Maggie O’Carroll will join Brookside creator Professor Phil Redmond as co-chair of the Liverpool City Region Cultural Partnership. Tony McDonough reports

Maggie O’Carroll, chief executive of The Women’s Organisation, is to join Brookside creator Professor Phil Redmond as co-chair of the Liverpool City Region Cultural Partnership (LCRCP).

Liverpool City Region Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram announced the appointment which will see Ms O’Carroll represent the city region’s cultural and creative sectors and help develop a “joined-up vision” and strategy for art, culture and creativity.

She founded The Women’s Organisation more than 20 years ago and since them it has helped empower tens of thousands of women across Merseyside. It is also the lead agency for business start-up support programme, Enterprise Hub.

Established in 2017 LCRCP has overseen the development and delivery of the LCR Culture and Creativity Strategy, which was adopted by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority in March 2018 to work alongside its wider economic and social priorities.

Current membership includes representation from creative and cultural organisations, the media, universities and local authorities, alongside representation from the Liverpool Arts and Regeneration Consortium (LARC).

Members lead on the development of a strategic framework for culture, overseeing the ongoing development of the LCR Culture and Creativity Strategy and communicating and engaging with those they represent within the sector.

Mr Rotheram said: “Our region is the UK’s cultural capital and I know that the Cultural Partnership will be in safe hands with Maggie’s appointment. Her energy, experience and vision will help to take it from strength-to-strength.

“We are the only area in the country with powers over culture and I’m determined to make sure our communities feel the benefits. That is why we are investing in transformative projects such as the Shakespeare Playhouse in Prescot and the Eureka Science Museum on the Wirral.”

Ms O’Carroll added: “Whether it’s our museums, art galleries, theatres or our music, the Liverpool city region has a rich and widely diverse cultural offering, which informs much of our identity today. Indeed, it is in large part thanks to our culture and creative arts which makes the Liverpool city region such an incredibly vibrant and exciting place to live, work and do business.

“It’s so important that we recognise and invest in our culture and creativity if we are to continue to thrive as a local economy. What’s more, as communities it is so important that we all have opportunity to access and enjoy this shared history.

“Here at The Women’s Organisation, much of our work over the last two decades has been dedicated to making sure women have the opportunity and means to take a more active role in society and their local communities.

“We know that creative social interventions are paramount in inclusively engaging local people, strengthening communities and in creating positive outcomes in wellbeing, health and education.”