An invitation to visit Liverpool has been extended to a national newspaper journalist who claimed the city’s culture offer “falls short”.
On Thursday, an arts writer for the Telegraph sparked outrage after using the publication to claim Liverpool’s cultural offering does not carry “any great significance beyond the North West” and its Eurovision rival Glasgow was a more fitting venue. The remarks by Ben Lawrence were rebuked by Steve Rotheram, Liverpool City Region Metro Mayor, who branded them “outrageous” on Twitter.
Mayor Rotheram said Liverpool is a “place that prides itself on making art accessible to the masses.” He said: “Our area is not just home to some of the most culturally significant landmarks in the UK, but the entire world.
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“There is the beautiful Walker Art Gallery, Tate Liverpool, which plays host to this year’s Turner Prize, the Lady Lever in Port Sunlight home to one of Europe's finest art collections, and the world's first and only museum dedicated to the history of the transatlantic slave trade at the International Slavery Museum - we're a place that prides itself on making art accessible to the masses.
"We're home to more poets, musicians, writers and comics whose talents have inspired the world than you can shake a stick at. But it’s not about all our yesterdays, it’s a proud legacy we're continuing today with our newly opened Shakespeare North Playhouse theatre in Prescot.”
Mr Lawrence’s piece claimed “if you are talking about Liverpool as a great city of culture (and it was awarded that title in 2008), a destination for patrons of the arts, the argument starts to fall apart.” This, in the view of the Metro Mayor, was incorrect and invited the journalist to find out.
Mr Rotheram said: “It would be a mistake to suggest that our region's culture is limited to within the walls of our great buildings and institutions. It's our people, our stories and our history, that makes the Liverpool City Region one of the greatest destinations in the UK - nowhere does culture bigger, or better, than us.
“Ben is more than welcome to come and see it for himself! Mayor of Liverpool Joanne Anderson said the Telegraph “should have done your homework” as she joined the debate on Twitter.
She said Liverpool’s cultural sector is “the beating heart of our city” and cited the “amazing art galleries” and “world class experiences” such as the Giants, Light Night and community art spaces such as the Bluecoat.
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