More than 60 community groups and grassroots organisations have received funding to celebrate the Eurovision Song Contest across the Liverpool City Region.
Organisations were able to apply for grants of up to £2,000 to get into the Eurovision spirit by hosting events that celebrate the competition. 63 organisations in total have received funding from nail art classes to hip-hop block parties, allowing people across Liverpool, Wirral, Sefton, Halton, St Helens and Knowsley to get involved with the celebrations.
The Ukraine Welcome Centre in Crosby will host an exhibition celebrating Ukrainian culture and the Liverpool branch of the Association of Ukrainians will host an event to celebrate the opening of the Liverpool Ukrainian Community Centre and a special screening party for The National Lottery’s Big Eurovision Welcome.
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There will also be a Ukrainian-themed sing-along sew-along, music workshops for young people inspired by artists of African-Ukrainian heritage and a series of short films about the Ukrainian community in Liverpool, as well as a cooking day and recipe book delivered by Knowsley Food Bank in partnership with Ukrainian chefs.
Polish Migrants Organise for Change will be putting on cabaret-style performance workshops and a public event for Liverpool's migrant communities; Pagoda Youth Orchestra will mark their 40th anniversary with a celebration inspired by the Chinese diaspora in Europe; and a Song for Europe extravaganza delivered by the Greek School of St Nicholas, will see children singing national pop songs in their heritage language including Polish, Romanian, Spanish, French, Greek and Irish.
Other highlights include Eurovision-inspired workshops for care home residents, live performances at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, community events across the region featuring traditional food and music, and specialised events for the neurodiverse community.
Claire McColgan CBE, director of Culture Liverpool said: “We were inundated with so many amazing ideas, making it really difficult for us to decide which projects to take forward. We never fail to be impressed by the enthusiasm and creativity of community groups and grassroots organisations in Liverpool City Region and once again they have outdone themselves.
“I think the successful projects reflect a good cross-section of the region. Ukraine is at the heart of this year’s Eurovision Song Contest so it was important to ensure their culture is represented but Liverpool is known the world over for being a cultural melting pot with centuries of immigration having shaped the culture and communities of the city and surrounding boroughs. The chosen projects highlight different cultures, religious beliefs, food and languages. There truly is something for everyone.
“Along with EuroLearn and EuroStreet, EuroGrant has been designed to ensure everybody in the region has a piece of the Eurovision pie. But that’s not all. We are still in the process of shortlisting successful school projects supported by Spirit of 2012 so watch this space.”
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