Liverpool City Council has released a draft 10-year strategy aimed at shaping the city’s cultural, events and festival program through to 2036, with community feedback now being sought.
The Draft Culture, Events and Festivals Strategy 2026-2036 sets out how Council plans to deliver and expand cultural activities across the Liverpool local government area while maintaining a focus on community participation, accessibility and financial sustainability.
Liverpool Mayor Ned Mannoun said culture and events played an important role in the city’s identity and community life.
“Culture is not a side conversation in Liverpool. It is who we are,” Mannoun said.
He pointed to Council’s Experience the World festival series as an example of the economic and community benefits generated through cultural programming.
According to Council, the festival series has attracted hundreds of thousands of people and contributed around $25 million to the local economy each year. It has also received state recognition, including a Premier’s Business Excellence Medal.
Mannoun said community feedback had also indicated strong support for events, with 88 per cent of residents surveyed describing events as important or very important to community life.
The draft strategy proposes a more flexible approach to delivering cultural programs, allowing events to be adapted and held in different locations across Liverpool.
The plan is intended to build on the Experience the World program while responding to community feedback, operational requirements and financial considerations.
The strategy has four main areas of focus: strengthening Liverpool’s intercultural identity, activating places across the city, encouraging collaboration and shared ownership, and ensuring cultural programs are inclusive, accessible and sustainable.
Council says partnerships with community organisations, cultural groups and local businesses will be an important part of the proposed approach. These partnerships could provide opportunities for organisations to help co-deliver events and have a greater role in the city’s cultural program.
Accessibility, inclusion, cultural safety and environmental responsibility are also included in the proposed framework. The strategy links cultural activity with local economic outcomes, including support for businesses, tourism and the visitor economy.
The draft was developed following community and stakeholder consultation, including more than 360 surveys and engagement with cultural, government and industry partners.
If adopted, implementation would be incorporated into Council’s Delivery Program and annual Operational Plans, with progress reported each year.
Mannoun said the strategy was intended to provide a longer-term framework for Liverpool’s cultural program rather than relying on individual events.
“We’re not standing still. We’re building a city of cultural confidence,” he said.
“This Strategy is about making sure our cultural success isn’t a one-off: it’s planned, sustainable and growing.”
The Draft Culture, Events and Festivals Strategy 2026-2036 is available for public feedback through Liverpool City Council.
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