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Geoffrey_Crayon

Listed below are comments made by Geoffrey_Crayon between Friday, 3rd October 2008 and Wednesday, 15th July 2009.

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Is culture too London-centric? 2:57pm on 15 Jul 2009 I have to say that although I'm always happy to whinge about the London focus of the media I'm far more likely to visit an event there than in the much closer midlands or Yorkshire.

I've been immensely cheered today by reading an article in the Sheffield Star that refers to Chair of the Liverpool Culture company as "Phil Scal".

Is that what they call Professor Redmond at the DCMS I wonder!

http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/Is-Sheffield-ready-for-City.5459217.jp
Public art: Were you consulted? 8:40pm on 20 May 2009 A few of the works in Liverpool have been installed short term and then adopted long term - that seems to have worked as a compromise that avoids compromising the artists too much.

I like the way the Gormley sculptures work on Crosby beach but I worry a little about their proliferation elsewhere in the country. Re-imagining is a regeneration mantra but the more of these chaps we have the more they seem like the garden gnomes that our ancestors used to re-imagine their world as whimsy.
A lasting legacy? 4:26pm on 10 Jan 2009 ahem

"I'll happily make the case for culture but the way regeneration policies, often of very different kinds, come bundled in a 'for us or against us' package*."

* doesn't help.
A lasting legacy? 4:24pm on 10 Jan 2009 Hi Razia

Yes I hope that as the hype from headline figures dies down that for its own sake there can be more honesty about what cultural regeneration can be expected to achieve.

Since some buffoon put the phrase '14,000 new jobs' into circulation in Liverpool it's given some locals the perfect right to be scornful and all the more difficult to make the case for culture.

I'll happily make the case for culture but the way regeneration policies, often of very different kinds, come bundled in a 'for us or against us' package.

That said, the new proposal looks good and I'm sure that there'll be enough competition to rule out local authorities who think they can become cultural overnight.

I think Andy Burnham has said that cultural regeneration isn't a distraction. I'd be happier if he said it can be but shouldn't.
Capital of Culture 11:11am on 03 Oct 2008 When Liverpool was announced as Capital of Culture I thought it an eminently sensible choice.

I still do and I still think that, in theory, development and optimization of culture can be a significant factor in positive change.

What we've seen happen in Liverpool however is discredited administration wrapped in the Culture flag, reasonable questioning demonized as negativity, and commitment to the programme made a defensive article of faith.

It's two dimensional culture at best and if fear of raining on parades has delayed full investigation by one second that is very, very wrong.

Liverpool is not alone in chasing the culture pound or wider regeneration. Perhaps at the moment "Tees Valley...it's happening!" might make us point and laugh but there is a world shortage of businesses with more money than sense and Liverpool needs urgently to sort out the credibility of its administration in Cultural and Civic leadership.

Liked the Spider by the way, and Chucklebutty's blog.

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