MY LONG-awaited copy of the One and Other book arrived on Friday, filled with photographs of people taking an hour of their time to stand on the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square as the request of Antony Gormley.

Strange to think now that, back in July 2009, I was one of them, and even more bizarre to see the thing I took part in on a sunny Sunday afternoon being written about academically.

Me making origami birds on the Fourth Plinth with a Go Penguin

THE Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra has been out in Shanghai this week for Liverpool Day at the World Expo. Sadly they didn't request a certain Daily Post arts editor to go with them so I have had to content myself with these videos, which they have just released, and a bowl of chicken and sweetcorn soup.

IRISH comic Brendan O'Carroll is bringing the latest in his series of Mrs Brown shows to the Liverpool Empire next month before launching a TV show in January.

This YouTube clip has had 2.5 million hits in two months. Click below to find out what all the fuss is about - but beware it does include strong language.

The opening of Shakespeare's battle-led love story was teasing - bombastic music heralding her appearance on the stage she herself once watched as an eager teenager.

Her back to the audience, she turned and slowly removed the gold mask obscuring her famous looks, every bit the untouchable queen.

Yet the Sex and the City star's Cleopatra was warm and very human, as she flitted between the manipulative Egyptian ruler's many personalities and cries real tears for her lost lover.

First teasing, then impetuous, now calm, then cruel - her feline performance was utterly captivating. Not for one second did she let the mask slip.

THE Walker Art Gallery's latest acquisition gives an insight into the work of 19th century English painter Albert Moore.

The piece is a preliminary drawing that the artist created in preparation for his oil painting A Summer Night. The Liverpool gallery owns this as well as a watercolour of the same scene.

Together, the three reveal details of Moore's working practice and constant experimentation. He first laid down the ideas in the initial sketch and used the watercolour to mark up a grid so he could size up the study to oil painting dimensions.

I AM very excited by the news that Matthew Bourne is returning to the Liverpool Empire next year with his version of Cinderella.

Swan Lake, which he brought here at the beginning of this year, was really magical and I've been hoping his company would come back ever since.

The ballet is set in London during the Second World War and uses Prokofiev's original score. A chance meeting results in a magical night for Cinderella and her dashing young RAF pilot, together just long enough to fall in love before being parted by the horrors of the Blitz.

Tickets go on sale today.

A WEEK today we'll finally learn the extent of chancellor George Osbourne's deficit plan, which is expected to include severe cuts to the arts.

Yesterday, National Museums Liverpool sent its petition of 18,000 signatures calling for adequate funding for NML venues to culture minister Ed Vaisey.

Meanwhile, collaboration appears to be key if arts organisations are to receive funding from external bodies.

These links on the subject make interesting (if scary) reading. . .

ALAN LANE from Slung Low, the team behind the wonderful Anthology at the Everyman, has kindly agreed to write a guest post on his experiences of working in Liverpool. Enjoy...

FOR most of the shows in the past Slung Low have parachuted in. We get a commission, plan it all from Leeds and if it's in the north then we'll drive each day to work and if it's in London then we bomb down as late as possible (it's a financial decision) and put the show up.

But for Anthology and Liverpool it was clear that firstly the project was too big for us to just pop along for a couple of weeks at the end; secondly that the project was meant to respond to the environment around Hope Street and that was going to be impossible to do from West Yorkshire and thirdly we really liked the idea of Liverpool.

I HAVE just been sent programme details for Liverpool's Long Night, which takes place on November 18, 2010.

They include. . .

Tate Liverpool presents Sound Relay: large musical procession from the Philharmonic Hall down to Tate Liverpool, calling at Biennial venues along the way.

DaDaFest International 2010: Launch night preview Objects of Curiosity & Desire at the Bluecoat and International dance phenomenon GIMP at Liverpool Playhouse.

IN PICTURES, here is how John Lennon's 70th birthday was celebrated around the world yesterday.