Capital of Culture back on track after major programme announcements.
The Liverpool Culture Company (LCC) has unveiled its programme of events and commissions to celebrate the citys year as European Capital of Culture in 2008, involving collaboration between the LCC and major cultural institutions, artists, performers and venues throughout Liverpool and beyond. The announcement coincided with the launch of a ticket ballot for a number of major events, including the official opening of the 2008 programme at the Liverpool Echo Arena, scheduled for January. The launch announcements come only a fortnight after the LCC appointed a new, slimmed-down board a move widely seen as an attempt to get scheduling for 2008 back on track, and restore confidence in the LCCs leadership following a series of widely publicised organisational crises, including the surprise cancellation of keynote programme events, such as the Mathew Street Festival.
Drawing on major themes in Liverpools cultural heritage, the programme emphasises the citys contribution to the worlds of visual arts and music, with the LCC announcing a series of UK and international commissions, including a city-wide public art programme designed in association with Liverpool Biennial, to be held in tandem with a programme of local and international street theatre. The LCC also announced the creation of Liverpool Commissions, a £500,000 commissioning strand aimed at small- to mid-scale Merseyside arts companies and individual artists. The project aims to produce 11 brand new works of art designed to highlight unique and unusual areas around the city, with a spotlight on public spaces and buildings, such the Bluecoat, Liverpool city centres oldest building and one of the UKs oldest art spaces, which is set to re-open in 2008 following a £12.5m refit.
Events reflecting Liverpools musical heritage also form a significant part of the programme, with stars such as Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr introducing the keynote Liverpool Sound concert, to be held at Anfield football stadium in June. Broadcast live around the world, the concert will feature a yet-to-be-announced line-up of global superstars. Liverpool Music Week in November, is set to bring hundreds of bands to Liverpool for more than two weeks of concerts, whilst the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestras contribution will feature a total of 30 new commissions, including major works by Sir John Tavener, Karl Jenkins, Michael Nyman and Brett Dean, alongside works by Liverpool-born composers.
In the field of performing arts, Merseyside Dance Initiative will host British Dance Edition 2008, a leading UK showcase for diverse and new dance performance, with highlights including two gala triple bills at the Liverpool Empire starring Hofesh Schecter, Richard Alston and Russell Maliphant. Artichoke, the company that brought the Sultans Elephant event to London, has also been commissioned to produce a work for Liverpool 2008.
Welcoming the announcements, Michael Eakin, Executive Director, Arts Council England, North West, said, Liverpool European Capital of Culture is an extraordinary opportunity for the arts in the city, and in the UK as a whole. As can be seen from these announcements, the programme that is being developed is building on the remarkable cultural strengths of Liverpool, and is also truly worldwide in its perspective and ambition. Arts Council England is delighted to be supporting and working closely in partnership with the LCC, and artists and arts organisations in the city.