Conferences > Destination Liverpool > European Capital of Culture

European Capital of Culture

Already renowned throughout the world for its World Heritage status, architecture, music, literature, arts and sports, in 2008 Liverpool will stage the cultural party of a lifetime. Its European Capital of Culture status will see it hosting a spectacular range of events across the whole year. Liverpool-born Sir Simon Rattle will return home to be a guest conductor for the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and the Tall Ships Race - an annual event in which 100 historic ships sail to the Netherlands via Norway - sets out from the city.

In January 2008, things kick off in style with the Official Opening Event held at the new Arena and Convention Centre. Liverpool will be illuminated by a spectacular series of simultaneous events in venues and outdoors throughout the city.

From May until the end of August, the Tate Liverpool hosts the Gustav Klimt exhibition, the first comprehensive exhibition in the UK of this intriguing artist.

In June Liverpool Sound, a one-off concert featuring world-famous artists, will celebrate the music Liverpool exports to the world.

From April until the end of July, the Walker Art Gallery hosts the only European showing of Monet to Hopper: Art in the Age of Steam, celebrating the power and impact of the railway as depicted in the art of Turner, Monet, Van Gogh and Hopper.

From the 1-2 August the city will come alive with spectacular Carnival Weekend including the Emperor and the Tiger - a beautiful firework folk story, the Brouhaha Carnival Procession - the regions' largest multicultural parade and the Samba School bringing a Rio style carnival parade to the streets of Liverpool on the Saturday night.

From September, Liverpool's fifth Biennial, an international festival of contemporary art, will feature new, specially commissioned work from 50 of the world's most exciting artists.