This week, Liverpool’s iconic St George’s Hall was the setting for the Major Events Summit 2025, an ambitious gathering hosted by the University of Warwick and Spirit of 2012.
The summit brought together senior leaders, policymakers, academics and cultural innovators from across the UK’s major events sector, with the aim of ensuring a powerful future for UK major events.
Key themes debated at the Summit included:
- Bringing people together: Showing how events can build community spirit, boost local pride, create jobs and put the UK on the world stage.
- Working towards shared goals: Focusing on big picture aims like stronger economies, healthier communities, celebrating culture and protecting the planet.
- Making events fair for all: Improving how events are planned and measured so they’re accessible and leave lasting benefits for everyone.
- New vs existing events: Finding a balance between importing world class events and developing homegrown UK events.
The summit was held during a packed week for Liverpool’s events calendar, which included BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend, a Liverpool FC Victory Parade and the return of the Cunard Queen Anne cruise ship to Liverpool docks. The sessions explored opportunities to propel the UK’s standing as a global leader in major events. Discussions focused on how to better deliver long-term civic, social, and economic benefits while ensuring that inclusivity and sustainability remain at the forefront of planning and delivery.
Claire McColgan CBE, Director of Culture, Major Events & Tourism for Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, and Dave Moutrey OBE, Director of Culture and Creative Industries for Manchester City Council hosted the Summit. It drew on the influential research presented in the Connecting the Golden Thread report by Spirit of 2012 and Warwick Business School, addressing the urgent call for a strategic, unified approach to amplifying the impact of the UK’s thriving events sector.
“Liverpool has always understood the power of major events to transform places and connect people. Hosting the Major Events Summit during such a vibrant week for our city is a testament to our commitment to collaboration, creativity and community, said Claire McColgan. “This is about shaping a shared vision for the future—one where events are not just moments in time, but catalysts for lasting social and cultural impact.”
“This week in Liverpool has been the perfect demonstration of the sheer joy, creativity, and inclusivity that major events bring to our communities” said Ruth Hollis, Chief Executive of Spirit of 2012. “We convened here to align on a common ambition for the UK’s world-class events industry, and it was inspiring to see such collaboration and passion for driving real, lasting benefits.”
The UK’s events industry is a vital economic powerhouse, contributing £61 billion annually, according to the 2024 UK Events Report. By developing a national framework for major events, the sector can maintain its leadership amid growing international competition, unlocking benefits for future generations across the four nations.
“The UK hosts brilliant events that celebrate people and their places and deliver extraordinary shared moments of sporting and cultural excellence” said Jonothan Neelands, Professor of Creative Education at the Warwick Business School. “The summit laid the foundations for an active major events network and a UK wide framework to encourage investment, impact and learning.”
Looking ahead, the Summit set the stage for upcoming global-scale events, including the 2026 Glasgow Commonwealth Games, Invictus 2027, and the men’s Euros and women’s World Cup in 2028.