03 August 2009
Liverpool 08 – it’s a wrap
• Culture Company wound up on 31st July, on budget
• Final report commends partnerships forged and looks to the
future
The Liverpool Culture Company today (3rd August) released its
final report, charting the story of Liverpool 08 from inception
through to delivery and its long-term legacy. The report marks the
final chapter in the four-year history of the Liverpool Culture
Company, which was formally wound up on Friday.
Having invested over £122 million in what has been called “One
of the most successful Capital of Culture programmes ever”, the job
of the Liverpool Culture Company is now complete.
The final report examines the success of Liverpool 08, including
an £800 million economic boost to the city, £200 million of global
media coverage and 3.5 million new visitors, all of which helped to
reshape perceptions of Liverpool and mark it out as a world-class
cultural destination.
The report praised the partnerships forged during and leading up
to 08. The city’s key cultural partners were crucial to the success
of the bid and delivered a wide range of cultural events during the
year.
Participation was also central to everything delivered during
2008; the £11m Creative Communities programme, the largest public
and community arts programme in Europe, and the 2,500 volunteers
that signed up were also commended in the report.
The report details how the success of 08 is already being built
on; using Liverpool’s renewed international reputation to drive
further economic and tourism benefits.
The City Council has established Culture Liverpool, a new unit
that will help focus the city’s cultural activity, services and
events. A new cultural strategy is in place and this is being
delivered through the many partnerships forged as a result of
Liverpool 08, including LARC (Liverpool Arts Regeneration
Consortium).
Bryan Gray, Chairman of the Liverpool Culture Company
said:
“It was my privilege to be the third and final Chair of the
Liverpool Culture Company and ultimately I believe Liverpool’s year
as European Capital of Culture was an unqualified success. The
figures speak for themselves but what we can’t express in a report
is the sense of coming together that 08 generated. This is a
remarkable achievement and everyone involved deserves a huge amount
of praise. I would like to thank everyone who has made it
possible.”
-ends-
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