800 Years of Culture and Heritage

Sir Neil Cossons, Chairman, English Heritage. On June 4th 2003, Secretary of State Tessa Jowell MP, announced the decision. She proclaimed Liverpool ‘a worthy winner’ and said that our ‘vision, passion and enthusiasm’ had won the city the title. Becoming European Capital of Culture 2008 will accelerate the rebirth of Liverpool. The title will change Liverpool. It will transform the physical fabric of the city. It will grow its cultural capacity and regenerate its economy to deliver a lasting legacy. Now Liverpool is embarking on a new voyage of transformation and discovery in a way that uses the extraordinary creative potential of people, imagination and regeneration. The new Liverpool dares to see what might be - but isn’t there yet. The new Liverpool wants to see round corners, find unlikely partners and invent different ways of doing things. Imagination and boldness are replacing mechanics and caution. Change is embraced. Adventure pursued. The reinvention of cities is a rare and remarkable event. The experience should not be confined to the few. That is why we want, with all our being, to involve and include the widest numbers in our voyage of transformation. During the next five years Liverpool’s cultural and tourism infrastructure will benefit from an investment of over £2 billion. Employment in the culture sector, tourism, sport, heritage and the creative industries could grow by at least 14,000 jobs, based on the current trends of growth, new investment and the Capital of Culture title. There could be an extra £220 million of expenditure by tourists up to and beyond 2008. As overseas visitors take the opportunity to explore the North West , another 3000 jobs would be supported. The cumulative effect of Capital of Culture will be an extra 1.7m visitors generating extra spending of £50 million a year.