The countdown to the biggest global music event is underway. In just a few short months, the Eurovision fandom will be celebrating the 68th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest in Sweden, for a special edition that will honour 50 years since ABBA made their onstage debut. As we look forward to a momentous week of glitter-clad celebrations, now is a good time to look back and reflect on last year’s record-breaking scouse extravaganza – one that is going to be tough to top.
By Olivia Weston
Linkedin.com/in/Olivia Weston
This is Liverpool calling!
As a lifelong Euro Geek and a proud Scouser, finding out that Liverpool had been chosen as the UK’s host city for 2023 was a real ‘pinch me’ moment. Since Liverpool was named the European Capital of Culture back in 2008, the city has risen like a phoenix from the ashes. Up until that point, the city centre looked and felt both tired and bleak. There was a feeling that the UK government was reluctant to invest in what was once a bustling port city and a global epicentre of trade and commerce.
Liverpool has since exploded back into colour and become a genuine shopping destination, champion of local independent business and a host for world-class events and festivals. Eurovision felt like a fitting next step in this transformation and an extension of the cultural legacy of 2008.
As a community, we are known to be personable, inclusive and creative – and 2023 gave us the glitter-covered platform(s) to show that to the world, and the unique opportunity to make Ukraine proud, celebrating their culture every step of the way in the only way we know. After all, we are a party city.
Following Ukraine’s triumph at the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest, an agreement was struck for the UK to host the 2023 edition on behalf of Ukraine amidst the ongoing conflict. Liverpool, chosen from seven shortlisted cities, seized the opportunity to host the 67th edition, understanding the importance of honouring diverse cultures and demonstrating solidarity.
The theme ‘United By Music’ fit Liverpool perfectly. A UNESCO City of Music, our world-renowned music scene is rooted in spotting talent from anywhere, and has led to the discovery of some of the UK’s biggest bands in some of the city’s smallest and quirkiest venues. ‘United by Music’ emphasises the power of music to connect people. We’re proud of the tagline’s unanimous success, which will live on as a permanent theme as we move the party from Merseyside to Malmö.
EuroFever hits Merseyside
In a Euro first, Liverpool City Region developed ‘EuroFestival’, a two-week cultural festival, from 1-14 May in the buildup to the Eurovision Song Contest Final. Through a bustling calendar of events, the city delivered 24 new commissions (including 19 collaborations between UK and Ukrainian artists) across iconic local landmarks, including St George’s Hall.
Liverpool’s waterfront served as a unique and stunning backdrop for many of the Eurovision Village events, including performances from the Eurovision Hall of Fame, UK’s pop icons and a live screening of the Grand Final. The buildings that form the famous cityscape were adorned with flags and installations to honour cities like Kyiv, Odessa and Crimea, and a dozen illuminated nightingales were scattered around the city centre for tourists to find.
The popular Eurovision Fan Zone was transformed into a Ukrainian corner, serving national dishes, souvenirs and Ukrainian literature along with information about Ukrainian culture and artists. Odessa’s library was twinned with our own, with Charles and Camilla visiting to officially initiate cultural kinship between the two cities. All of this was driven by the local Ukrainian community, many of whom were living in Liverpool through the Homes for Ukraine’s scheme, after fleeing their country.
The Scouse Touch
The job and volunteering opportunities created in the run-up to Eurovision celebrations generated a buzz for the region, with almost 400 roles offered in a single day at a Eurovision recruitment job fair. Some 475 volunteers offered 12,000 hours to support tourists and locals around the region, and a partnership between the BBC and Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts created opportunities for almost 150 students to work on the Eurovision production.
Local businesses and creatives which make up the very fabric of Liverpool were provided with a stage for international networking and collaboration that has drawn in an economic boost of £54.8million and 473,000 people to events across the city. Educational programmes, EuroStreet and EuroLearn engaged 50,000 people directly and reached almost 2 million people.
But my favourite statistic in the aftermath of Eurovision is that visitors to the city reported an overwhelmingly positive experience, with 89% of visitors who were questioned commenting on how safe and inclusive the city feels.
As a Euro Buff, it’s clear to see how Eurovision has boosted tourism, increased cultural exchange, and heightened community engagement for Liverpool, and as a resident, I am hopeful that it will solidify our status as a prominent ‘friendly’ cultural hub in the UK. What I didn’t expect from this partnership was the influence Liverpool would have on Eurovision.
We have created a modern and inclusive roadmap that feels intrinsically aligned to the Eurovision values and honours the now-permanent tagline ‘United by Music’. Relationships forged between the Liverpool City Region and Ukrainian counterparts will continue long into the future, and isn’t that connectivity what Eurovision is all about?
Douze Points Liverpool!
About the writer
Olivia is a seasoned copywriter specialising in marketing, communications and data analytics. She writes about technology, equality, current affairs and the power of volunteering, and often in the spaces where those topics intersect. Styling her life on Nora Ephron and Nancy Meyers films, Olivia consumes tea, nonfiction and 90s trends at an alarming rate.
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January/February 2024 | Life Lovers Magazine.
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