Nineteenth International Conference on the Arts in Society

Abstract

What are the lasting impacts of Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games on the arts, cultural and creative landscape of a city, a nation and the world? What do the examples of Seoul 1988 and Sydney 2000 teach us, and what should Australia strive towards achieving as the legacy of Brisbane 2032? The Summer Games are not just sporting events; they are arts, cultural and creative festivals. Ever since Athens 1896, the modern Games have provided host cities and nations with once-in-a-generation opportunities to showcase their enduring cultural heritage, contemporary cultural identity and bold cultural ambition. Being both in-person and mediated events, the Olympics are accessible to broad audiences and, at their best, are inclusive, celebrating the diversity of a nation’s arts, culture and creativity. They have wide-reaching and enduring local impacts, helping sow the seeds for the next generation’s cultural dividend. Hosting the Games is a sign of a nation’s maturity - culturally, socially, financially and technologically. Using three examples of Summer Games in South Korea and Australia, we examine their lasting impacts on arts, culture and creativity in and beyond the host country. Seoul 1988 showed South Korea’s readiness to develop deeper cultural and trade links and sparked the beginnings of the ‘Korean Wave’. Sydney 2000 helped initiate national conversations about First Nations peoples, volunteerism, and cultural participation and access. Arts, culture and creativity are already a focus of Brisbane 2032’s 20-year legacy strategy, providing a crucial opportunity to help shape arts and culture to sustain the next generation.