed hatchet job, reported by an ignorant wet-behind-the-ears journalist.

I heard it when I was driving to work and it was a bit cringeworthy to say the least. I think Radio 4 have a studio in Liverpool, which is a plus, but their reporting still seems to be a bit on the shite side. I'm a big fan of the station, but whenever they report on Liverpool, things suddenly become a bit sensationalist and OTT. The whole debacle about Robyn whats her face is portrayed as some huge disaster, when it clearly isn't. It's been a waste of money but it shouldn't prevent a good show in 2008.

There was another piece on Liverpool yesterday morning- about some guy who's written a book on gangs in Liverpool. Frankly, the guy made a bit of a show of the city, completely exaggerating the manner in which some guy in 1875 was beaten up (typical scouser, exaggerating and practically showing off about things that are embarrassing!) Apparently, some guy was literally kicked the whole way up a street by a crowd of 40, including a gang and crazed passers by :hahano:. The message was intended to be- "we've always had gangs." Shame this nob head author had to promote his book in such an embarrassing fashion. He was followed by some woman from a housing estate complaining about gangs and crime.

Hm, here it is: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/listenagain/ram/today5_culture_20060712.ram

Ill-informed hatchet job, reported by an ignorant wet-behind-the-ears journalist.

You just know it aint gonna be a positive piece when it opens with the line 'It's been called a fiasco'.

It just reeks of a 'negative scoop' and is hardly an in-depth report, more like a collection of soundbites which gives an overall 'well meaning and passionate, but generally incompetent and unable to deliver'.

It's interesting to hear that the person who calls it the 'Captial of Crap' does so with a thick London accent!

Also, if you carry on listening, after the section on the the house sellers packs there's another piece which talks about renaming street roads - which, of course, opens with a major dig at Liverpool's CC! The rest of piece is quite informative looking at controversial streets in other parts of the country and getting an interesting mixture of opinion (fortunately the voice of reason prevails and is in general agreement with the overwhelming opinion of this forum). Perhaps mercifully no one interviews the main culprit Ms Mace, so listeners are spared the full contradictory lunacy of her ideas.

Mmm, I doubt very much that we'll see headlines such as 'Reason Prevails' or 'What is This Sense?', why would Radio 4 want a happy end to a story from the provinces?

I heard it when I was driving to work and it was a bit cringeworthy to say the least. I think Radio 4 have a studio in Liverpool, which is a plus, but their reporting still seems to be a bit on the shite side. I'm a big fan of the station, but whenever they report on Liverpool, things suddenly become a bit sensationalist and OTT. The whole debacle about Robyn whats her face is portrayed as some huge disaster, when it clearly isn't. It's been a waste of money but it shouldn't prevent a good show in 2008.

There was another piece on Liverpool yesterday morning- about some guy who's written a book on gangs in Liverpool. Frankly, the guy made a bit of a show of the city, completely exaggerating the manner in which some guy in 1875 was beaten up (typical scouser, exaggerating and practically showing off about things that are embarrassing!) Apparently, some guy was literally kicked the whole way up a street by a crowd of 40, including a gang and crazed passers by :hahano:. The message was intended to be- "we've always had gangs." Shame this nob head author had to promote his book in such an embarrassing fashion. He was followed by some woman from a housing estate complaining about gangs and crime.

Alright Rob. :cheers:

Well it could be argued that no one has directly asked me my opinion of capital of culture, or done anything for me, it's not done any thing where i live...!

"Wotzs C.o.C. dun fer meeeee"....!, nuffink, if you don't actively get involved and contribute to it, or ask about it.

P.s. It's also unlikeley to install some new double glazing to your neighbourhood, unless it's a "2008 Turner prize contender" :)


P.p.s The hosting for the 2008 Turner prize in Liverpool has been oficially confirmed, along with the prospect of more events coming.

Full story here (http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100regionalnews/tm_objectid=17368670%26method=full%26siteid=50061%26headline=city%2din%2dthe%2drunning%2dto%2dhost%2dculture%2dyear%2dawards%2devents-name_page.html)

City to throw global 07 partyJul 14 2006

By Sam Lister Daily Post Staff

A GLOBAL street party will be staged to celebrate Liverpool's 800th birthday.
Every district in the city is to host major outdoor celebrations next year, topped off with a massive city centre event.

But parties marking the historic occasion will also span the globe with namesake cities in other continents being invited to join in as well as major ex-pat communities.

Today culture officials will announce the rest of their closely-guarded programme of events for the 07 birthday year, the final themed year in the run-up to Capital of Culture.

It is expected to be markedly different from this year's events, which focused on bringing innovative international performance groups in a bid to allow people in Liverpool to "broaden their horizons".

Instead, next year's programme is expected to centre on community-based events. The announcement follows a difficult 10 days for the culture company after its artistic director, Robyn Archer was forced to quit.

Council leader Warren Bradley and newly-appointed chief executive Colin Hilton have travelled to London to give Department of Culture, Media and Sport officials assurances that the plans were still on track.

Cllr Bradley said: "We set up the meeting before Robyn left so the DCMS could met Colin. "But it was a good opportunity to talk about what has happened and they were really supportive."

The birthday year will include festivals and activities showcasing 800 years of the city's heritage. The celebrations will culminate with a special Liverpool Day on the official birthday on Tuesday, August 28, the date King John signed Liverpool's Charter.

Part of the plans also include inviting the city's 80-year-olds to a lavish party at the town hall. Thousands of schoolchildren will also be given a memento, possibly a medallion and a DVD of Liverpool's history.

King John's charter granted Liverpool certain privileges and from that date the small fishing village began to grow. The expansion of the port led to a rapid development of the city with many fantastic buildings ranging from the docks themselves, to the civic splendour of St George's Hall.

The culture company refused to comment on the plans until the full
announcement has been made today.


As long as 'community based' isn't another word for 'cheesy' and there's not too much Ken Dodd!

Vikings to 'invade' for 2008? Jul 14 2006

A VIKING ship may be seen in the Mersey during Capital of Culture year.

The ship, built by the Viking museum in Denmark, will be in Dublin in 2007 and Danish cultural leaders are looking at whether it could then sail across the Irish Sea to Liverpool for 2008.

A series of other Nordic events and partnerships are also being discussed for 2008, when Liverpool will be joined by non-European Capital of Culture Stavanger in Norway.

Attach?s from Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland and Iceland visited Liverpool this week.

Colin Turner, Danish consul to Liverpool, said: "Many nations have helped evolve Liverpool's multi-cultural character, not least the Nordic people.


"Many have settled here so it would be fitting to encourage them and visitors in 2008 to take part in events."


Lone Britt Molloy, cultural attache at the Danish Embassy, added: "We want to work in artistic co-operation to establish long-term networks."


The attaches met Neil Peterson, head of the Culture Company's Liverpool Welcome programme.


They were also given a walking tour by Blue Badge guide Phil Hughes who maintains the origins of traditional Liverpool dish lob scouse are also Nordic.


He said: "In Danish it's skiper lap skous. It was brought to Liverpool by the Scandinavian sailors."


During the 19th century Liverpool became the main port of embarkation for Nordic emigrants off to America.


Liverpool also has its own Scandinavian seamen's church, Gustav Adolfus Kyrka, built in 1884.

I've always thought that for 2008 there should be a huge gathering of different boats and ships from all over the world. There's easily enough dock space to accomodate junks, dows, tall ships, clippers, monohulls, multihulls etc. Imagine the sight of seeing all these boats on the Mersey?! Once docked people could board the vessels and learn about the seafaring traditions and cultures of nations which have in the past and continue to trade with Liverpool. It would also draw in ethnic communities in Liverpool which grew as a result of the port and continue to settle/grow in the city.

Liverpool needs a few tall ships based in the port, for tourist trips, training courses etc. Its remarkable the impact they have on the old docks (Albert, Canning etc).

City Charters exhibition at Liverpool Central Library The original 1207 document and some of the 23 key royal charters granted to Liverpool will go on display alongside medieval deeds, 18th century maps and Bank of Liverpool bank notes from the 1790s.

Look at all this that will go on display in February,I didn't realise they still had any of that money left,wasn't Liverpool the only city in the World to actually have its own money printed? I'm defo going to this. :cheers:

City Charters exhibition at Liverpool Central Library The original 1207 document and some of the 23 key royal charters granted to Liverpool will go on display alongside medieval deeds, 18th century maps and Bank of Liverpool bank notes from the 1790s.

Look at all this that will go on display in February,I didn't realise they still had any of that money left,wasn't Liverpool the only city in the World to actually have its own money printed? I'm defo going to this. :cheers:

It all sounds excellent and why don`t we also `replant` the second `SANCTUARY STONE` back in `Dale Street` to mark the occasion.

(Which was lost in the 1950s.....twerps.)

Original `Liverpool Fair` for 800th Celerbration.....................................


http://www.chestertourist.com/liverpoolpics.htm

Some highlights of the 2007 programme

January

Opening event at which artists from all faiths and communities celebrate the city's history over the past 800 years through music and the written word.

February

City Charters exhibition at Liverpool Central Library The original 1207 document and some of the 23 key royal charters granted to Liverpool will go on display alongside medieval deeds, 18th century maps and Bank of Liverpool bank notes from the 1790s.

April

Gala re-opening of St George's Hall on April 23.

May

Four Corners 07 All seven city neighbourhoods will be given an arts partner to develop programmes around identity.

June

Maritime heritage event, with a special emphasis on the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the international slave trade.


July

Magical History Tour at Merseyside Maritime Museum A major exhibition documenting Liverpool's history over 800 years. Schools' birthday party,

July 6

Schools will be supplied with party packs with a special souvenir available to pupils.

August

100 Heads Thinking as One, St George's Hall A collection of portraits by Anthony Brown revealing 100 subjects chosen for their contribution to Liverpool life.

International Slavery Remembrance Day, August 23 The 200th anniversary of the abolition of slavery. National Museums Liverpool will open its new £10m International Slavery Museum.(I can't wait for this to open now I know why Granada have moved to the Liver Buildings) :cheers:
September

A specially extended month long Heritage Open Days season History Alive!

September 14-16

A three-day local history fair at St George's Hall. Treasure Based on an idea by the late Bishop of Liverpool, Lord David Sheppard, 800 people will be invited to create a memory box which will be displayed in historic buildings across the city.

November

Family and Familiar Trees Families will be invited to work with local artists to create portraits of themselves, their family and favourite trees - celebrating the city's lungs through photography, sculpture and art installations.

HERITAGE

TALKS, concerts, and special anniversary books are being planned by Liverpool's heritage groups.

The organisations, members of Liverpool Heritage Forum, are putting together their own programme of events to celebrate the 800th birthday.

They include:

* Liverpool Heritage Forum: members will supply volunteers to "meet and greet" visitors, including advice on how to locate culture attractions; a series of public lectures in the Town Hall, aimed at people who do not usually attend talks given by heritage societies, and a new city history website.

* Merseyside Archaeological Society: a conference on the post-medieval archaeology of Merseyside. It will also re-publish The Changing Face of Liverpool showing key archaeological sites, pictures and streets from 1207-1727.

* Liverpool Opera Circle: a series of concerts giving a platform to student opera singers at the graduate and post graduate stage of their training.

* The Friends of National Museums Liverpool will host the annual national conference of the British Association of Friends of Museums. They will also produce a booklet about benefactors who helped to pay for Liverpool museums and artefacts on display.

* Liverpool Geological Society: a Rock Around Liverpool conference and publication.

* Walton History Society: a book of photographs of Walton entitled Then and Now.

* The Travelling People: a Strauss meets Scouse musical event, and an evening of 10 famous Liverpool people, 10 Liverpool buildings and 10 Liverpool songs.

* Lark Lane Writers Club: a film and/or poetry performance centred around city statues and gargoyles.

Societies are asked to send details of their plans to email@liverpool-heritage.org.uk

THE ARTS

PAUL McCartney's Liverpool Oratorio is to be restaged as part of the artistic programme for 20 07.

The work will be performed in Liverpool Cathedral, where it was premiered 15 years ago, on June 26.

"We very much hope he will be able to be with us," said the conductor Carl Davis who collaborated with the ex-Beatle on what was his first classical piece of music.

The concert is part of a summer of Beatles-related events. The Royal Court is to stage a live version of the concept album, Sgt Pepper, in May and June, while the artist responsible for the iconic album cover, Sir Peter Blake, has a major exhibition at Tate Liverpool, opening on June 29.

Cavern City tours are also planning the ultimate Liverpool 800th birthday concert at the Empire Theatre on August 30.

The year that will see the completion of the new International Slavery Museum at Albert Dock - to mark the 200th anniversary of the abolition of slavery in Britain - will feature a major exhibition at the Fact arthouse cinema by the Black Film Audio Collective.

The Everyman/Playhouse company also plans a nationally produced play about the freedom struggle prior to abolition.

There will also be a major premiere commemorating the May blitz of 1941, and another documentary drama based on the memories of world war 2 merchant navy veterans.

The citizenship lectures inspired by abolitionist William Roscoe, and run by Liverpool John Moores University, feature some star speakers.

The university's out-going chancellor, prime minister's wife Cherie Blair, is joined in the series by attorney general Lord Goldsmith, BBC newscaster George Alaigiah and broadcaster Esther Rantzen.

Ms Rantzen will be talking on the shocking issue of child abuse.

Among exhibitions at the Walker Gallery is a first retrospective of Liverpool-born science fiction artist Josh Kirby, who designed the first cover of Ian Fleming's Moonraker, the poster for Monty Python's Life of Brian and the cover illustrations for Terry Pratchett's Discworld series.

THE mythical Liver Bird, symbol of the city, is also the symbol of Liverpool's 800th birthday.

Revealed for the first time today, the 1207-2007 logo will be available for people to use free of charge to publicise their birthday events.

An invitation is now open to anyone with a Liverpool connection to join in the festivities and log on to www.liverpool08.com to tell the world of their plans.

They can also use the special 2007 logo which can be downloaded from the 08 website.

One thing I find remarkable is that no-one at the Culture Company has conceived some kind of link-up with Zaragoza in 2008 (what this would comprise, I don't know, but that's not what I'm paid to do). After all, the other big year-long event in Europe that year is the Expo being held there. Having said that, I'm not sure anyody in the Expo team has done anything, either.

I'm off there in a couple of days for a few weeks, when I return I'll post some pics of how the developments there are looking and how they compare.

wots expo

One thing I find remarkable is that no-one at the Culture Company has conceived some kind of link-up with Zaragoza in 2008 (what this would comprise, I don't know, but that's not what I'm paid to do). After all, the other big year-long event in Europe that year is the Expo being held there. Having said that, I'm not sure anyody in the Expo team has done anything, either.

I'm off there in a couple of days for a few weeks, when I return I'll post some pics of how the developments there are looking and how they compare.
Interesting point, but maybe they are just concentrating on what to do within the context of the city....who knows??..

Hi New, yes perhaps both camps have enough on their plate. On the other hand, Expo 2008's main themes are water and sustainable development, and as our bloodstream is the Mersey, there is certainly a common theme there that both cities could employ in any potential relationship.
The next Expo after Zaragoza is Shanghai in 2010, and if Liverpool is not involved in some way then it will be criminal.

In answer to Westy's question, I'm sure any queries that you may have can be answered by this website:
Zaragoza Expo 2008 (http://www.expozaragoza2008.es/EN/index.asp)

The Times today,full page article,page 14,titled,"Not much to laugh about in the capital of culture.It goes on to list all the failings to the lead up to 2008,with quotes from the usual suspects, including the peabrained Labour leader,Joe Anderson. It then pursues it futher in the editorial(page 23) going on to say,"There have been rows,resignations and backbiting" to be fair it does add,"For a city as diverse and passionate as Liverpool,a party than was planned with charmless efficiency and excecuted with bloodless organisation,would be no party at all" I suppose you could call that a backhanded compliment.All in all though, not very good national exposure.

The Times today,full page article,page 14,titled,"Not much to laugh about in the capital of culture.It goes on to list all the failings to the lead up to 2008,with quotes from the usual suspects, including the peabrained Labour leader,Joe Anderson. It then pursues it futher in the editorial(page 23) going on to say,"There have been rows,resignations and backbiting" to be fair it does add,"For a city as diverse and passionate as Liverpool,a party than was planned with charmless efficiency and excecuted with bloodless organisation,would be no party at all" I suppose you could call that a backhanded compliment.All in all though, not very good national exposure.

All of it `old news` - it`s Saturday we don`t have anything else to fill the page - "I know let`s tear a piece out of Liverpool." Yawn Yawn Yawn.....

:sleepy:

http://liverpool-evil-cabal.blogspot.com/

The author of that blog has some critical things to say on this topic.

http://liverpool-evil-cabal.blogspot.com/

The author of that blog has some critical things to say on this topic.

and,

Promoting truth, justice and democracy in Liverpool city council......

Love it love it love it!


:cheer: :cheer: :cheer: :cheer: :cheer:

The Times today,full page article,page 14,titled,"Not much to laugh about in the capital of culture.It goes on to list all the failings to the lead up to 2008,with quotes from the usual suspects, including the peabrained Labour leader,Joe Anderson. It then pursues it futher in the editorial(page 23) going on to say,"There have been rows,resignations and backbiting" to be fair it does add,"For a city as diverse and passionate as Liverpool,a party than was planned with charmless efficiency and excecuted with bloodless organisation,would be no party at all" I suppose you could call that a backhanded compliment.All in all though, not very good national exposure.

,"For a city as diverse and passionate as Liverpool,a party than was planned with charmless efficiency and excecuted with bloodless organisation,would be no party at all"

The Sun's cysta has just about got it right on this occasion. I'm liking this viewpoint. 2007 & 2008 will see plenty of brick bats being wielded in our direction, especially from the London based media. For some of them the idea that anywhere outside England's largest city can have something that passes as 'culture' is something to s n i g g e r at.

My feeling is that the real action will be off-programme. I can't wait.

Yes, It`ll be `Tin hats all round for everybody.`

Fair point, Liverpool8. After all, the thing that everyone likes most about the Edinburgh Festival is the Fringe and not the official thingeos.

However, the Fringe took many years to develop. Is there enought time for Liverpool's innate protean creative anarchy to assert itself and burst out from the confines of Mister Harborrow's official programme. Hope so.

The london press can sneer , but we in this city know how to party, I am sure that the CoC Company has a few surprises to spring on us well before the 1st Jan 2008.

We don't need an £800m Goretex tent to revel in. Give us £20 for vodka and coke and we'll but the millenninnennienniemmimmmumm celebrations to shame.

:dance::dance::dance::dance::dance:
:cheer::cheer::cheer::cheer::cheer::cheer::cheer::cheer::cheer::cheer::cheer:

:applause::applause::applause:

the 'off' programme or 'fringe' will be by far the most important part of what goes on over the next two years.

If LCC-CoC could only grasp this and see the advantages of them playing advocate then they could save themselves some embarrassment.

It is in these areas too where you willl see real scouse talent shine, of r an international audience?

the 'off' programme or 'fringe' will be by far the most important part of what goes on over the next two years.

If LCC-CoC could only grasp this and see the advantages of them playing advocate then they could save themselves some embarrassment.

It is in these areas too where you willl see real scouse talent shine, of r an international audience?

I think part of the tension is between what LCC might want to promote as scouse culture and what is happening on the street. Lpool isn't the city it was even five years ago, something is afoot, and in 2007 it's gonna start kicking.

http://liverpool-evil-cabal.blogspot.com/2006/08/millionaire-pop-promoter-harbarrowboy.html

More claims of improper conduct.

Reading all this stuff, it creates the impression that the boil that was Henshaw has been lanced, but there is some localised infection left behind that needs to be cleared up. The City needs committed and talented people to drive its growth, not mediocre sleezebags.

Like Howard Bernstein yes? :yes:

Like Howard Bernstein yes? :yes:
Sir Howie is not too impressed with the NWDA is he? :)

Exactly
I am certainly not saying that the entertainments part of the year should be purely local stuff, shit or not, but at it's core 08 has to be a celebration of a cultural city?

A cultural city for me is one where a large number of its folk take part in or utilise their creative talents in some major way or another on a regiular basis?....i.e. scouse culture




I think part of the tension is between what LCC might want to promote as scouse culture and what is happening on the street. Lpool isn't the city it was even five years ago, something is afoot, and in 2007 it's gonna start kicking.

I don't know about where you live, To' but where I live it's become less and less scouse and more and more Polish, general East European, Somalian and, almost out of nowhere, Asian. Further south (erm, just down and to the left of Aigburth Road - to the right, with the obvious exception of Fulwood Park, it's as described) there's an influx of people with predominantly southern accents. No doubt in 10 to 15 years time they will all be producing kids who sound as 'Liverpudlian' as the rest of us. However, it raises an interesting question for me about how Liverpudlians who don't identify as scouse will be represented during CoC. An interesting tension. I'm liking it.

Now that the city is picking up the culture will once again begin evolving. The influences all of thesse groups will have in the coming decades should be marvelous... helping maintain scouse's best attribute, i.e. that of continual evolution.


Brooklyn is still Brooklyn though you no longer hear that Italian mix accent so mujch any more.... as most of the imigrants are now from Asia etc, rather than italy... the place is still a dynamo though.

I think we should be extremely cautious when trying to quantify what makes up urban cultures. I have always only counted as scouse something that someone, or some group have created.... it is not strands of 'character' as such... when we try and claim these our 'culture' usually starts looking fake and pat...'it's our sense 'o' umer' etc!

We should stick to being reactive as not only does this help include more folk it also helps to highlight what I said above about ensuring that our culture's most important aspect is highlighted mosty....i.e.... it changes! There is not a thread running through 'scouse' for the last 500... or even 200 years..... and this is a trait revealed in all the best urban as opposed to county or national cultures... we constantly adapt.

The Hitler who lived in Upper Stanhope Street


A BROADWAY play about the Liverpool-born nephew of Adolf Hitler has taken New York by storm and could be coming this side of the Atlantic in the New Year.

"Play Liverpool? I don't see why not. I'd be honoured to take it anywhere where people found his character interesting," said 34-year-old New York-born playwright Mark Kassen.

He has based his latest work Little Willy on the life of William Patrick Hitler, who was born in 1911 and grew up in Upper Stanhope Street, Toxteth.

The son of the Fuhrer's half brother Alois and Irish-born Bridget Dowling, legend has it that Adolf himself stayed at the family home in Liverpool between November, 1912 and April, 1913. According to Bridget's diaries: "He would often come and sit in my cosy little kitchen playing with my two-year-old baby, while I was preparing our meals.

"He used to spread maps out on tables or the floor and pore over them for hours. He would never hesitate to interrupt my housework to explain how Germany was going to take its rightful position in the world."


As his uncle rose to power in the 1930s, young Willy, or Billy as he was known in his home town, discovered that the name Hitler was not exactly flavour of the month. Jobless, he moved to Germany.


But Billy fell foul of his uncle when he declined to give up his British passport and fully embrace Nazism. Things got worse when Billy tried to blackmail his uncle, who labelled him "my loathsome nephew", claiming that a family descendant was Jewish.


He returned to Britain where this time he tried to cash in on the family name in stories condemning his infamous uncle. Ultimately though, it alienated him and at the start of the war he drifted to the United States where he embarked on a lecture tour telling audiences about Uncle Adolf 's erratic behaviour and evil plans.


When the US joined the war he applied for military service and, cleared by the FBI, he joined the US Navy in 1944.


After that he disappeared off the radar screen. It was only in 1998 that author David Garner discovered he had finally rescinded the Hitler connection by changing his name to William Stuart-Houston.


He married a German woman, Phyllis, in 1947 and settled in the quiet rural community of Patchogue, Long Island where they had four children three of whom survive today.


Billy died in 1987 and was buried next to his wife in a local Catholic churchyard.


"Some people look on Little Willy as a comedy play but it depends on who watches it because his life was quite turbulent and sad," explained Mr Kassen.


"Everything about him was very inconsistent. He would switch from speaking Irish, to German or English accents. He was very much a Walter Mitty kind of character."


Mr Kassen knows Liverpool well.

"I really love Liverpool because the people there remind me of where I grew up in Syracuse, just outside of New York.
"They're an honest class of people, down-to-earth and friendly."