With the arrival of the New Year comes the opportunity to experience Liverpool???s inspiring arts and culture, enjoy a whirlwind year full of exciting events and new experiences, plus a chance to have your say and express your own creativity with the people around you. Could you be a Cultural Champion for 2012?
In 2010, Liverpool City Council launched the Cultural Champions scheme as a legacy to the city???s tenure as 2008 European Capital of Cultural. Following the success of the initial scheme, the Cultural Champions programme is now set to continue for 2012 through Liverpool social enterprise Open Culture on behalf of Culture Liverpool.
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Liverpool is an inspiring place, which is bursting at the seams with world-class galleries, museums, performance venues and heritage sites. The Cultural Champions scheme celebrates and promotes Liverpool???s cultural life by supporting the Cultural Champions to get involved and experience more of what the city has to offer, whilst creating their own commentary on the city???s arts and culture.??Prospective champions can be from any part of Liverpool, from any background, don???t need to be active in arts and culture just have bags of enthusiasm and a willingness to learn. Why not nominate yourself or somebody you know?
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The new scheme will build on the strengths of 2010???s programme informed by the experiences of the outgoing champions who are: Paul Argent from Mossley Hill, Kristal Clarke from Wavertree, Donna Williamson from Vauxhall, Barbara McGrouther from Old Swan and Becky Smith from Alt Valley. During their voluntary reign as champions they blogged about their cultural comings and goings, represented the city at major events, met dignitaries and started their own personal cultural events and campaigns.
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Barbara McGrouther 2010 Cultural Champion said,?????I have enjoyed every minute of being a Cultural Champion, and have gained new friends, new skills and learned even more about the city I love. I think that any person interested in people, community, and the arts, who can give time and passion to the role would have a year to remember for the rest of their lives. I recommend everyone to have a go ??? nominate ??? and make it happen. It could change your life for the better.???
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Charlotte Corrie, Open Culture Director said: ???We???ll be seeking people with great enthusiasm for Liverpool???s arts and culture, but with not necessarily a great amount of experience in the arts. They just need an interest in new experiences and learning and to be aged 16 or over. We will be guiding the 2012 champions through an exciting year of cultural experiences, learning and giving them the means and platforms to express their ideas and opinions about the arts publicly, whether that???s online, in person or through newspapers and the radio!???
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Councillor Wendy Simon, Liverpool???s cabinet member for culture and tourism said: ???This scheme has been a great success. It???s unique in what it aims to do and the outgoing champions have been fantastic, owning their roles and developing their niches based on their own passions. We are very much looking forward to the new scheme to start and I???m glad Open Culture is on-board to take it to the next level.???
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To nominate a Cultural Champion please visit??www.culture.org.uk/culturalchampions2012??or request nomination details by emailing??info@culture.org.uk??or calling Open Culture on 0151 478 4550. Deadline for nominations is Midnight 12th??February 2012.
Taken from OC Press Release