Cultural Olympiad: Joint Los Angeles-Paris poster competition strengthens Olympic values and culture
Project: Uniting art students from Los Angeles and Paris to celebrate the Olympic spirit through a poster design competition
The 2024 Paris Cultural Olympiad Poster Competition connected art students from Paris and Los Angeles in a cross-city collaboration that celebrates Olympic values, civic engagement, and cultural diplomacy. Organised by the City of Paris and LA County’s Department of Arts and Culture, the project supported emerging artists, created international exposure, and informed cultural programming for the 2028 LA Olympic Games through poster and animation design exhibited globally.
Celebrating Olympic values through student creativity
To mark the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games and build momentum for the LA 2028 Games, the City of Paris and Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture co-launched the 2024 Paris Cultural Olympiad Poster Competition. The initiative brought together students from top art and design institutions in both cities to express Olympic values – creativity, excellence, and unity – through poster and animation design.
The 24 selected designs were displayed in outdoor exhibitions in Paris, featured on digital platforms, and shared widely on social media. This multi-platform rollout significantly increased the reach of the initiative and enabled viewers worldwide to appreciate the cultural and artistic dialogue between the two Olympic cities.
Participants included students from Ecole Professionnelle Supérieure d’Arts Graphiques de Paris (EPSAA), ArtCenter College of Design, California Institute of the Arts (CalArts), and Otis College of Art and Design. Their work captured global themes through local voices, demonstrating the power of visual culture to transcend borders.
Supporting emerging artists and career pathways
This cultural diplomacy initiative offered more than visibility – it provided a meaningful platform for emerging artists in Los Angeles to engage internationally, expand their networks, and build portfolios. Creative career pathways are central to LA County’s arts and culture strategy, and this programme exemplifies how international cultural partnerships can help local talent grow professionally.
Students created original posters and animated GIFs, learning how to translate civic and Olympic themes into compelling public-facing designs. These works were exhibited in Paris, Los Angeles, and online, giving students real-world exposure and demonstrating how student art competitions can serve as creative incubators for the next generation.
Building cultural exchange between LA and Paris
The competition also served as a tool for international cultural exchange between municipal partners. It fostered deeper collaboration between the City of Los Angeles, City of Paris, and Los Angeles County, helping to inform programme design and public engagement strategies for the upcoming LA 2028 Games.
The Department of Arts and Culture emphasised that the project is not just a one-time celebration but part of a long-term cultural strategy that nurtures civic engagement through the arts. These early activations build momentum toward 2028 by using culture to bridge communities, cities, and generations.
As Los Angeles prepares to take the Olympic stage in 2028, this initiative exemplifies how cities can use cultural programming to connect globally and invest locally.
