With Liverpool approaching the end of its year as the 2008 European Capital of Culture, many of the residents in the city involved in promoting arts events have been so busy doing just that, that they have scarcely had time to stop and ask themselves what this thing called "culture" has meant in this special year. Have their efforts over the past 12 months managed to broaden people's perceptions of culture--including their own--or have their programmes of art, music, literature, dance, theatre, film and so on simply reinforced the traditional top-down concept of culture, with high art at the pinnacle, separated from and superior to popular culture? This author believes that organisations like the Bluecoat (an arts building that reopened after being closed for a major refurbishment and extension of its facilities) have contributed to a more inclusive understanding of what culture is and how people can participate in the creative process. Liverpool's emphasis on its people--and not just its arts professionals--was integral to its Capital of Culture bid, and helped the city secure the 2008 designation. The author describes the key role public participation has played in making this process a vital and inclusive one.