Queensland cultural leaders unite to plan lasting legacy of Brisbane 2032

What will be the cultural legacies from the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games?

This question sits at the heart of the Creative Brisbane Collab.’s Cultural Legacies Project, a landmark initiative to identify the essential elements and opportunities for arts and cultural associated with the Games.

The Cultural Legacies Project’s inaugural workshop on Wednesday 16 July will unite 120 of Queensland’s leading voices in arts, business, community and academia to explore the capacity of the state’s creative sector to deliver on a global stage and identify where investment and support are needed to help communities and creatives thrive.

To guide discussions, Creative Brisbane Collab. has identified six areas of legacy opportunity: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, artists with a disability, young artists, venues and infrastructure, promoting Brisbane globally, and Queensland’s nighttime economies.

Creative Brisbane Collab. Chair Barton Green said with half a million visitors expected to visit Queensland for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games – and an estimated three billion watching from home – definitive and deliberate steps must be taken to shape their experiences and impressions of Brisbane and Queensland.

“A visit to an Olympic and Paralympic city should leave a lasting cultural impression,” Mr. Green said.

“Beyond the excitement of the events, we want people to remember how Brisbane and Queensland made them feel, and that’s something we need to shape deliberately, starting now.”

The Cultural Legacies Project will bring together representatives from across the creative and corporate sectors, including artists and artistic directors, academics and business leaders, to help shape cultural legacies discussions.

“Our ambition should be to showcase the best of art, culture and creativity to the world – especially the ancient and profound cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples,” Mr. Green said.

“But we can’t leave that ambition to chance. We need to ensure we have the experience and capability to realise it.”

Mr Green emphasised that while international expertise should contribute to the discussions, Queensland’s cultural legacies must reflect its unique character.

“We have the skills, talent and passion right here in our backyard,” he said.

We must protect and promote what makes Brisbane and Queensland unique and ensure that our local creatives are empowered to shine as the world turns its eyes towards us.

Outcomes and observations from the workshop will help to inform a strategic roadmap for cultural investment and programming as Brisbane prepares for 2032 and beyond.

For more information about Creative Brisbane Collab. and the Cultural Legacies Project, visit creativebrisbane.com.au.