+ Major Event and Festival Impacts Lecture 6: Social and Cultural Impacts

+ A Social Agenda for Events? Until recently there has been a focus on the economic impact of events by both academics and practitioners Social and cultural impacts have largely been ignored Until recently there has been little evidence generated to measure the ongoing social and cultural dimension of events Questionning of this economic hegemony has led to a growing body of literature which verifies the sustainable social and cultural impact of events upon host communities (Whitson & Horne, 2006)

+ Social Issues It is suggested that in an increasingly globalised and postmodern society we lose our sense of belonging and community Putnam (2000) talks about the decline in social capital and civic engagement From a political point of view it is increasingly recognised that a sense of community and civic engagement is an essential part of a healthy society Thus, events have taken on an ideological importance in the construction of social capital and community networks

+ Defining Social Capital Flinn and McPherson (2007) point out that there are currently a plethora of definitions of social capital Social capital is described by Bourdieu (1985:248) as “the aggregate of the actual or potential resources which are linked to possession of a durable network of more or less institutionalised relationships of mutual acquaintance or recognition” Portes (1998) suggests that there is growing consensus that social capital refers to the ability of individuals to secure benefits by virtue of membership in social networks and other structures. It is this concept of social networks that is central to the notion of social capital Social capital is associated with: bridging and bonding; connectedness; trust and reciprocity; participation; citizenship; etc

+ Events and Social Capital The potential contribution of events and festivals for developing and strengthening social capital is increasingly recognised Arai and Pedlar (2003) maintain that the joining together of people around leisure opportunities is a powerful illustration of community and the development of social capital Events and festivals are seen to offer the potential to act as the social glue of a community – aiding capacity building and cementing a sense of place identity Events may be viewed as a form of civic engagement and as such can be regarded as a vehicle for social inclusion and community revitalisation

+ Positive Social Impacts Aligning with the renewed focus on social capital McDonnell et al (1999) define a series of positive social impacts eminating from the hosting of large scale events Shared experiences which can replace other forms of collective identity Critique the sustainability of this solidarity (Maffesoli, 1991) Think about whose version of the experience is being shared Development of the social economy “as individuals gain new skills and capacities in management, decision making, teamwork, fundraising, negotiation, etc so the community is gaining new skills and competencies” (Gould, 2001:71) Development of community pride which can help to reduce feelings of social unrest Is this just distraction from more pertinent issues?

+ Critiquing Social Capital While events are seen to offer many positive social impacts the nature and quality of these impacts depends on the planning that takes place to engender value While social capital can ‘include’ it can also ‘exclude’ As Misener and Mason (2006) point out, community building initiatives often occur in an increasingly globalised context, providing opportunities for stakeholders rather than residents to promote certain productions of space and place Higher property prices, displacement, inconvenience and the financial legacy of revenue funding can be punitive for lower income groups in particular

+ Cultural Impacts Most large scale events seen to embed their activities more fully by developing a substantial cultural element to help ‘animate’ the host city Event and festivals can extend cultural horizons and experiences Policy makers seek to ‘manufacture’ new cultural activities and confer them with some lasting historical or local significance However, this can lead to a perceived lack of authenticity which can produce alienating effects and outcomes – possibly diverting attention and funding from grassroots projects?