I'll be there - if its not too cold.

from the Culture Company...

A VISUAL extravaganza will bring 2005 to a close in Liverpool.

New Year’s Eve will see one of the UK’s finest neoclassical buildings, St George’s Hall, lit up with dramatic flame effects, lights, lasers and pyrotechnics.

The show will mark the end of Liverpool’s third Capital of Culture themed year – Sea Liverpool 2005.

This year, organisers at the Liverpool Culture Company have decided to build on the traditional end-of-year display by staging a spectacular ‘son et lumiere’ show. The New Year’s Eve display is the latest of Liverpool’s established events to receive an upgrade ahead of European Capital of Culture in 2008.

January 1 will herald the start of a new themed year – Liverpool Performs – a celebration of Liverpool’s outstanding reputation as a city of top class performances, from the football pitch all the way to the recording studio.

Spectators are advised to watch the display from St George’s Plateau or Lime Street. The display kicks off at 5pm, and will last for approximately 20 minutes.
Associated road closures: Lime Street will be closed on 31/12/05 from 4.15pm until 5.45pm. London Road will be closed from Norton Street from 4.15pm until 5.45pm. William Brown Street will be closed all day on 31/12/05 and 01/01/06. All times are approximate and are subject to change.

Posted by Ian Jackson at December 29, 2005 02:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)

from the Guardian...

Museums and galleries across England received a £9.4m boost today, as the government announced new funding for educational work.
National and regional museums and galleries will be funded to work more closely with schools to aid children's learning, ministers said
....

Projects include the Understanding Slavery Initiative, which saw the National Maritime Museum, National Museums Liverpool, Bristol Museums & Art Gallery, British Empire and Commonwealth Museum and Hull City Museums & Art Gallery collaborate to produce materials for schools about the transatlantic slave trade.

Posted by Ian Jackson at December 29, 2005 02:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I posted this a while ago, there's still time to participate...

A CROSS MEDIA THEATRE WORKSHOP WITH THE BUILDERS ASSOCIATION & dbox

Workshop information:
The workshop will alternate Builders “discussion sessions” with “work time” for the participants. Discussion sessions will revolve around the increasing incorporation of media in performance, its effect on contemporary theatre, and the political and social implications of the ‘mediatization’ of culture. We will also spend time on some practical matters: sustainability/connections/networking/touring, here and abroad and strategies for developing work. The workshop will require participants to actively engage in the contribution to each other’s projects. This engagement will be facilitated by the workshop leaders in consultation with each participant on the development of their project. Workshops participants will present documentation of their own work and discuss their practices within the context of cross Media Theatre.

Workshop Practicalities:
When:
Weds 26th April - Sat 29th April 2006 from 9am - 5pm
(Friday 28th April 9am - 1pm only)
Where:
The workshop will be held at FACT (The Box)

Full Details here

Posted by Ian Jackson at December 16, 2005 04:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

From liverpool08.com...

Sound City
A unique "soundscape" of Liverpool, a city in transition, has been recorded and edited by a group of young people, capturing the soul of our city in sound.

They have worked in equal collaboration with a sonic artist, an acoustic ecologist and a performance poet to record and document the sounds that most of us allow to wash over us almost unnoticed.

The work will be presented to the public in an innovative Surround-Sound experience at the Liverpool Culture Company's "08 Place" in Whitechapel. The exhibition will run from Saturday 10 December until Monday 19 December.

The project has introduced young people to the concept of listening more closely to the everyday sounds that we generally take for granted whilst teaching them the skills and processes of editing and recording.

The participants wandered the inner-city streets of Liverpool, capturing the city's sounds and conversations using a range of equipment from boom mikes to dictaphones

Posted by Ian Jackson at December 11, 2005 04:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

From liverpool08.com...

Art of Inclusion
Culture projects in Liverpool are making a real difference to people's lives according to new independent research.

The Creative Communities programme reaches out to all corners of Liverpool and improves both the community and regeneration in the city concludes the report, called the Art of Inclusion. 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 to name but a few.

The report will be presented to MPs and high-profile guests at a reception at the House of Commons in London on Thursday. The report noted that in 2004, 1,344 artists, 68,031 participants and 526,940 audience members were involved in 712 days of performances or exhibitions.

It also said that the programme was "bold", "an exciting shift" and "genuinely involved thousands of ordinary Liverpdulians". It argued that projects "build self-esteem and technical skills" and provide "positive role models".

Posted by Ian Jackson at December 5, 2005 10:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

From liverpool08.com...

Marketing Assistants (two posts)
Salary: £22,512 - £24,000
Ref: CHS/2815/2456
Closing date: 27 January 2006

The European Capital of Culture 2008 represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Liverpool to reposition itself as a world-class city.

The Liverpool Culture Company is looking for two enthusiastic and experienced marketing professionals to expand its team and help deliver the best Capital of Culture ever to local, regional, national and international markets.

Both positions will be responsible for co-ordination of marketing/promotional efforts across a number of projects spanning events, tourism, sponsors and other promotional partners.

The candidates will demonstrate an ability to deliver high levels of outputs, will be a team player and keen to be part of a team that will deliver the best Capital of Culture ever.

Posted by Ian Jackson at December 5, 2005 10:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

From the Culture Company...

Prime Minister Tony Blair has led the main political leaders in backing the launch of a special Capital of Culture All-Party Parliamentary Group.

The Liverpool Culture Company, responsible for the city's European Capital of Culture celebrations in 2008, has invited MPs and Lords to champion Liverpool's cause.

It will be formally launched today (Thursday, December 1) at Westminster, with members of the new group including Lord Owen, Creative Industries and Tourism Minister James Purnell and Boris Johnson MP.

The 08 All-Party Group also includes Liverpool MPs such as Louise Ellman, who will be Vice-Chair of the group. Knowsley North MP George Howarth will be the Chairman.

The Rt Hon 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.''

According to parliamentary rules, an all-party group needs to be at least 20 members.

Conservative Leader Michael Howard, who fought two general elections in the city and is a Liverpool FC fan, said he was delighted to be a member of the 08 All-Party Group.

He added: ''I have always enjoyed visiting the city. 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.''

As well as debating important issues relating to culture, regeneration and social inclusion which will feed into national policy debates the group will be able to feed back opinions to Liverpool. One advantage is that members will also be able to lobby both Houses of Parliament and Government on Liverpool's behalf.

Liberal Democrat Leader Charles Kennedy said: ''Liverpool is a city with 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. Everyone in Britain should be proud of the achievements made by all who have helped to put Liverpool on the cultural map, 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: ''Today's 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 08 and influence the decision makers to ensue we deliver the best ever Capital of Culture.''

Councillor Warren Bradley, Executive Member for Culture at Liverpool city council, said: ''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 more 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."

Posted by Ian Jackson at December 1, 2005 11:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)