So we’ve been working hand in hand with the brilliant team at Sefton Council to develop the Elegantly Eccentric cultural programme of events which is bringing the love back to Lord Street ahead of major regeneration in the borough later in the year.
In February the first iteration of that launched on Lord Street with the most euphoric reception from Southport residents and those that joined family and friends to reimagine Lord Street for the incredible Lightport installations. Today, we’ve announced the next event to take over Southport, Cristal Palace. A glittering open-air ballroom with aerial performances, live music and dance from 3-4 April over the Easter half-term.
The idea to bring major high quality artist led events to the high street, came out of a meeting with businesses in October 2024 with Lord Tony Hall, Chair of the Liverpool City Region Destination Partnership Board and Steve Rotherham, The Mayor of Liverpool.
We know a quality events programme is not the only answer, but when it is used to tell a story, there is a clear economic plan behind it and there is an audience that loves their town and wants it to thrive, there is an alchemy that if embedded in regeneration policy creates expediential growth
Events when done well, and not as a one off, can accelerate growth and change a story. Liverpool is obviously the best example of that. A generational change from the city I moved to in 1989 to the city my daughter is growing her career in.
The methodology has been really simple:
Centre first. Concentrate on the High Street, it’s the beating heart of a place. High Streets have changed, but look at the images from that weekend in February when Lightport took over Lord Street. Look at how many people want to populate and support them if the offer is right.
Be authentic to place. The programme we are doing this year in Southport ties to the narrative of the destination. It tells a true story, reignites history and utilises the buildings and incredible architecture to encourage you to look again, at what you pass every day.
Tell a consistent narrative that evolves but has one message. Culture as the rocket fuel for regeneration and has been Liverpool’s story, Elegantly Eccentric is Southport’s.
Embed it through other initiatives. Seton Council led by a brilliant executive team in partnership with The Liverpool City Region combined authority just really understand this.
Get others behind it. Our strategic partners like Department for Culture, Media and Sport and VisitBritain, who again, put their hand up to support with a new campaign and make the effort to listen, and there are more announcements to come on this. Funders respond to positivity to hope and to joy. They respond with their presence their funding and their advocacy.
The politicians, national, regional and local and especially the leader of Sefton Council, Marion Atkinson and Mayor Steve Rotheram believed in what this year could do.
The thousands of you who had the chance to walk the rainbow in February with the people of Southport, you too are accelerating the town’s growth and becoming part of their next chapter.
First there was Lightport and next there is Cristal Palace, but this is just the start of something special for Southport, something, you could say, Elegantly Eccentric.
If you are a national or international journalist who covered the riots of two years ago, come back, give this town your time and support it to tell its story, it has the most magical one to tell.
Find out more about Elegantly Eccentric here: https://www.southport2026.com/
By Claire McColgan CBE, Director of Culture & Major Events, Liverpool City Council, Associate Director, Liverpool City Region.
