media events vs street festivals

www.iccliverpool.ac.uk | www.beatrizgarcia.net

Dr Beatriz GarciaHead of Research

Institute of Cultural CapitalUniversity of Liverpool

Future of Places : Streets as public spaces & drivers of urban prosperityBuenos Aires | 1-3 September 2014

Media Events vs Street FestivalsReclaiming street festivities as a key to the local sustainability of global mega-events


Background

• Global mega-events have become a key aspiration for citiestrying to position themselves as ‘world capitals’.

• The Olympic Games has become a highly lucrative enterprise, no longer sought just as a platform for elite sport, but as a catalyst for urban transformation creating economic, social, cultural and environmental legacies for the host city.

• However, a mega-event is first and foremost a ‘media event’, dependent on global media imperatives to secure revenues and worldwide dissemination.

• This has resulted in the most sophisticated framework for media operations, involving thousands of accredited media whose needs take precedence over other regular city-living expectations while the main event is on.


Paper focus & structure

• Evolution of the Games staging process since 1984 until today

• Core issue:

– The large majority of a mega-event audience only experiences it through the media.

– Recovering a festive and accessible use of the streetduring a mega-event is essential tocreate a sustainable and meaningful local legacy


Media events and placeThe everywhere or nowhere Games

Media Stand, Sydney 2000


Media events and placeThe everywhere or nowhere Games

• Montreal 1976 is considered the Games edition that almost ‘bankrupted a city’. After this, relying on public funding exclusively was no longer considered an option.

• By 1984, Los Angeles, global media networks (broadcasters) become the main source of income for the Games. Selling exclusive media and sponsorship rights is at the heart of the new Olympic financing model.– Staggering rise in broadcasting contributions to cover the Games:

from U$290m (Los Angeles 1984) to U$ 2,569 (London 2012)

• The Olympics becomes a ‘media event’ and its staging approach changed to cater for their needs. Key changes: – Re-designed venues: preferential media stands; latest media technology– Revised time-schedules: competition adapted to TV (USA) prime time

• Unintended consequences– Progressive marginalisation of the ‘live’ city resident experience

Media Stand, Sydney 2000


Re-discovering the city: The place-branding Games

As media investment grows, so grows their outreach, with claims for 1 to 4 billion audiences at peak times (eg. Ceremonies)

Barcelona 1992 opens a new chapter in Games staging, by trying to make the ‘city’ the ultimate Games protagonist.

The objective is to use the Games to create memorable ‘city brand images’ and/or overcome previous stereotypes

The Diving Pool overseeing the city skylineBarcelona 1992

www.iccliverpool.ac.uk | www.beatrizgarcia.netThe Diving Pool overseeing the city skylineBarcelona 1992

Re-discovering the city: The place-branding Games

Using the Games to trigger urban regeneration becomes common-place • Eg. reopening the city to the sea,

new transport infrastructure, refurbishing iconic cultural venues

Key successes in Barcelona to place‘the city at the heart of the Games’- Venues distributed throughout the city

(no single Olympic Park)- Venues overlooking the city

(the diving + skyline shot)

Ongoing concern: • Achieving the right balance between

meaningful local representation and internationally impacting brand images.


VIPs and security protocolsThe accreditation Games

Olympic Lane for exclusive Olympic family usageAccess All Areas vehicle accreditation

Athens 2004

• The 9/11 terrorist attack on NYC opens a new chapter in Games hosting. Security becomesa top priority for mega-event staging.

• This, combined with growing privileges and expectations by high-paying Games media and private stakeholders make for an increasingly exclusivist, ‘accredited-only’ Olympic city


VIPs and security protocolsThe accreditation Games

• Athens 2004, the first post 9/11 Summer host city, was noticeably affected, as most of their ‘open agora’ plans had to be cancelled or downsized.

• Rather than open (or spontaneous) celebrations in the street, the emphasis changes to enclosed ‘Sponsor plazas’ and free but, often, ticketed, ‘Live Sites’

What counts as public spaceduring Games time?

The new ‘holistic’ Olympic Experience framework for Candidate Cities Source: Bidding Questionnaire for 2016 Candidate Cities, IOC, 2008


Reclaiming the street…

There is a growing (if at times, just latent) demand for a festive atmosphere in recent Games editions

Communities want to stop the continued erosion of public space within the Olympic city to secure

sustainable local legacies.

Olympic Tent Villagefor the HomelessVancouver 2010


… back to the Festive Games?

Physical theatre performance in Trafalgar SquareLondon 2012


… back to the Festive Games?

Physical theatre performance in Trafalgar Square

London 2012

London 2012 explored options for the ‘lived festival’ to gain terrain by hosting the largest ‘Cultural Olympiad’ in the history of the Games.

Outdoor arts activities dominated over enclosed theatre and concert venues

Unusual but highly recognisable spaces where used to attract media attention, but priority was given to the live spectator experience

To address security and over-crowding issues, performances where often ‘unannounced’ (pop-up acts) when staged in popular sites


Opportunities to reclaim the street:

• Greater visibility given to the host city and its cultural context (a new bidding requirement, to guarantee socio-economic legacies)

• Louder demands for accessible public space as a result of a growth in non-accredited and social media (citizen journalists)

• The role of the street has gained protagonism as local communities expect, not just economic, but also cultural and environmental benefits

• Organisers have become aware that ‘the street’ is key to provide a distinct character to otherwise, completely standardised event environments.

The ‘Olympic city’ will only be meaningful and sustainable if it connects with the ‘real city’ hosting it


Thank you

www.beatrizgarcia.net www.culturalolympics.org.uk

Nation-wide evaluation of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad legacies available for free download

www.iccliverpool.ac.uk

www.beatrizgarcia.net www.culturalolympics.org.uk

media events vs street festivals

Presentations & Public Speaking