Spirit of 2012 has today (8 March 2023) announced the award of a grant of £200,000 to Liverpool City Council to develop two innovative projects around Eurovision. Together the projects will generate knowledge and insight both into the impact of major events and the role of schools in engaging children and young people growing up in the host city.

The most celebrated song contest in the world, Eurovision is watched by an estimated 166 million people. This year, with the contest being held in the UK on behalf of Ukraine, it is expected to be even more special. But what impact will hosting a mega-event have on the residents and the city?  Liverpool has a strong history of deploying events as part of a process of wider social change. As the London 2012 Games legacy funder, Spirit of 2012 carries out research into how events can make a difference to the wellbeing of people and places, and we are eager to learn what we can from Eurovision about engagement, inclusion, impact and legacy.

There are two strands to this grant:

EuroLearn (£100,000)

The spirit of Eurovision will be felt in schools in Liverpool this Spring thanks to EuroLearn, a new and innovative engagement programme for Liverpool schools. Youngsters of all ages, from pre-school to secondary school will have the chance to get involved and be inspired by the programme which celebrates the power of music, national identity and the cultures of Ukraine and the other Eurovision nations.

Spirit will use the project to learn about the role of schools, building on the knowledge we have generated from funding four rounds of Get Set, a nationwide project which encourages children between 5-19 to get active and live the Olympic and Paralympic values.

Claire McColgan CBE, Director of Culture Liverpool, said: “I’m a real admirer of Spirit of 2012’s ethos and commitment to ensuring a strong legacy from major events. There is nothing better than working through education to support young people to both participate in and be the legacy from a major event like Eurovision. The work they do will stay with them for the rest of their lives and the impact of that cannot be underestimated.”

Wellbeing evaluation (£100,000)

The second part of the grant will be used to jointly-fund one of three evaluations by Liverpool City Council into the impact of Eurovision on the wellbeing of Liverpool residents. The study will comprise of a baseline and follow-up survey involving a minimum of 1,000 representative residents of the city which will examine demographics, involvement in Eurovision events, personal and community level wellbeing, and their sense of civic pride and citizenship.

Polling will be supported by a series of focus groups targeting key groups of interest including displaced and resident Ukrainians, Eastern European communities and residents who identify as LGBTQ+. These focus groups will be made up of those who participated in one or more of the several bespoke Eurovision events being hosted by the city. This will result in a published study, which will contribute to the development of major events and in understanding how they can benefit the local communities in which they are hosted.

Ruth Hollis, Chief Executive, Spirit of 2012, said: “We’re delighted to support this exciting programme for Liverpool. Eurovision holds a very special place in our hearts and EuroLearn has the potential to ignite and nurture children’s interest in music and the arts and use this year’s unique link to Ukraine, to build connections and shared understanding.

“It’s not just school children though, Eurovision has the potential to both elevate the city and make a lasting impact on the wellbeing and happiness of all the people who live there. Understanding how and why this does or doesn’t happen is critical to ensuring that future mega events, maybe even another UK Eurovision, deliver the best possible impact for the largest number of people.”