Paul McCartney Joins Fight to Save Hometown Arts Venue

Paul McCartney wants to save a hometown arts venue that was once reduced to a roofless shell during the blitz of Liverpool in 1941.

Called the Bombed-Out Church, St. Luke's later became a space for local exhibits and events, as well as a memorial to those lost in World War II. But budget issues have forced the town council to list the venue for sale, in the hopes of saving upkeep costs.

McCartney would like to see St. Luke's remain a publicly funded arts facility. "The people of Liverpool should do everything possible to keep this venue open for the use of the people and run by the people," he writes on his official website. "It is a place that is regularly staffed by students from LIPA [Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, which was co-founded by McCartney] and everyday people of all ages, religions and backgrounds. It would be a terrible shame if we lost this cultural icon."

Representatives from the St. Luke's have already raised more than $30,000. But the bill for exterior repairs is said to soar past half a million dollars, with the mayor agreeing only to put up a fraction of that cost.

As such, curator Ambrose Reynolds said it "means the world for us to have the support of this international legend. The tremendous support we have received from the public means that we can continue to open the church for music, theater, art exhibitions and outdoor movie screenings."

Yoko Ono, widow of McCartney's former bandmate John Lennon, has also called for officials to keep the venue in public hands.