Anger as newspaper claims Liverpool has no significant culture

Liverpool was awarded City of Culture in 2008

Liverpool City Region's mayor has demanded an apology after an article claimed the city had no cultural facilities of "any great significance".

The story in Thursday's Daily Telegraph examined the battle between Liverpool and Glasgow to host next year's Eurovision Song Contest.

Author Ben Lawrence also said Liverpool had "no art galleries".

Mayor Steve Rotheram said the comments were "outrageous", adding: "We want a full retraction."

He asked the journalist to "set the record straight", while the city's Walker Art Gallery invited Mr Lawrence for a "whistle-stop tour" of the region.

The article said that, when compared with its Scottish rival, Liverpool "falls short, with no art galleries, dance companies or opera houses - at least not any that carry any great significance beyond the North West".

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Mr Lawrence did write that most people would argue Liverpool would come out on top were the awarding of Eurovision hosting duties be given to "the most culturally significant city".

He said: "No one can write a better melodic line than a Scouser.

"Some of the world's great TV and stage dramatists have also come out of Liverpool."

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However, the arts writer went on to say "if you are talking about Liverpool as a great city of culture (and it was awarded that title in 2008), a destination for patrons of the arts, the argument starts to fall apart."

Mr Rotheram said on Twitter: "Our MPs will be asking questions about this deliberate attempt at misinformation."

Using Scouse vernacular, The Walker Art Gallery added: "There's boss art and culture in every corner of our city."

Katherine Lloyd, project manager for the John Moores Painting Prize at National Museums Liverpool, described the comment as "outrageous" on BBC Radio Merseyside, adding: "I thought it was very brave to annoy a load of Scousers!"

She said the places mentioned in the Walker Art Gallery thread were "the tip of the iceberg of the cultural offer in Liverpool".

"At the Walker, for example, our collection is one of the most important in the UK and we get loan requests from countries around the world including a lot of the countries that will be performing in Eurovision."

She said Liverpool had many examples of public sculpture, studio groups, street art, festivals and "little exhibitions popping up in spaces all over the city".

The city will also host the annual Turner Prize ceremony in December.

Ms Lloyd said the industrial ports of Liverpool and Glasgow, which were both described as second cities of the Empire during the 19th Century, "have a very similar vibe" but she hoped the Merseyside city would be chosen to host next year's Eurovision.

"We love a good party and we love a good event - we've put on so many public events in the past."