Five Questions with... Carys Williams

Tell us about Eurovision in Liverpool and your involvement with it?

May this year saw Liverpool transform into a riot of colour and glitter as we hosted the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest; the first UK city to host since 1998. It wasn’t, of course, because we won last year, but because last year’s winners were Ukraine, and the ongoing war meant that, sadly, they were unable to welcome the world.

As soon as it was agreed that the UK - as runners up in 2022 - were to host, Liverpool stepped up to the mark and decided to make a bid to host the party. And host the party they did in style!

I am a proud Liverpool resident and I was lucky enough to be the liaison point between Arts Council England and Culture Liverpool as they created a two week cultural festival to take place during the Contest. It was the first of its kind from a Eurovision host city. Activity was split into three strands, all with the tagline United by Music:

1. Euro Festival – 24 large-scale commissions, of which 19 were collaborations with Ukrainian artists, which started on 1 May.
2. Euro Street – a chance for communities to celebrate as they chose, with the help of micro grants which were in huge demand. Activities included large-scale chess games and music in care homes.
3. Euro Learn - offered a wide variety of activities for schools and education settings, including resources that could also be used in holiday activity and after-school clubs.

How did it feel to have your city hosting this global event?

It was so exciting to have the world come to Liverpool and see what a great city it is – the sun even shone which made us look even better! The city was transformed into a hive of blue and yellow glitter with Pier Head cordoned off as a Euro Village for gigs, food and general people-watching.

The people of Liverpool brought their A game: restaurants, bars and cultural organisations across the city presented Eurovision-themed events, food and drink to suit all tastes. No other host city to date has created a festival to go alongside the contest, and it’s typical of the city that Liverpool would be the first to do this.  – We know how to throw a party, and everyone felt invited and part of it - from Frankie Goes to Hollywood making their first live performance in over 30 years, to young people taking advantage of the pianos dotted around the city centre to entertain the crowds. 

What was your favourite moment of Eurofest 2023?

A special experience for me was an art installation called Protect the Beats. The first thing many Ukrainian people did, as Russian forces rolled into their country, was sandbag as many public works of art as they could, to preserve them from bombardment. To echo that, Nelson’s Monument behind the Town Hall in Liverpool was encased with over 2,500 sandbags. Four screens were then placed around it, projecting a short 5-minute film showing how musicians in Ukraine are still creating music, even on the front line. The final image was of a soldier, in uniform singing only to the percussive accompaniment of his machine gun.  

Liverpool has a strong connection with Europe, can you tell us why this is so important and what difference it’ll make to the city? 

Liverpool has always felt different to the rest of England; its proximity to Wales and Ireland, as well as being such a huge port and gateway to the rest of the world, has made it a melting pot of cultures.

Eurovision and EuroFest brought back the energy of 2008 when we were the European Capital of Culture. That year changed Liverpool on so many levels. New buildings were erected, old buildings torn down, and buildings, blackened with years of industrial grime were sandblasted and given a makeover. And activity and creativity sprung up on every corner. That gave everyone such a sense of hope and excitement that they made sure to keep culture at the heart of Liverpool. A strategy that has continued over the last 15 years.

The communities of Liverpool are determined to keep the legacy of Eurovision alive. Part of my job will be to ensure that those people who were fired up to apply for funding to create something for Eurovision don’t disappear and to advise them and encourage them so that they become the next generation of creatives in the city. And when the next call comes to host a large-scale event, Liverpool will be just as ready as it always has been.

And finally if you had to pick what would be your ultimate Eurovision Anthem?

My favourite Eurovision *song* is from 1982 (what can I say? I’m a fan!) It’s the Cyprus entry – Mono i agapi – which came second that year. My sister and I still think Anna Vissi was robbed! But best Anthem – that’s a whole other beast - and it has to be Waterloo…it’s a classic for a reason.