Liverpool 2008

It is important that in Liverpool the discussion about the ECOC bid took place within a wider context of moves to regenerate the city and attract new investment. From around 2000, the city had secured European funding support which enabled a very dramatic and much needed transformation of the city’s physical infrastructure. A decision was also made to transform the area around the Albert Dock and to connect it with the rest of the city, so it wasn’t just an isolated beautiful spot surrounded by dereliction. In parallel with the ECOC bid, the local authorities and development agencies thus started to redevelop the city centre. In fact, the transformation of Liverpool city centre over the past decade has been one of the largest ever regenerations in Europe. The Impacts 08 research has tried to understand how the European Capital of Culture title helped to maximise the returns on this investment, which didn’t happen only because of ECOC. It is impotrtant to understand that through cultural and artistic activity it is possible to generate a momentum and attact international attention, especially when they happen throughout one year. There is also prestige associated with the title. But to have an effect it has to be embedded in wider processes and activities that may not be cultural. In Liverpool, a massive development of physical infrastructure took place in parallel with the ECOC title bid: the Liverpool One development of shopping and leisure facilities in the city centre, new buildings, hotels and restaurants close to the Albert Dock, etc. What was important in Liverpool was the combination of the two elements: to develop and present itself as an original centre for arts, culture and creativity but also as a place that has good services, good shopping facilities, so that if you come to visit you also have somewhere nice to stay and you can go and eat somewhere that is going to be good and interesting. This works vice versa as well: it wanted to show that it is more than just another place for shopping, that it also has unique artistic and creative assets.

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Beatriz Garcia

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