Liverpool's initial programme for the city's year as European Capital of Culture in 2008 includes concerts, commissions, festivals, exhibitions and premieres across all cultural areas. Capital of Culture highlightsApril 2007Launch of the 2007/08 Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra season including premieres of works commissioned for 2008. July 2007Magical History Tour - A major exhibition celebrating Liverpool’s birthday. September 2007Vasily Petrenko opens the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra’s 07/08 season. October 2007Turner Prize – The annual art competition will be held in Liverpool.
 | | Brouhaha |
Bluecoat reopens – The UK’s oldest arts centre re-opens with a new wing. November 2007Launch of city wide public art programme.
FACT launches five new commissioned films December 2007The Liverpool Nativity – The BBC presents the story of the first Christmas told through the music and people of Liverpool.
New Year’s Eve fireworks show
European Opera Centre, Emilia di Liverpool. A new version of Emilia di Liverpool performed in the small concert room at St George’s Hall. Throughout 2008…Fragant – The story of Liverpool’s botanical collection
Cities on the Edge – Inter cultural project exploring the links between the port cities of Liverpool, Bremen, Naples, Marseilles, Istanbul, Gdansk and Stavanger.
Liverpool Song Book – A legacy of music for 2008 featuring new songs commissioned by the Liverpool Philharmonic culminating in performances in a variety of settings. January 2008Opening of Kings Dock arena
International Holocaust Memorial Day. Liverpool is the designated UK city for 2008's International Holocaust Memorial Day on 27 January.
FACT film festival 22nd January – 2nd March
 | | Liverpool Tennis Tournament |
British Dance Edition: 2008
World premiere of new choral work by Kenneth Hesketh
Fresh Festival – Cutting edge jazz, world and contemporary music. February 2008Chinese New Year – Celebrations of the start of Year of the Rat
High Society – Exhibition by 19th Century French artist Tissot
European Senior Boxing Championships at Kings Dock Arena
World premiere of new choral work by Sir John Tavener
Festival of British Music Part 1 – newly commissioned work including pieces from Kenneth Hesketh, Mark Simpson, Stephen Pratt and Emily Howard March 2008Identity and heritage project – Exploration of British identity
Vladimir Ashkenazy conducts the European Union Youth Orchestra
SK-Interface – sci-art commissions at FACT
Leap 08 – Liverpool’s annual contemporary dance festival
Wimfest – Liverpool Women’s International Music Festival
King Lear – Pete Postlethwaite is in negotiations to appear at the Everyman April 2008Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Vienna Series
Singh Twins - A commission of work by Amrit and Rabindra the internationally acclaimed contemporary British artists
Grand National – The world’s greatest steeplechase
Viennese Balls at St George’s Hall
 | | Pete Postlethwaite could be in King Lear |
Monet to Hopper: The artist and the railway – an exhibition at the Walker Art Gallery celebrating the power and impact of the railway on art featuring artists including Turner, Monet, Van Gogh and Hopper
Portrait of Liverpool by Ben Johnson – A panorama of Liverpool commissioned for the new Museum of Liverpool
Adelphi – The Musical – A staging of the colourful history of one of Liverpool’s most famous landmarks May 2008Four Corners – Five projects devised in the city’s neighbourhoods.
Tate Liverpool’s 20th birthday
The Liverpool Sound – A special concert on the waterfront featuring world famous artists playing music that Liverpool exported to the world.
Gustav Klimt exhibition at Tate Liverpool
Writing on the Wall festival
Three Sisters – Liverpool writer Diane Samuels relocates Chekhov’s Three Sisters from
Russia to Liverpool at the Everyman June 2008Benjamin Britten’s War Requiem – A special performance at Liverpool Cathedral
Opening of the University of Liverpool Victoria Gallery and Museum
A new play by Jonathan Harvey at the Playhouse
The Peoples Festival – Celebrating working class culture with a specially commissioned work by composer Michael Nyman
Africa Oye – Free annual festival celebrating the best of music of Africa.
Liverpool International Tennis Tournament at Calderstones Park
Splatterfest – Festival of theatre for children July 2008 | | Mathew Street Festival |
Summer Pops – Summer music festival
Liverpool Arabic Arts Festival
Classical Summer Pops – The big top relocates to Sefton Park
The Open Golf Championship at Royal Birkdale
Liverpool Comedy Festival
Hub Festival – The UK’s biggest free urban culture festival
Brouhaha International Street Festival
European Youth Parliament sits in Liverpool
Poetry in the City – Annual poetry festival
The Beat Goes On – Exhibition celebrating Liverpool as the capital of pop and rock at World Museum Liverpool
Maritime Festival including the finish of the Clipper Race and the start of the Tall Ships Race
Pipilotti Rist film premiere at FACT
School’s Shakespeare Festival August 2008World Firefighter Games
Mathew Street Festival
Creamfields
Major theatrical event at Liverpool Cathedral produced by the Everyman and Playhouse
Black Star Liner – The opening of Liverpool’s first dedicated home for black music in Jamaica Street. September 2008Sir Simon Rattle conducts the Berlin Philharmonic orchestra at the Philharmonic Hall
British Association Festival of Science
 | | "Just Cook will yer!" |
Honda Powerboat Grand Prix
Hope Street Festival
The Big Biennial – Liverpool’s fifth International Festival of Contemporary Art including the 50th John Moores exhibition
Fiesta Latina – A week of Latino music, food, culture and dance.
Finale of Tour of Britain cycle race.
Liverpool Live 2008 an extensive live arts programme at the Bluecoat and across the city.
Festival of British Music Part 2 - newly commissioned work including pieces from Kenneth Hesketh, Mark Simpson, Stephen Pratt and Emily Howard
New play for children by Frank Cottrell Boyce premiers at the Playhouse October 2008Sir Simon Rattle conducts the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra
RIBA Stirling Prize – The Oscars of British Architecture are held at the newly opened
Arena and Convention Centre at Kings Dock.
Liverpool Irish Festival  | | The Big Biennial |
Le Corbusier – The Art of Architecture a major exhibition in the crypt at the Metropolitan Cathedral.
Black History Month
Eric’s – The Musical. The story of the other influential Mathew St club at The Everyman
Halloween Lantern Carnival November 2008Shipping Lines- Literary festival at the University of Liverpool featuring Seamus Heaney, Jorie Graham, Doris Lessing, Monica Ali, Roger McGough, Melvyn Bragg, Philio Pullman and Paul Farley.
Dadafest – Celebration of disability and deaf art in the North West
Homotopia – Gay, lesbian and transgender festival
Liverpool Music Week December 2008Best of Liverpool at the Bluecoat – A showcase of visual art practice in the region. | 
