Culture organisations in Liverpool are set for a major boost with more than £4.5 million ready to be given out.

Cash help is being announced for 150 separate projects funded by Liverpool city council, the Liverpool Culture Company and central government, through the Urban Cultural Programme.

It is the biggest package of cultural grants that the city has ever seen and will help organisations prepare for an amazing European Capital of Culture year in 2008.

The grants will give the go-ahead for a vast range of brand new cultural projects, ranging from an experimental electronic music festival to even creating a unique cookery book. Existing creative projects, such as the Africa Oye festival and the Merseyside Dance Initiative will also be able to continue with funding approved for another year.

The grant recommendations, which are now set to be approved by the city council's Executive Board, have been made after a lengthy and rigorous evaluation process by the Liverpool Culture Company.

Every aspect of creativity will be represented, with every age group catered for.

Virtual reality maps of Liverpool charting the past 800 years of the city's history; oral poems; hand painted wooden boats; street theatre; comedy performances; a gourmet celebration of food and drink; and Irish, International and Women's festivals are all set to get a boost.

Other projects include getting the whole of Liverpool reading; a black community radio drama; film workshops; Samba dancing; as well as cash to breathe new life into The Picket Ltd, a music company formerly based on Hardman Street.

Executive member for Culture, Lib Dem Councillor Warren Bradley said: "I am delighted to be giving the go-ahead to these grants. Cash aid like this is the lifeblood of Liverpool's cultural community.

"This windfall will enable scores of organisations to carry on with projects which are changing people's lives for good in the city. It will also enable many new organisations to start fresh and inspiring projects in the city.

"Liverpool has always been a generous city for supporting a diverse range of creative interests and groups - and this award is no exception. We are happy to support, encourage and promote the brilliant work that is going on in Liverpool right now, from organisations both large and small."

Lib Dem Council leader Mike Storey said: "It's great to see that some of the smaller organisations haven't been forgotten in this process, with grants starting from less than £1,000.

"It might be a small amount to some groups, but it is often the difference between a project being allowed to go ahead, or sinking without trace.

"The grants process has been long, detailed and thorough - but I am confident that people will support public money being used in this way to help the flowering of Liverpool's culture."

Ninety-one projects received all the grant they applied for. They include the biggest and the smallest organisations, from an international touring theatre company to a small photography exhibition. Eighty of these projects come under the Creative Communities umbrella with many grants worth around £5,000.

Other projects include eco-friendly musicians Urban Strawberry Lunch, a Beatles Art exhibition and a traditional shanty band to welcome visitors to the Mersey River festival.

Twelve projects, including the North West Disability Arts Forum with their highly-acclaimed Liverpool-based Dada Fest, as well as the Liverpool Comedy Trust, have each been given more than £50,000.

For the first time, Tate Liverpool art gallery will receive a grant of £40,000 to create new jobs, commission a public work of art, improve exhibitions and encourage outreach programmes for young people.

Sixteen others, including Milapfest South Asian arts festival, Yellow House regeneration arts projects and a gospel music festival will get between £20,000 and £50,000 for their schemes.

Seven key institutions will have money set aside to maintain Liverpool's historic cultural infrastructure and exact amounts for each will be announced soon.

They are the Liverpool Philharmonic, the Bluecoat Arts Centre, Liverpool Theatres Trust, Walk the Plank, Unity Theatre, the Liverpool Biennial and the Foundation for Art and Creative Technology (FACT).