On 4th June 2003, it was announced by Tessa Jowell, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, that Liverpool will be the European Capital of Culture in 2008. Liverpool's nomination as a World Heritage Site in January 2003 was a helpful demonstration that the city's extraordinary architectural heritage is of international quality and an integral part of its wider cultural interest.

The Liverpool Culture Company is organising a series of themed celebrations for the years leading to 2008 and indeed up to 2010. For more information on the Capital of Culture programme, visit www.liverpool08.com (this will open up in a separate browser).