Guest Author - Karyn Johnson

At the mention of the name Liverpool, it's more than likely that the image of the Beatles comes to mind. After all, the Fab Four are associated with this industrial town at the north-western edge of England. But the Liverpool of the Sixties is not the Liverpool of today. In 2003, it was selected from twelve English cities to be the European Capital of Culture in 2008. Liverpudlian culture is vibrant and modern, and reflects a city that is looking toward the future.

The arts are thriving in Liverpool. It's the only city in England to hold an annual Arabic arts festival. There are several art museums, the Tate Liverpool (which houses contemporary art) probably being the most well-known among them. The Walker Art Gallery contains several famous Pre-Raphaelite paintings, and Sudley House has an important collection of pre-20th century art. From September to November 2006, Liverpool will be hosting the largest contemporary arts festival in the UK, the Liverpool Biennial, hosting the works of several hundred artists in various locations throughout the city.

Liverpool obviously has a musical legacy, a tradition which it carries on to this day. There is a Summer Pops festival that brings big names into town. In 2006, Liverpool will host Bryan Adams, The Who, Simply Red, and Whitesnake, among others. They have another annual event - the Mathew Street Music Festival - which is the largest free music festival in Europe. The festival hosts both established musical acts and newcomers, from local musicians to international.

Let's not forget sports. Liverpool has two premier football clubs (that's soccer to us Yankees): Liverpool F.C. and Everton F.C. Aintree Racecourse, which hosts Grand National, the largest steeplechase in Britain every year, is just outside the city. Liverpool is also known for boxing, and has great tennis, gymnastics, and swimming clubs.

In 2004, the waterfront was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site. Liverpool also has some impressive architecture. It's second only to Westminster in public sculpture. It's second only to London in listed buildings (over 2,500). And (this surprised me), it contains more Georgian houses than Bath. Liverpool also has a large underground network called Williamson tunnels. The purpose of these tunnels is a mystery, but they are architecturally interesting.

Since Liverpool will be in the world spotlight in a mere two years, it is getting a makeover. Albert Dock has been saved and renovated, once being on the brink of destruction. Some structures that held negative significance in the town's history were destroyed. The landscape of Liverpool is changing rapidly, and though the locals may get upset about the traffic snarls and the construction noise, they will be very proud of their city once it unveils itself in 2008. £750 million is being spent on fixing it up. And this process of refurbishment is expected to create nearly fourteen thousand jobs. There is obviously an expected increase in tourism as well - 1.7 million by the time 2008 rolls around.

It should be clear by now that Liverpool has more to offer than just the Beatles. Hopefully, it will not just be a City of Culture for 2008, but will remain in the public eye way beyond that.

For more information on the City of Culture, visit - http://www.liverpool08.com.
For information on the Liverpool Biennial, visit - http://www.biennial.com/.