Liverpool, England, is set to host the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest, and the city is planning a massive cultural celebration to coincide with the event. The EuroFestival will feature 24 different cultural commissions, including 19 collaborations between Ukrainian and British artists.
One of the most ambitious projects is Soloveiko Songbird, which will see 12 large, lit-up nightingale sculptures placed throughout the city. Each nightingale will have unique plumage and audio representing different regions of Ukraine. The hope is that people will follow the full trail of songbirds.
Another trail will be With Fire and Rage, an immersive audio experience and “smartphone adventure” accessed via QR codes located around the city. It will include music concerts in metro stations during air raids and puppet shows that were livestreamed from bomb shelters.
From 8-10 May, there will be a three-day “queer fantasia” at Chavasse Park including the “best and wurst of Eurovision” – a day of drag and cabaret paying homage to all things Eurovision.
Celebration of hope
Jamala, the Ukrainian singer-songwriter who won the Eurovision song contest in 2016, will premiere her new album of music based around Crimean Tatar folk songs. It will be the first full performance of the album and she will be accompanied by the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra.
She said it was a record she and her team “literally saved from the rubble last year” and one that preserved “the beauty and greatness” of her home culture.
“During these dark times for Ukraine, the presentation of the album is a very important event for me,” she said. “It will be a celebration of Ukrainian culture and a message of hope to the world.”
The EuroFestival is just one of the many ways that Liverpool is planning to celebrate its hosting of the Eurovision Song Contest. The city is also planning a number of public events, including a Eurovision Village in the city center and a Eurovision Song Contest Grand Final Party.
The EuroFestival is sure to be a vibrant and exciting event that will celebrate the best of Eurovision and Ukrainian culture. It is sure to be a must-see for fans of the Eurovision Song Contest and of Ukrainian culture.
The cultural commissions
The EuroFestival will feature 24 different cultural commissions, each of which will be a unique and exciting event. The commissions will be located throughout the city and will offer something for everyone.
Some of the commissions include:
- Soloveiko Songbird: 12 large, lit-up nightingale sculptures placed throughout the city. Each nightingale will have unique plumage and audio representing different regions of Ukraine.
- With Fire and Rage: An immersive audio experience and “smartphone adventure” accessed via QR codes located around the city. It will include music concerts in metro stations during air raids and puppet shows that were livestreamed from bomb shelters.
- Queer Fantasia: A three-day “queer fantasia” at Chavasse Park including the “best and wurst of Eurovision” – a day of drag and cabaret paying homage to all things Eurovision.
- Jamala: The Ukrainian singer-songwriter who won the Eurovision song contest in 2016 will premiere her new album of music based around Crimean Tatar folk songs. It will be the first full performance of the album and she will be accompanied by the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra.
These are just a few of the many commissions that will be featured at the EuroFestival. The commissions are sure to be a vibrant and exciting event that will celebrate the best of Eurovision and Ukrainian cultures.
