Cities of culture and the regeneration game

Abstract

Capital of Culture (ECoC) programme exactly a year on from its inauguration. This event also saw the transition from Liverpool's "Year of Culture 08‟ to "Year of Environment 09" and a simultaneous event in the Austrian city of Linz to which the Capital of Culture mantle passed, along with Vilnius, Lithuania. An estimated 60,000 people congregated at the Pier Head as well as at the Albert Dock and Wirral bank, for a celebration that included sing-a-longs, firework displays, street artists on illuminated bikes and light projections onto a famous refurbished new museum building making up this World Heritage city. This "Light Night" celebration also kick-started similar events held in cities in England and Scotland, with extended opening of venues. The Light Night theme chosen for Liverpool 08's swansong emulates the Nuit Blanche festival celebrated in dozens of cities such as Paris, Rome, Montreal and Toronto - the largest of which attract 1 to 3 million participants over "late night" weekend extravaganzas (Jiwa et al., 2009). These "eventful cities" (Richards and Palmer 2010) reflect a global trend and network that spreads virtually and geographically (Evans, 2011).