The official handover of the Eurovision Song Contest to Liverpool later this month marks another “milestone” in the city’s journey according to its new deputy Mayor.
We are now just four months out from the continent’s biggest music contest coming to Liverpool after the city was awarded the hosting honour last year. Representatives from 37 countries across Europe will descend on the Pier Head to compete for the iconic glass microphone. In October, Liverpool was selected to host the competition in place of Ukraine, seeing off a bid from Glasgow in the final two.
Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to attend the nine shows that will take place in the M&S Bank Arena in May. In December, Liverpool Council confirmed it would make a capped contribution of £2m to put on the event.
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Alongside millions of pounds of external funding from government, the BBC, European Broadcasting Union and the private sector, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority has agreed to match fund the city council’s amount to put on the extravaganza. On January 31, a special programme is to be screened on the BBC to formally handover the keys to Liverpool.
Stefano Lo Russo, mayor of 2022 host city Turin, will present the Insignia to Mayor of Liverpool Joanne Anderson, and it will be the night the 2023 contest’s unique look and slogan is unveiled. Addressing the event in a verbal update to the local authority’s mayoral and performance select committee, newly appointed Deputy Mayor of Liverpool, Cllr Frazer Lake, said it would be a “really exciting” moment for the city.
The first public event regarding Eurovision also marked a “milestone in this journey” as Liverpool gears up for the contest in 118 days time. The city council has gone out to tender for a stewarding and security firm to oversee the site it will manage at the Pier Head from May 5-13.
The semi finals are scheduled to take place on May 9 and 11 before the grand final on Saturday 13th. Details included with the £85,000, five month contract said the city “received praise for its world-class facilities including the M&S Bank Arena and ACC Liverpool, the innovation behind its cultural programme, the plans to celebrate Ukrainian people and community and the ‘walkability’ of the city."
Eurovision content: The countdown has officially started. Join our Eurovision 2023 in Liverpool Facebook group
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