June 28 Dinner at Tate

Attended a private dinner at the Tate last night to celebrate the opening of their new exhibition Peter Blake: A Retrospective.

It was a direct clash with the Daily Post-sponsored Regional Business Awards but the Tate asked me first.

It was a memorable evening which began with private view of the exhibition which will run at The Albert Dock until September 23.

One of those events when only when you are there and amongst it do you begin to appreciate its true significance. Blake is one of the country's foremost artists and the exhibition is a major coup for the city as 08 approaches.

www.tate.org.uk/liverpool

Sir Peter was there in person and charmed everyone with his easy manner and willingness to sign autographs and chat freely.

At dinner I sat next to another legend - Joan Bakewell, the long-serving media culture queen once famously described as 'the thinking man's crumpet.'

Frank Muir it was who said it. I now know where he was coming from.

Now in her 70s she still looks fantastic. She oozes sex appeal and marries it to a razor sharp intellect, inquiring nature and a lovely sense of mischief. It was a treat to meet her.

http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/B/htmlB/bakewelljoa/bakewelljoa.htm

I left (in the nicest possible sense) with Claire McColgan from the Culture Company. We expressed the same view that the evening was yet more evidence that Capital of Culture was happening and happening now.

Blake's joyous, eclectic and accesible exhibition (it's pop art and fun as well as clever) will be free entry on 08 day - August the 8th. Well done to those who did the deal - true community engagement with high-quality art.