The team responsible for the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest has been named as the first-ever winners of the Liverpool UNESCO City of Music Award. This award honours an outstanding contribution that has been made to the local music industry.
The United Kingdom’s host broadcaster, the BBC, along with the Eurovision Song Contest’s organising body, the EBU, received the award at a special ceremony held at Liverpool Town Hall.
Music at the event was provided by Sense of Sound, performing the smash-hit Eurovision winning single, “Euphoria”, and The Beatles’ classic, “All You Need is Love”, which closed out Liverpool’s Eurovision Village after 10 days of festivities.
This year’s contest was the most-watched in British television history, according to figures released by the BBC, with an average of 9.9 million viewers tuning in to watch the Grand Final on 13th May, and peaking at 11 million.
Harry Doyle, Liverpool’s cabinet member for culture said: “We were never in doubt that the BBC would stage an incredible show at the arena – and the record-breaking viewing figures are a testament to their achievements – but what is really special is how they, and the EBU, embraced the city, they got to know our story and our heritage and they helped us showcase the very best of Liverpool to the world.”
Steve Rotherham, Mayor of Liverpool City Region said: “Home to more number one hits than anywhere else, it’s safe to say that Liverpool wouldn’t be Liverpool without music – and music wouldn’t be music without Liverpool.
“While few places can claim to have made such an impact on world music as we have, I think the real reason we came out top in the race to host Eurovision was because, quite simply, nowhere else can throw a party quite like us.”
According to Liverpool City Council, some 500,000 extra visitors made it to the city during the first two weeks of May for Eurovision events, which helped to contribute in millions of pounds toward the local economy.
Currently, an evaluation on the impact of the Eurovision Song Contest is underway, with the results expected to be released in July.
Source: Eurovoix | Image Source: BBC / James Stack