In the beginning there were twelve. Then six finalists were short listed as the UK’s possible European City of Culture. And as we all know, the bid was finally won in June last year by Liverpool, whose plans for a spectacular 2008 are well underway.
The hopes of 11 cities were raised and these same cities could have felt that they had failed their residents. Expensive bids and great ideas lost forever – a bit like bidding for the Olympics, only a whole lot more personal.
Well, the good news is that the five other short listed cities – Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Newcastle/Gateshead and Oxford – and the six who were whittled out earlier in the selection process – Belfast, Bradford, Brighton and Hove, Canterbury and East Kent, Inverness and the Highlands and Norwich – can have a second bite at the cherry. And so can any other major urban local authority in the country.
Not to be ECOC, mind you – that honour is indubitably Liverpool’s and nothing is going to take anything away from their festivities – but a recent announcement by Tessa Jowell will gladden the hearts of culture lovers all over the UK.
£15 million of lottery money has been made available to support the legacy of the ECOC bids. The Millennium Commission has offered two-thirds of this amount towards the Urban Cultural Programme, while the Arts Council is providing the remaining £5 million.
In her letter to each of the unsuccessful bidding cities, the Culture Minister stated that building on the earlier bids had become ‘a personal priority’. Recognising the amount of effort put into each of the bids, and that the process brought out the best in each of the cities, the Minister’s personal touch is a fitting gesture.
However Lottery rules are clear – grants cannot be a closed shop, so the unsuccessful cities will need to apply for the funds alongside another other urban authority with an eye for a 2008 celebration. No one is pretending that the groundwork already put in will not give these cities a head start with any forthcoming application. But the cake is big and sufficient slices can be shared around so that many more Britons than originally thought can be involved in the excitement of 2008.
Cities wishing to become involved will need to provide partnership funding for their proposal and represent a minimum population of 120 000. The programme is not in any sense a capital one. Capital developments may be funded if minor but integral to a proposal. The key idea is that the year will be filled with festivals, events and showcases all over the country. Indeed, a cultural renaissance.
An additional £200 000 has been earmarked to forge links between Liverpool’s plans and any other city wanting to be involved. Liverpool itself has been granted up to £100 000 to assist with the EU ratification process and to address any concerns raised in the EU Panel’s report.
There are broader implications arising from the legacy of the ECOC bid. In 2005, the UK will once again assume Presidency of the European Council. Ireland, the current holder of the Presidency, has focused on things cultural as a matter of high priority. Given that it is under Ireland’s stewardship when the EU expands so dramatically on 1 May, the circumstances are exceptional, but a high standard has been set and wheels are now in motion for the UK to push the benchmarks higher when our turn comes again.
2008 could also mark the beginning of a cultural Olympiad. When the winning city for the 2012 Olympics is announced in July 2005, everyone is hoping that London comes out on top. Should this happen, let the celebrations begin! Four years of arts, culminating in two weeks of sport is a balance that many would approve of.
Meanwhile, the Merseyside city’s plans are in full swing. 2004, The Year of Faith, is the second of a series of themed years that are planned to 2010. Sea Liverpool, 2005; The Year of Performance, 2006 and Heritage 2007 all precede the Big One. City Life will be celebrated in 2009, with everything winding down in 2010 with a year of Creativity and Innovation.
The official view of the ECOC crown is ‘not as a prize, but a scholarship … the critical accelerator that will enable Liverpool to reach its creative potential.’
Infrastructure in the cultural and tourism sectors will be given a £2 billion shot in the arm. If current trends persist, up to 14 000 additional jobs will be created as a direct result of ECOC success. Visitor numbers are expected to exceed 1.7 million, many of these bringing economic benefits to the wider region. It is not difficult to imagine that this kind of growth will now be seen all over the country.
The final report of the Independent Advisory Panel to DCMS that announced Liverpool as the winner, noted with delight a ‘cultural zest and liveliness’ across Britain and the power of the arts to enhance quality of life. So impressed was the panel with this cultural renaissance, that the report foreshadowed the financial support recently announced by Jowell. Clearly, DCMS has been working hard behind the scenes to make things happen.
The commitment of the people of Liverpool helped secure the bid. The buzz in the city is palpable. Create, Participate, Regenerate – the words that summarise the future in the port city – can now resonate across the country.
With the arrival of the ten new EU member states in May, each qualifying to nominate an ECOC, it is likely to be 20 or 30 years before it is Britain’s turn again. With the funding solution announced by Tessa Jowell, everyone is a winner. No wonder the Culture Minister is smiling.
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