Arts and Culture projects in Liverpool are making a real difference to people’s lives according to new research. The Creative Communities project based in Liverpool has been highly praised and recognised by an independently researched and published report, The Art of Inclusion.
The Minister for Culture, David Lammy made a special visit to Liverpool on December 8th to lend his support to The Art of Inclusion conference. Lammy noted, “It’s always wonderful to be in Liverpool. My message to you, is that Liverpool was right to put culture in its broadest sense at the heart of its regeneration. The evidence is all around us… Liverpool is leading the way… transformed by a reinvention which is sensitive to the past and conscious of current needs.”
Liverpool City Council leader elect, Councillor Warren Bradley commented, “It’s great to see that we’re getting resounding support for this event from up and down the country,” as well as from a “…high level official like David Lammy, who has expressed his love for Liverpool in the past.”
The Art of Inclusion conference was called to discuss the role of the arts and cultural activities at a grassroots level, as a response to the independently researched report into Liverpool’s Creative Communities initiative. The conference also drew local authority representatives from all over the UK and top officials from bodies such as the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
Head of Creative Communities, Claire McColgan, said: “Bringing together
great cultural minds like this offers a fantastic exchange of ideas. It also gives delegates from around the country an insight into how and why Liverpool is doing so well, as illustrated by the independent report by DTZ.”
In his conference address Lammy stressed that, “It’s massively important to the future of this country the investment that we are seeing in Liverpool… and this cultural investment will pay huge dividends in the years ahead. The arts is the driver for social change and I’m so glad that Liverpool understands that and is communicating that to the world. We need to invest in people’s souls as well as their skills.”
Lammy went on to say that, “Liverpool is addressing this issue [of infrastructure] and saying we want creative cultures; we want areas that were formerly totally decayed to be renewed. Culturally for this city, Liverpool 08 leads the way … with a lot of history and talent and culture here, that … people beyond our shores will be desperate and eager to discover. It leads the way to the 2012 Olympics.”
The Art of Inclusion report was researched by DTZ Pieda Consulting. The report calls the Creative Communities programme “bold”, “inventive”, and states that it attempts a “radically new and holistic approach to regeneration.” The report also highlights that, “evidence of increased local pride and ownership is already obvious.” Researchers found that the programme genuinely involves “thousands of ordinary Liverpudlians” and “works for people and is truly owned by them. ” Also of vital importance is the assessment that the “…partnerships the programme forges are strong, with the potential to continue well beyond 2008.”
Earlier in the year Liverpool’s Culture Company, responsible for Liverpool’s European Capital of Culture celebrations in 2008 invited MPs and Lords to champion Liverpool’s cause. In response Prime Minister Tony Blair led the main political leaders in backing the launch of a special Capital of Culture All-Party Parliamentary Group. It was formally launched on December 1st 2005 at Westminster, with members of the new group including Lord Owen, Creative Industries and Tourism Minister James Purnell and Boris Johnson MP.
The report was presented to MPs and guests at a reception at the House of Commons in London. The report noted that in 2004, 1344 artists, 68,031 participants and 526,940 audience members were involved in 712 days of performances or exhibitions. The report argues that community projects such as those offered by the Liverpool Culture Company, “build self-esteem and technical skills” and provide “positive role models” for all citizens.
Tony Blair, MP, said: “I am delighted that Liverpool is to be the European Capital of Culture in 2008 and welcome the launch of the All-Party Group. The last few years have seen a magnificent flourishing of Britain’s cities. It has been wonderful to see the progress in Liverpool recently. It is thriving as it has not done for a long time. Liverpool 08 will be a further boost to the city, to the region and to the country as a whole. The All-Party Group can play a very important role in the lead up to 2008. I wish it every success.”
Many thousands more visitors will now have the opportunity to share in the Liverpool experience as a result of Capital of Culture 2008. Residents themselves will benefit not only from the huge range of festivals and events, but from substantial investment and job creation. As with London 2012, Liverpool 2008 will be of substantial benefit to the whole of Britain.
Liberal Democrat Leader Charles Kennedy said: “Liverpool is a city with an immense cultural heritage. It has constantly led the way musically and it has long been on the cutting edge of projects that promote the arts … and the 08 All-Party Group is an extremely positive initiative to ensure Liverpool is promoted even further.”
Professor Drummond Bone, Chairman of the Liverpool Culture Company, said: “The launch of the 08 All-Party Group is a seminal moment in the story of Liverpool’s European Capital of Culture programme. The next three years will define the city for generations to come. It is vital Liverpool has support within the Houses of Parliament so that we can communicate the benefits of 2008 and influence the decision makers to ensure we deliver the best-ever Capital of Culture.” Councillor Warren Bradley agreed wholeheartedly, saying that “As Britain’s European Capital of Culture it is only right that the city has the backing of the nation and its political leaders. As we get closer to 2008, it will become increasingly important that the city can look to our friends in Westminster to help push culture up the political agenda and make 08 the year we all hope for. We want to make the nation proud of Liverpool and its people and the 08 All-Party Group will be hugely influential in spreading the word of what the city is doing for Britain on the world stage. They can also help communicate the dynamic role creativity plays in modern-day Liverpool.”
Projects over the last year have spanned arts and culture, with music, dance and drama through to photography, reminiscence about the war and national schools projects such as the Friend Ship, to name a few. Councillor Bradley noted that, “Participants taking part in these projects know that it’s making a difference in their lives and communities, and we’ve been watching closely, so we know that they have hugely beneficial effects, but now we can tell the world about it with an independent report, so critics don’t just have to take our word for it.”
Professor Drummond Bone added that, “The hard-working Creative Communities team have a right to be proud of this report as well as scores of community members who have run or participated in projects. As the report says, a sense of community is being boosted by this work and as it continues in the years leading up to 2008, we will surely see even more of an impact in the city and beyond.”
Artistic Director of the European Capital of Culture 08, Robyn Archer also made her thoughts clear about the allegiances and possible uses of art. “The Creative Communities programme is allowing communities (often those who have been through very hard times … often those who feel marginalised) to feel that their experiences, feelings and observations count.” Archer has often been outspoken about the urgency for art to be put to better use in society: That art should be much more than simply icing on the middle class cake. The Art of Inclusion report corroborates this view by saying that art and culture can “…break down barriers …resulting in the interaction of people of different faiths, ages and ethnic backgrounds which would previously have been hard to imagine… Hence Creative Communities’ assertion that people are the prime asset in social regeneration.”
One thing is clear, great cultural outreach work is being done in one of our largest regional cities. Liverpool’s calls for pledges of support for Culture Capital 08 are being heeded as policy makers from all over the country realise that Liverpool 08 has a lot to offer Britain as a whole.
The City of Liverpool has a lot to look forward to. And 2008 may well be only the beginning.
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