Liverpool is leading Britain’s cultural revival
Steve Rotheram, Mayor
| Liverpool City Region Combined Authority
Liverpool City Region is using culture to drive the future – and offering a clear model for how local leadership, cultural investment, and smart devolution can drive national progress
One of the real privileges of being Mayor of the Liverpool City Region is that wherever I go – at home or abroad – people know who we are. Whether it’s the Beatles, our football clubs, or our music and spirit, the name Liverpool sparks instant recognition and real warmth.
That familiarity goes beyond reputation. It gives us an advantage – opening doors, attracting investment, and helping us promote Britain to the world.
For too long, places like ours have been viewed through the lens of decline. But with a new government focused on rebuilding Britain and narrowing the gap between regions, this is a moment to put culture at the heart of national renewal.
In our city region, we’ve treated culture not as a nice to have, but a serious driver of economic growth, job creation and international reach.
That belief isn’t theoretical – it’s something we’ve turned into delivery on the ground.
We’ve hosted global spectacles like Eurovision and the Open, alongside a packed calendar of cultural festivals, concerts and international sporting fixtures. Last year alone, over 60 million people visited our city region, helping power a visitor economy worth £6.25bn and supporting more than 58,000 jobs.
We’re also becoming a hub for film and television. As the UK’s most filmed city outside London, we’re attracting global productions – and backing them with the right infrastructure: purpose-built studios, a £3m film fund, and a new Screen Academy to train local talent.
And our sporting strengths are working hard for us too. This summer, Liverpool FC’s title-winning pre-season tour to Japan will double as a trade and investment mission for the city region – using the club’s global profile to showcase what we have to offer as a place to invest, visit and do business.
It’s an enviable foundation but it is only the foundations. Realising our full potential requires long-term thinking, smart investment and the right policy tools. That’s why we want to pilot a modest visitor levy – a fair, proven way to reinvest directly in the events, venues and attractions that keep our visitor economy thriving.
It’s one example of how deeper devolution, built on trust and ambition, can unlock even greater returns – not just for our region, but for the country as a whole.
This goes way beyond GDP. Culture shapes how people feel about the places they live. In good times and bad, as we saw recently when the city came together in an outpouring of solidarity following the appalling car incident during the Liverpool FC homecoming parade. Strong communities are resilient because of the cultural ties that bind us, stronger – together.
It’s no coincidence that the places investing most confidently in culture are often the ones pulling furthest ahead. We want to be part of that success – not clinging to past glories but helping lead what comes next. After all, the best stories aren’t the ones you revisit – they’re the ones you’re still writing.
We’re not asking for special treatment but offering partnership. Local leaders know what works in their communities. With the right backing, we can turn proven success into long-term national benefit.
And with a Labour government in Westminster, and Labour leaders delivering on the ground, we have a real opportunity to show how collaboration between central and local government can drive renewal from the ground up.
Culture is one of our greatest national strengths. In the Liverpool City Region, we’re using it to grow industries, attract visitors, and shape our future. This is what a confident, creative Britain looks like – and we’re ready to play our part in it.
