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Written evidence submitted by the UK Centre for Events Management, Leeds Beckett University DCMS call for evidence: Major cultural and sporting events. Evidence from Leeds Beckett University, School of Events, Tourism and Hospitality Management, UK Centre for Events Management. Bernadette Albert (formerly Theodore), Reverend Ruth Dowson, Dr Thomas Fletcher, Dr Ian Lamond, Lucy McCombes, Professor Jim McKenna and Dr Neil Ormerod. The School of Events Tourism and Hospitality Management The School’s mission is to inspire and educate the events, tourism and hospitality leaders of tomorrow so that they can make a positive difference in the world. This guides everything that we do: what we teach, how we teach it, what we research and the kinds of stakeholders we work with. At the heart of our approach is a fundamental belief in the importance of providing a high-quality educational experience as judged by our students. The official National Student Survey (NSS) ‘overall satisfaction with your course’ score for 2020 was 94%, with two courses scoring 100%. Our postgraduate courses received similar endorsement in the Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES). We also emphasise the importance of working with employers and other stakeholders. Both the Institute of Travel and Tourism (ITT) and the Association of British Professional Conference organisers (ABPCO) deem us to be a Centre of Excellence. We are an affiliate member of the UNWTO and are one of only two universities in the UK to have their courses recognised by them via their TEDQual scheme. Research plays a pivotal role in the education of students and enables us to contribute insights relevant to the sector. International recognition of our standing in this respect is exemplified by our being ranked in the top 50 schools globally according to the subject rankings of the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) 2020 and in the top 100 by QS, another influential ranking system. We have a substantial Professoriate (including a UNWTO Ulysses Award winner) who have realigned research priorities in light of the Covid-19 pandemic and its impact on events, tourism and hospitality sectors. The UK Centre for Events Management The UK Centre for Events Management has been producing world class events research and educating global leaders in events management for 25 years. The Centre comprises a dedicated team of over 20 multi-disciplinary and experienced academic staff. We have a global reputation as a market leader in events management education, delivering stimulating courses across the breadth of events management - from festivals and cultural events, to international sport events and corporate launches. We produce award winning students and alumni with an international reach. Our links with industry partners and associations open up a world of opportunities for our students during their studies and following graduation. We focus on linking education with employment and inspire future leaders to transform practice, encourage critical thinking and make a positive contribution to the Events Industry. Submission rationale This document is submitted to inform discussion around the challenges facing the delivery of major cultural and sporting events in 2022, and the bid to host the World Cup 2030. Our submission draws on current empirical evidence regarding how social impacts can be maximised through large-scale events, and importantly, how richness and diversity can be celebrated through events by careful management of ‘cultural risks’. Sport, events and (national) identity Sport and sports events are popularly believed to have positive integrative functions and are thought therefore, to be able to galvanise different, and sometimes divided, communities through a shared sporting interest. UK Government and policy rhetoric over the last two decades has consistently emphasised the positive role sport can play in building more cohesive, empowered and active communities (Meir and Fletcher, 2019). The belief is that sport can contribute towards wider social objectives and can build bridges between people, help overcome cultural differences and spread an atmosphere of tolerance. Sport and sports events also continue to be an important means through which notions of Englishness and Britishness are constructed, contested, and resisted (Fletcher and Lusted, 2017). For most, these identities are taken for granted and part of everyday life. Because our sense of nationhood seems so obvious and natural, it is often difficult to conceptualise our sense of self without reference to some idea of national identity. However, the very ‘essence’ of national identity has at its heart the demarcation of boundaries, between ‘us’ and ‘them.’ Being seen to belong to a national collective, therefore, privileges some groups at the expense of others (Black, Fletcher and Lake, 2020). While particular national signifiers, such as places, people, events, or symbols (like sport), may be viewed by a substantial majority as largely self-evident, the questions of ‘who’ or ‘what’ belongs to the nation and ‘why’ are always part of an ongoing process of contestation (Fletcher and Spracklen, 2014). The following sections draw on evidence from our longitudinal social impact research of large- scale sports events in partnership with Doncaster Council and Sport England (2018-present), and our contribution to BRIC-19 (an Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) funded research project examining how British faith communities are adapting to the pandemic). These studies articulate the nuanced relationship between sports events, community and cultural identities, and notions of diversity, equity and inclusion. Maximising event benefits requires a decentred approach At Leeds Beckett University we have trialled and adopted a new and novel approach to maximising positive event impacts, which we term ‘event decentring’. To benefit fully from an event - whether that be a major sporting event or local community event - we advocate the need to think about what the event does rather than solely what the event is. We call this event decentring. Event decentring means viewing the event as a spark or catalyst for starting conversations between different stakeholders and community groups about broader issues, inequalities, priorities, policies, and strategies. All events have impacts; some positive and some less so. These impacts can be economic, social, cultural, political, spiritual, and environmental. It is tempting to examine these benefits individually but examining how they can contribute to one another - i.e., holistically - is better practice. This is known as the triple-bottom-line approach. However, in adopting the triple bottom line approach it can also be tempting to try to get events to be all things to all people and solve all problems. This is not possible, and organisers should prioritise the needs of specific communities and groups. We have identified two very distinct ways in which event organisers work towards delivering social impacts: 1. Event Plus is primarily focussed on event delivery, in the belief that event hosting will automatically lead to lasting and positive social impacts. 2. Plus Event, on the other hand, focuses on development first, with the event then contributing to this. Our event decentring model requires a Plus Event approach. To achieve lasting and positive impact, event decentring brings far more benefits than the traditional Event Plus approach, because it ensures social impact is built into event planning from the start. This is important as, for most people, an event is like a tree - they only see what is visible above the surface. Event decentring appreciates that the majority of impact work takes place below the surface, in the soil. The roots nurture and feed the tree, while creating widespread networks. Similarly, social impact interventions rely on a network of individuals, groups, businesses, and other organisations working together and towards shared goals. Event decentring has been trialled successfully as a model for maximising social impact within local communities during several high-profile events in Doncaster including: the 2018 and 2019 Tour de Yorkshire cycle races, UCI Road World Cycling Championships, and the Women’s Rugby League Roses World Cup. This work has focused on how events can improve personal wellbeing, civic pride, community cohesion, and physical activity levels. As part of our research, we have developed and applied innovative co-creative approaches to quantifying and evaluating social impacts which are often intangible. Working in partnership with local people we have successfully collected data to create visual barometers of social impacts. When combined with individual and collective event stories (to understand in detail how local people perceive and experience large-scale events), a comprehensive picture of social impact can be captured. Our research has found that social impacts can be maximised by focusing on human-centred and place-based approaches to community engagement through large-scale events. Decentring makes sense when one considers the temporary nature of large-scale events and celebrations compared with the permanence of communities. By addressing community needs through an event the community and social impact becomes central to event delivery, helping support lasting benefit. We have learned from our work in Doncaster that to do things better we need to do things differently. For large-scale cultural and sporting events to bring sustainable

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