Brisbane 2032 can accelerate Australia’s journey to become a global cultural powerhouse 

New analysis from A New Approach (ANA) demonstrates that the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games are a once-in-generation opportunity to shift our global arts and culture standing. We show that Australia can learn from other nations’ experiences as we intensify our efforts to become a global cultural powerhouse.

The new Analysis Paper, Pathways to Becoming a Cultural Powerhouse: Perspectives for Impact in Arts, Culture and Creativity, explores case studies from South Korea, France and Brazil. The paper describes steps these nations took to leverage their hosting of the Games to enhance their cultural position and global standing, achieving lasting cultural, social, and economic benefits.

The three case studies show how the Games could strengthen Australia’s cultural and creative industries and enhance Australia’s global reputation. CEO of ANA, Kate Fielding, said “Australia is well positioned to present a contemporary view of our culture to the world when we host Brisbane 2032.”

“This isn’t just a sports mega-event, it’s a cultural mega-event too. Along with the popular Opening and Closing Ceremonies, the Games include a four-year Cultural Olympiad and a 20-year Legacy Strategy with arts, culture and creativity outcomes. Through these, Australia can deliver a program that presents our maturing cultural confidence and our contemporary national identity to the world.”

Ms Fielding highlighted that the Games will be one of the biggest events in Australia’s history and will have an unparalleled global audience.

“Brisbane 2032 is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for governments to partner with industry, business, and philanthropy to plan and nurture our cultural relations future and secure our place as a global cultural powerhouse. We cannot let this opportunity pass us by.”

Ms Fielding said “Australia can learn broad lessons from the experiences of the countries featured in the paper, including the importance of planning for impact, sustaining cultural policy, integrating cultural reporting, and investing in cultural relations.

“South Korea demonstrates how sustaining cultural policy and investing in cultural relations can open a nation to the world. France’s integration and evaluation of cultural expenditure across portfolios highlight the importance of planning for impact. And Brazil provides strong insights into how planning and policy are essential for sustaining the impacts of arts, cultural and creative activities, including social cohesion impacts, from events like the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

“We already have high cultural participation here in Australia. Currently we also have unprecedented policy focus and development at the national, state and territory and local government levels. The time is right for us to act strategically, collaboratively and purposefully. Brisbane 2032 adds urgency to this.

“What we need now is a long-term national cultural plan with its development facilitated through a Ministerial Council as part of National Cabinet. Cultural Ministers should also pursue the creation of a cultural relations institute. It’s not good enough for Australia to be one of only two nations in the largest 15 economies in the world to not already have an institute of this type.

“As a first step, Cultural Ministers should look at the successive National Sports Plans and Strategies. These give us an effective model to follow to promote collaboration across all levels of government to achieve long-term, practical outcomes.”

Find out more about A New Approach (ANA).

For media enquiries please contact Alexandra Nichols 0431 468 665 or alexandra.nichols@newapproach.org.au.