Liverpool European Capital of Culture 2008
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The title European Capital of Culture 2008 will be awarded to the city of Liverpool, UK in 2008. The title was announced after a selection panel in 2003 by Tessa Jowell with Liverpool beating favourites the joint bid of Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Gateshead. The European Capital of Culture title is annually awarded to cities which wish to show off their cultural aspects and by doing so increase tourism revenue.
Currently a £920 million regeneration of the city centre is taking place. In all 14 000 jobs are expected to be created as part of the preparations for the title, with an increase of 1.7 million tourists by 2008.
Following the award of the title progress on the Culture of Capital Programme has experienced some difficulties. The proposed Fourth Grace building (the other Three Graces being the Port of Liverpool Building, the Cunard Building and the Royal Liver Building) designed by Will Alsop was a key part of the bid and originally intended to form a central part of the 2008 programme but was cancelled shortly after the title was awarded. It had been planned that Merseytram, a planned three line tram system, would be operating its first line by 2008, but demands from central government over the underwriting of the project led to it being cancelled also.
Leading cultural figures native to the area such as Willy Russell have complained that the emerging programme failed to reflect the culture of the region and there was little community engagement. An Australian Artistic Director was appointed who resigned in June 2006. At the same time it was revealed that another cornerstone of the bid a new Maritime Museum would not be open in time for 2008.
