Department for Culture Media and Sport
capital of culture
Already renowned for its maritime, heritage, architecture, music, literature and sport, Liverpool has been placed firmly on the map as a premier European city when it officially became the European Capital of Culture on Friday 11 January 2008.
The Liverpool Culture Company has been set up by Liverpool City Council to deliver the culture programme up to and beyond 2008.
Working with the city’s cultural organisations, creative industries, artists, schools and businesses, the Company's aim is for 2008 to leave a lasting and positive legacy for the people of Liverpool including more jobs, a stronger economy and a better place to live.
Programme
There will be more than 350 events throughout the year – from classical performances and international exhibitions to new commissions, street theatre and one-off spectaculars. Around two million extra visitors are expected to participate in the year long festival, the highlights of which include the first ever comprehensive Gustav Klimt exhibition in the UK; Sir Simon Rattle returning to his native Liverpool to conduct the Berlin Philharmonic; hosting the 2008 MTV awards; a spectacular street theatre event by Artichoke (who brought the Sultan’s Elephant to London), and a major pop concert headlined by Sir Paul McCartney at Anfield.
For full details of the exciting 08 programme go to the Liverpool 08 website.
Alongside its major events programme the Culture Company is also harnessing the creativity of the city’s people. The largest programme of public and community art in the UK, Creative Communities is creating opportunities for unheard voices to have their say and encouraging thousands of local people to play a role in defining and shaping the cultural and everyday life of the city.
Get involved
Liverpool won the 2008 race because people – the city's greatest asset – were at the heart of the bid. Now the whole country can participate.
- Join 08businessconnect
08businessconnect is a free-to-join network of businesses looking for cultural links. There are endless business opportunities connected to Liverpool’s status as European Capital of Culture in 2008 and 08businessconnect is the place to find out about them first.
- Send an e-postcard
Send greetings from Liverpool, European Capital of Culture 2008 with an e-postcard. Choose from five designs each featuring an iconic image of the city taken from our national education campaign.
- Sign up to the 08 newsletter updates
You can receive the regular 08 Update newsletter by e-mail. Or tell us about your interests and we’ll make sure we keep you up-to-date with the latest events, competitions and special offers.
Keep up-to-date with the latest Capital of Culture news and events by visiting the Liverpool 08 website.
top
What is Capital of Culture?
The European Capital of Culture programme is run by the European Union (EU) and is the successor to the European City of Culture programme.
The purpose of the title is not simply to highlight existing cultural excellence, but to encourage cities to develop and innovate in the cultural field. It will be an opportunity to show that culture is central to the life of a city, and demonstrate its contribution to regeneration, social inclusion, education and business.
The European Capital of Culture scheme also aims to promote European cultural co-operation and understanding, and therefore requires a city to mount a programme of European scale and significance.
top
Under the programme each Member State has been assigned a year for which to nominate a city to hold the title. The UK will host the European Capital of Culture in 2008 and the DCMS was responsible for managing the competition to select the UK's nomination. The competition was launched in September 2000. Twelve cities bid to be the European Capital of Culture:
- Belfast
- Birmingham
- Bradford
- Brighton and Hove
- Bristol Cardiff
- Inverness and the Highlands
- Liverpool
- Newcastle/Gateshead
- Norwich
- Oxford
How was the winner chosen?
An independent advisory panel chaired by Sir Jeremy Isaacs visited each city and examined their bids. The panel then chose six cities to go through to the final stage of the competition – Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Liverpool, Newcastle/Gateshead and Oxford.
For the final stage of the competition, the panel carried out more detailed work on the bids from the shortlisted cities. Liverpool beat off strong competition from the other cities to win the UK nomination. More information about the selection criteria, shortlisted cities and Liverpool's winning bid can be found in the panel's report on the short-listed applications for the UK nomination for European Capital of Culture 2008.
top
Countries to host the European Capital of Culture:
- 2019 Italy
- 2018 Netherlands
- 2017 Denmark
- 2016 Spain
- 2015 Belgium
- 2014 Sweden
- 2013 France
- 2012 Portugal
- 2011 Finlan
- 2010 Germany
- 2009 Austria
- 2008 UK
Previous holders of the title European City of Culture are:
- 2007 Luxembourg
- 2006 Greece
- 2005 Ireland
- 2004 Genoa and Lille
- 2003 Graz
- 2002 Brugge and Salamanca
- 2001 Rotterdam and Oporto
- 2000 – nine cities were chosen European Cities of Culture in the Year 2000, these were: Avignon, Bergen, Bologna, Brussels, Helsinki, Kraków, Prague, Reykjavik and Santiago de Compostela.
- 1999 Weimar
- 1998 Stockholm
- 1997 Thessaloniki
- 1996 Copenhagen
- 1995 Luxembourg
- 1994 Lisbon
- 1993 Antwerp
- 1992 Madrid
- 1991 Dublin
- 1990 Glasgow
- 1989 Paris
- 1988 Berlin
- 1987 Amsterdam
- 1986 Florence
- 1985 Athens
Back to top