Legacy of events Research & Learning
Creating The Golden Thread
A report from Warwick Business School looking at how the infrastructure around events and be improved to make better legacies
Events
London 2012 established that the UK is a world-class host of events. Our goal is to help ensure that the UK becomes a world leader in the legacy from those events.
Whether taking place in stadiums, village halls, or city streets, events have the power to unite people across divides and improve wellbeing for individuals and communities.
Our evidence bank makes the case for using the power of events to improve wellbeing, inclusion and civic pride. It also shares research and case studies for how to deliver event legacy differently in order to make the most of that moment over the longer term.
In 2023, we published the final report of our Inquiry into the Power of Events – a seminal piece of work which consolidated everything we have learned from our funded projects as well as testimony from real participants and external research. From this, we formed five recommendations decision makers can adopt to use events to create happier, thriving and more connected communities. We have built on this work with the Moments To Connect fund, collaboration with Counsel and Loughborough University on a potential ‘capital of sport’ competition and with FRY Creative on an events data observatory.
Legacy of events Research & Learning
Events Data Observatory Feasibility Report
FRY Creative go in-depth on what an events data observatory – one of the cornerstones of our Inquiry actions – could look like.
Legacy of events Research & Learning
Events Data Aggregation Report
A new report from FRY Creative seeking to understand how to best aggregate and understand the qualitative data from major events.
Legacy of events Physical Activity Research & Learning
Glasgow 2014 10th Anniversary Polling Briefing
Polling carried out by Spirit of 2012 and the University of West Scotland which shows 10 years later, the Glasgow 2014 legacy is still prevalent.
Cohesion Connected Communities Legacy of events Research & Learning
inFocus Moment To Movement
After working extensively with Jo Cox Foundation, WOW – Women of the World and Springboard to gather research, Spirit of 2012 and inFocus are proud to present the final report for Moment To Movement.
Legacy of Events Project evaluations Volunteering
Volunteering Cities
Emerging insights from an ongoing evaluation by Neighbourly Lab of the Volunteering Cities fund.
Legacy of Events Project evaluations Volunteering
Hull Volunteering Evaluation
An evaluation report which looks at the one of the great legacies of Hull’s 2017 City of Culture year.
Arts & Culture Disability Inclusion Legacy of Events Project evaluations
Jo Cox Foundation: Great Get Together 2019
An evaluation report from the 2019 edition of the The Great Get Together – a series of community events which brought about cohesion and wellbeing around the UK.
Inclusion Inclusion Research & Learning Toolkits and guides Volunteering Volunteering
Jo Cox Foundation: Moment To Movement
A project seeking to find out how community events can inspire people to become organisers and improve community wellbeing.
Project evaluations Volunteering Wellbeing Women & Girls Young People
Southbank Centre: WOW
Nine festivals were held between 2017-2019, in Bradford, Exeter, Perth, Norwich and Cardiff.
Arts & Culture Disability Inclusion Legacy of Events Project evaluations
Birmingham 2022: Critical Mass
An evaluation report from Critical Mass, an inclusive dance project which featured as part of the Birmingham 2022 Cultural Festival
Cohesion Connected Communities Integration Research & Learning
Belong: Power Of Events
A report from Belong on the findings from the Spirit of 2012 archive about the impact of events on social cohesion and connection
Arts Wellbeing Young people
Eurovision 2023
England Liverpool
A £200,000 grant to support a schools engagement programme and an evaluation to measure the impact of Eurovision on the health and wellbeing of Liverpool’s residents.
Arts
Coventry City of Culture
Coventry England
Spirit of 2012 awarded a major £1m grant to Coventry City of Culture Trust to rollout a community programme of cultural activities that address the city’s most significant social issues.
Arts Volunteering
Hull City of Culture / Volunteers
England Hull
Since 2017, we have supported Hull both as City of Culture and the wonderful legacy of volunteering which has been built since.
Disabled people Sport and physical activity
Critical Mass
Birmingham England
A major part of the Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022 Cultural Festival, Critical Mass saw nearly 250 disabled and non-disabled young people from diverse backgrounds take part in inclusive dance and perform to a worldwide audience.
Volunteering
Birmingham Volunteering Legacy
Birmingham England
A grant to Birmingham 2022’s organising committee to secure the future of its Commonwealth Games volunteering programme.
Arts
All Roads Lead To Alexander
Birmingham England
£200,000 has been awarded to the north Staffordshire charity Caudwell Children to create a new art and culture project linked to the Commonwealth Games, following a collaboration between Spirit of 2012 and Birmingham 2022.
Arts
Playing Out
Coventry England
£200,000 has been awarded to Warwick Arts Centre to create a new, inclusive art and culture project linked to the Commonwealth Games, following a collaboration between Olympic legacy funder Spirit of 2012 and Birmingham 2022.
Young people
Camp Glasgow & Pop Up Games
Nationwide
The nationwide programme aimed to bring the values, opportunities and spirit of the Commonwealth Games to 14-25 year olds from disadvantaged areas in partnership between StreetGames and Spirit of 2012
Arts
Big Big Sing
Nationwide
In 2015, Spirit was one the funders of Big Big Sing – a project that inspired hundreds of thousands of people the length and breadth of the UK to unite in celebration of singing.
Wellbeing
Fourteen & 14-NOW
Nationwide Northern Ireland
Fourteen NI was part of Spirit’s £3.5m Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games social legacy programme, which allocated grants to communities across the UK to deliver sports, arts and volunteering activities aimed at enhancing social connectedness. Following a three-year partnership, Springboard Opps was awarded an additional grant in July 2018 to continue its work via 14-NOW.
Sport and physical activity
Legacy 2014 Physical Activity Fund
Scotland
Spirit of 2012 is a legacy partner of the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games and was awarded £1.3 million by the Scottish Government to get the least active people in Scotland more active and generate learning for the benefit of the rest of Scotland.
Volunteering
Open Ceremonies
Glasgow Scotland
The Volunteer Support Pot enabled volunteers complete their roles as Clyde-siders or Ceremonies volunteers at the XX Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in summer 2014 to address hardship on the basis of need.
Women and girls
WOW – Women of the World
Bradford Cardiff England Exeter Norwich Perth Scotland Wales
We funded the Southbank Centre to support communities across the UK in developing their own Women of the World festivals.
Community cohesion Volunteering Wellbeing
Moment To Movement
Nationwide
We supported the Jo Cox Foundation to explore community connection and social action through The Great Get Together.
Community cohesion
Moments To Connect
Nationwide
£300,000 to seven programmes designed to explore how the major national events of 2023 can connect individuals and communities across social divides.
capital of sport data observatory events impact inquiry 2022 legacy Moments To Connect
One year on from our Inquiry, how far have we come on events legacy?
In January 2023, we rounded up our Inquiry into the Power of Events with our comprehensive final report, which outlined the current state of play in events legacy. With it…
events inquiry 2022 legacy
‘What next’ for Spirit of 2012 after inquiry into the impact of major events
This week, we published the final report from our independent Inquiry into the Power of Events. We’d like to thank Sir Tom Hughes-Hallett and the 25-strong panel for their contribution…
British Future events legacy Windrush
Events and anniversaries can inspire and unite – but what happens after the bunting comes down?
The 75th anniversary of the Windrush – a key moment in Britain’s history of migration and diversity – was commemorated this year as a major national event. Alongside coverage across…
events impact inquiry 2022 Learning legacy
Evaluating the impact of major events: what’s the state of play?
This month has been a big month for the world of event evaluation, so much so it is hard to keep track. Here’s what we’ve got our eye on! First,…
As the Women’s World Cup approaches, what is the legacy of the Women’s Euros 2022 in UK communities?
One year on from the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022, UEFA have released their post-tournament impact report. The report looks back on a triumphant tournament, which broke records for attendance and…
bradford 2025 city of culture events leeds 2023 legacy shared cultural futures
Here Today Gone Tomorrow? The future of major events and why we do them.
Something special is happening in West Yorkshire right now. You could describe it as a cultural reckoning as Leeds, Kirklees, Wakefield, Calderdale and Bradford all embark on their own celebrations…
Birmingham 2022 events Get Out Get Active Glasgow 2014 legacy London 2012
Hollingsworth is right: hosting major sporting events can have long-term benefits, but only with a clear plan for what’s next
Chief Executive of Sport England, Tim Hollingsworth, has come out in strong defence of major events, following the abrupt and disappointing decision of Victoria State Premier Daniel Andrews to pull…
events inquiry 2022 Learning Research
How can we enable individual major events to be more than the sum of their parts? Spirit teams with Warwick Business School to find out
The spring and summer of 2023 has seen a bumper programme of national events, including the Coronation, Eurovision and Windrush 75. Last year we saw the Platinum Jubilee, the Commonwealth…
events legacy London 2012
Ask The Experts, part one: Should the UK look to bid for the 2040 Olympic & Paralympic Games?
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has revealed his vision for London to become the first city to host the Olympic Games four times. He has already reached out to Keir Starmer,…
events legacy London 2012
Ask The Experts, part two: Should the UK look to bid for the 2040 Olympic & Paralympic Games?
Last week, we revealed what top experts in the field of events legacy thought of the idea to bid for a 2040 Olympic and Paralympic Games in the UK. Now,…
cohesion community events inquiry 2022 legacy
Events like the Commonwealth Games can bridge divides and bring people together, says report
Events such as this summer’s Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, the Women’s Euros and Birmingham’s Commonwealth Games have a very important role to play in breaking down prejudice and stereotypes in society,…
events Glasgow 2014 legacy Scotland sport and physical activity
Feeling the Glasgow 2014 pride 10 years on
On Tuesday 23 July 2024, we celebrate 10 years since the opening ceremony of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. As someone who got to take part in the closing ceremony…
events legacy London 2012
Nearly ten years down the line, what legacy does London 2012 have?
Nine years ago today, London embarked on a journey to host the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. While many people were optimistic, there were sceptics both in London and across…
bradford 2025 city of culture events leeds 2023 legacy volunteering
Spirit of 2012 awards fun to LEEDS 2023 and Bradford 2025 to deliver a cultural legacy for the region
Spirit of 2012 has awarded funding to Leeds Culture Trust and Bradford Culture Company, the organisations behind LEEDS 2023 Year of Culture and Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture respectively….