Why Is the United Kingdom Hosting the Eurovision 2023?

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Robin Storm
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The Eurovision Song Contest in 2022 took place in Turin, Italy. Forty countries participated in the overall contest, and Ukraine stormed to the top of the leaderboard to secure victory. Many people actively voted for the country following Russia’s full-scale invasion in March of that year.

Because the war between Ukraine and Russia is still ongoing, the safety of the contest for 2023 was brought into question. As a result, the United Kingdom stepped in to host the upcoming 67th edition of the event. With 37 countries taking part this year, the Liverpool ESC 2023 is set to welcome a variety of acts to its Eurovision stage.

When Is the Eurovision Song Contest 2023?

Historically, the Eurovision Song Contest takes place in May each year. This year is no different, with two semi-finals and the Grand Final occurring almost midway through the month. The latter of these events will take place on Saturday, May 13.

  • Semi Final 1: Tuesday, May 9
  • Semi Final 2: Thursday, May 11
  • Grand Final: Saturday, May 13

Which City Was Selected to Host in the UK?

Once the United Kingdom was chosen as the host country for Eurovision 2023 on behalf of Ukraine, a contest to determine the host city was also announced. The bidding process for such began on July 25, 2022, with all potential candidates needing to meet certain minimum standards. At first, a total of 20 cities expressed their interest in hosting the contest.

Seven of those cities were shortlisted on August 12, 2022 – Birmingham, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle and Sheffield. It was after visits to each of those cities by the BBC, that Liverpool was selected as the host city on October 7.

Liverpool’s Contribution to the World of Pop Music

Many popular and respected music acts have come from the city of Liverpool throughout the decades. The most famous of those, of course, is The Beatles. Other well-known acts from Liverpool include Echo & the Bunnymen, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Dead or Alive, and OMD, from the 70s and 80s. Moving into the 90s and new millennium, members of girl groups (such as Melanie C of the Spice Girls and Heidi Range of the Sugababes) also stood out as being from Liverpool.

In 2001, the Guinness Book of Records declared Liverpool the “City of Pop” due to the fact that artists from the area have had so many number one records. It was in 2008 that the World Museum Liverpool created “The Beat Goes On”, exhibiting the charting history of music in Liverpool from 1945 to present day. Other notable pop acts from Liverpool include Atomic Kitten, Ladytron, The Lightning Seeds, Ultrabeat, and The Zutons.

The Venue: Liverpool Arena

The Liverpool Arena was chosen as the venue for the 67th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. Located in the centre of Liverpool, it has 7,513 permanent seats around three sides of its central floor. It offers a total capacity of 11,000, meeting the Eurovision criteria of needing to hold at least 10,000 spectators.

The arena was designed by Wilkinson Eyre architects and Sport Concepts, officially opening in January of 2008. This coincided with the official opening ceremony for the Capital of Culture. Since opening, the arena has attracted over 8 million visitors to more than 4,500 events. It has also helped to generate £2 billion towards Liverpool’s economy.

The Eurovision Village at the Pier Head

As is the case each year, Eurovision 2023 will have its own Eurovision Village. This dedicated fan zone is open to the public and is found at the Pier Head in Liverpool. Fans of the contest and locals can soak up the celebratory atmosphere in the village.

The Eurovision Village opens on Friday, May 5, and it will run every single day until the Grand Final of the Liverpool ESC 2023, on May 13. Within, visitors can experience a selection of one-off shows, live performances, DJ sets and even special guest appearances. Anyone going to the contest, or even just visiting Liverpool, should mark this off as a place to go while there.

It will also have a unique area – Discover Ukraine. This will be dedicated to creative people from Ukraine and feature a range of European food and drink alongside. The first eight days of the Eurovision Village will be free and non-ticketed. The Grand Final Party, taking place on the Pier Head on Saturday, May 13, was charged at £15, and is already sold out.

Camp and Furnace Set to Be the Official Party Venue

EuroClub 2023 serves as the heart and soul of everything Eurovision. The Camp and Furnace is the place where everyone can come together, celebrate the music and experience live performances. All EuroClub events will be taking place between Friday, May 5 and Saturday, May 13.

Some of the live acts appearing at the Camp and Furnace include former Eurovision entrants Jedward, Conchita Wurst, KEiiNO, Charlotte Perrelli, SuRie, Nicki French, and more. The venue will also live stream the Eurovision Song Contest semi finals and Grand Final, with tickets sold separately.

Robin Storm

Robin Storm

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