Eurovision 2023: Government pledges £10m towards Liverpool song contest

The Eurovision Song Contest, being held successful Liverpool successful May, volition get £10m from the UK government, it has been announced.

It volition beryllium spent connected operational costs similar information and visas, arsenic good arsenic making definite the lawsuit "showcases Ukrainian culture".

Liverpool's section authorities has already pledged £4m successful funding.

Last twelvemonth the Italian authorities did not straight pledge immoderate wealth towards the yearly event, the BBC has learned.

Instead, the big metropolis of Turin spent astir £10m connected the opus contention - with officials saying it made that backmost "seven times" over done tourism.

Around 3,000 tickets to the opus contention volition beryllium made disposable for Ukrainians surviving successful the UK crossed the 9 Eurovision shows, the authorities besides confirmed.

Liverpool is staging the lawsuit astatine its M&S Bank Arena connected behalf of Ukraine, whose Kalush Orchestra won the 2022 show, arsenic the warfare means it cannot instrumentality up hosting duties.

It volition beryllium the archetypal Eurovision Song Contest to beryllium held successful the UK for 25 years.

The tickets for Ukrainians surviving successful the UK allows "compatriots present to bask the lawsuit and observe our country's affluent civilization and music", said Ukrainian Ambassador to the UK, Vadym Prystaiko.

The outgo volition beryllium subsidised by the DCMS for those connected the Homes for Ukraine Scheme, the Ukraine Family Scheme and the Ukraine Extension Scheme, who are eligible to use for tickets, but determination volition beryllium a £20 complaint for each sale.

The authorities backing is intended to "support security, visa arrangements and different operational aspects of the contest", the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) said.

The wealth volition besides enactment Liverpool City Council arsenic good arsenic big broadcaster the BBC's partnerships with Ukrainian acts "to guarantee a collaborative amusement celebrating euphony and however it unites people", it said successful a statement. It is the archetypal clip the authorities has confirmed its fiscal contribution.

Some broadcasters are understood to person had reservations astir competing successful 2023 due to the fact that of the further costs of transporting equipment, owed to the UK nary longer being a subordinate of the European Union.

One delegate from a competing broadcaster, who didn't privation to beryllium named, explained this year's contention successful Liverpool "will person an other hassle".

"Normally delegations person the prime to either make the props themselves and vessel it to the big country, oregon physique them successful the big country," they told the BBC.

They claimed shipments to the UK could not beryllium guaranteed to get connected clip arsenic determination are "more forms", adding they believed it was overmuch easier successful erstwhile years, arsenic props and different materials did not person to spell done customs.

Unusually, arsenic portion of the £10m UK authorities commitment, the BBC volition person immoderate fiscal assistance, the DCMS confirmed - but neither it nor the BBC would corroborate what this sum was.

The bulk of the backing bundle volition go, the authorities says, towards ensuring "the inclusion of Ukrainian culture", but it did not springiness further item erstwhile asked.

It is estimated the corp volition walk betwixt £8m and £17m putting connected the opus contention - a important leap from what it usually spends participating, astatine a clip erstwhile it is closing channels, axing programmes and reducing caput number to prevention millions.

The 37 broadcasters taking portion each wage a interest to enter, which successful caller years has totalled a combined sum of astir £5m. The BBC does not marque its publication public.

The BBC said further details connected wide merchandise tickets would beryllium issued successful owed course.

There are 2 semi-finals up of the expansive last - connected 13 May - that fans volition beryllium capable to wage to spell to, arsenic good arsenic six preview shows.

Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer said: "We are honoured to beryllium supporting the BBC and Liverpool successful hosting it connected their behalf, and are determined to marque definite the Ukrainian radical are astatine the bosom of this event."

Labour declined to remark connected the backing announcement.

All the build-up, insights and investigation is explored each week connected a caller BBC podcast called Eurovisioncast.