Top International Irish Artist Gives His Full Support For Liverpool Mural Project

Dear Liverpool Mural Project,

This is just a short note to convey my enthusiastic support for the mural project to celebrate Liverpool as Capital of Culture in 2008. I am aware of some of the people in Belfast that will be involved in the project. I am convinced that with them participating will not only guarantee success, because of their huge experience in this area, but will also underscore the cultural and historical links between Liverpool and Ireland. The theme is an excellent one in that it celebrates not only local links but also the world. I wish the project well!

Yours Sincerely, Robert Ballagh

Robert Ballagh is one of Ireland’s most respected artists. He was born in Dublin and is both a painter and designer. His painting style was strongly influenced by pop art and his paintings are often playful and didactic. He has produced many respected works of art. He represented Ireland at the 1969 Paris Biennale. Among the theatre sets he has designed are sets for Riverdance, Samuel Beckett's Endgame (1991) and Oscar Wilde's Salomé (1998). He has also designed over 70 Irish postage stamps and the last series of Irish banknotes, "Series C", before the introduction of the euro. He is a member of Aosdána, which is an affiliation of creative artists in Ireland.

Liverpool Art and Culture Reviews Liverpool Mural Project On Their Blog

The Liverpool Art and Culture Blog kindly gave the Liverpool Mural Project a mention on their excellent blog today. We thank them for their comments, however we can assure both them and our many supporters that we will carry on the good fight. This article obviously refers to The Liverpool Culture Company's decision that our project was 'not edgy enough'.

To quote the English writer Samuel Johnston:-

“Great works are performed not by strength but by perseverance.”

If there is one thing that the Liverpool Mural Project has it is great perseverance.

“I heard about this quite a long time ago and thought it was a good idea, and I would like to see it happen.”
Ian Jackson - The Liverpool Art and Culture Blog

If you would like to view the Liverpool Art and Culture Blog then click on the following link.

http://www.artinliverpool.com/blog/

More mural support in The Echo

The Livepool Mural Project continues to garner more and more support with the local residents in and around Liverpool. Our project continues to grow from strength to strength as more people understand our plans for The 2008 European celebrations, we feel very honoured that the people of Merseyside have taken it upon themselves to offer their support through the local media. An excellent example of this type of support we are getting can be seen in yesterday's Liverpool Echo, and in our opinion probably one of the best written letters the Echo has ever received, power to the people!

To read the excellent letter just click on the following link:-

Mural benefits

http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/echoletters/tm_headline=your-letters-11th-july-2007&method=full&objectid=19439425&siteid=50061-name_page.html

Cllr Paul Brant Expresses His Support For Mural Project

Liverpool City Councillor Paul Brant contacted The Liverpool Mural Project to offer his continued support following the recent publicity in The Echo and on Radio Merseyside.

"I hope this project gets some funding now!, Best wishes, Paul"

Paul Brant, Liverpool City Councillor (Riverside)

READ ALL ABOUT IT

Local support continues via the Liverpool Echo's Letters Page.

The Support for The Liverpool Mural Projects (TLMP) has once again brought our project to the attention of the general public. Liverpool’s main daily newspaper, The Liverpool Echo published a letter from a local resident. He extolled the work that we are trying achieve in bringing together artists from the two main communities in Belfast and allowing them to teach their unquestionable talents to local community based organisations and youth groups. This whilst at the same time allowing the people of Liverpool express what 2008 truly means to them.

To read the letter of support click on the following link:-

http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/liverpoolecho/yourview/letters/tm_headline=your-letters--25th-june-2007&method=full&objectid=19353000&siteid=50061-name_page.html

Thank you to all who have openly backed this truly worthwhile project

The Liverpool Mural Project Attends Head-to-Head With Culture Company.

Our first meeting took place at the Culture Companies Head Quarters in Liverpool at 11.30 this morning. Representatives of The Liverpool Mural Project (TLMP) , Gregory Brennan and Peter Morrison spoke to representatives of the Culture Company. The meeting which lasted well over one and a half hours was felt by all at TLMP to be very productive indeed.

Ithalia Forel and Phil Taylor give a good indication of the types of schemes currently running around the city. Phil Taylor confirmed that he was attending a meeting this afternoon with an organisation that produced an exhibition of the Beatles . He felt that they would be someone to whom he felt our project would possibly be of interest.

Ithalia Forel is part of a busy team working on a scheme called City in progress. City in progress is a Liverpool Culture Company initiative that aims to create outdoor artwork on hoardings across the city. The initiative achieves this by engaging artists with the community to design public art that captures and represents the culture and development of Liverpool.

Another meeting is to be arranged in the next week and we will keep you all posted of the outcome of that when it has happened.

Mural Project debated on leading Irish Blogsite

The Liverpool Mural Project gets more than a mention on
Slugger O'Toole.com,
Northern Ireland's leading Political and Cultural blogsite


Click on Headline to see online debate

Liverpool City Council, Joe Anderson Washes His Hands of Capital of Culture Corporate Gravy Train

The leader of the opposition Labour group at Liverpool City Council, Joe

Anderson, has resigned from the Capital of Culture Board.

"Too much taxpayer's money has been wasted so far on a bloated and obscene corporate entertainment budget in which the same city faces are treated to VIP reception after VIP reception. And yet there are small community groups being turned away for funding for their modest projects.

I am concerned that after a total spend of £94 million the legacy will be one of debt and quite frankly one of missed opportunity"

To read more:-

Labour councillor quits 08 board Labour councillor quits 08 board
Labour councillor quits 08 board. The leader of the opposition Labour group at Liverpool City Council resigns from the Capital of Culture Board. ...news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/2/hi/uk_news/england/merseyside/default.stm - 13 Jun 2007 -

Liverpool Mural Project invited on to the BBC Radio Merseyside Roger Phillips show

Never far from controversey, invariably compassionate, frequently infuriating, arguably intelligent and above all unique... and that's just Roger! With a reputation like this it's no wonder Roger's phone-in is essential daily listening for thousands of Merseysiders.

Regarded by many as the country's top phone-in presenter, tackling issues that matter to Merseysiders, Roger's abilities have been recognized on many occaisions. he is the winner of countless awards, most notably the Gold Sony Award winner for 'News and Talk Broadcaster of the year 2000', National Union of Journalists Broadcaster of the year and BT's National Broadcaster of the year. In July 2001 Roger was honoured by both of Liverpool's universites. He was made an honorary doctor of laws by Liverpool University and recieved an honorary fellowship from Liverpool John Moores University.

"It's such an imaginative idea"

"If something like this could happen, that's culture, real culture, it's nothing to do with companies, it's to do with the people."

Roger Phillips, BBC Radio Merseyside