11: Nailing It #11 - Go behind the scenes of Liverpool's Cultural Powerhouse with Claire McColgan

Claire McColgan CBE, the driving force behind many of the city's biggest moments, joins host Jay Hynd to reflect on three decades of shaping Liverpool's cultural identity.

As Director of Culture, Major Events and Tourism for the City of Liverpool—and Associate Director at the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority—Claire has been pivotal in putting Merseyside back on the global map. From securing Eurovision to staging unforgettable spectacles like The Giants, her work with Culture Liverpool has helped transform the city into a destination for world-class events.

In this candid chat, Claire discusses her family ties to Liverpool, her mission to make the arts more inclusive, and how those values helped power the city's success as the European Capital of Culture in 2008.

She also opens up about the high-stakes gamble of making Liverpool a host city for COVID-19 test events and the sleepless nights that sometimes come with leading from the front.

This episode of the Nailing It podcast is a must-listen for anyone who cares about creativity, community, and what it takes to make a city sing.

"It's been a privilege," Claire says of her role. Listening to this episode feels like one, too.