The Challenge

How can cities hosting the Olympics and Paralympics Games, run a Cultural Olympiad that brings the city’s culture to life and includes citizens?  

Paris is hosting the Olympics in 2024 and Los Angeles in 2028. Both cities have hosted the Olympics twice before, so are aware of both the benefits but also the challenges that a global sporting event brings to the city. Culture has the potential to bring the benefits across citizens and across the city.  

The aim for the Paris and Los Angeles’ exchange was to learn about approaches to delivering cultural diversity and inclusion and building a lasting and city-wide legacy.   

Both culture and sport bring us together to experience shared thrills. The Cultural Olympiad, launched in 2021 in Paris and Seine-Saint Denis, illustrates this beautifully. 

The Exchange

Paris visited Los Angeles with a programme including:  

• Discovering the city’s long music and movie history at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, Academy Museum and Grammy Museum.  
• Exploring the historic and indigenous heart of Los Angeles at the Plaza de Cultura y Artes and El Pueblo, a historical monument marking the birthplace of the city.  
• Met with hip-hop artists to learn how they boost participation in the arts across the city.  
• Met with cultural leaders hosting some of Los Angeles outdoor festivals that help widen access to culture.  

Los Angeles visited Paris with a programme including:  

• Attending a hip-hop performance at La Place, one of the few cultural venues dedicated to the promotion of hiphop culture in France.  
• Learning how “Breaking”, a style of dance that originated in the US in the 1970s, is being introduced as an Olympic sport in 2024. 
• Visiting cultural projects that combine art and sport including one involving 15 artists writing and working with runners, and another combining tennis and theatre.  
• Learning about Paris’ work with schools where young people choose the artworks for the city’s public collection 

 “I am delighted that we are taking the time with Los Angeles to reflect upon this exceptional moment, before handing over the torch in 2024. A true collaboration, in the spirit of the Games!” 

Leadership Exchange Programme Participant

Lessons Learned

The exchanges proved to be a success for both cities. Here is a summary key takeaways:

• To leave a lasting legacy, Cultural Olympiads should be organized in three phases: before, during and after the Games.  
• Balancing inclusive events for local audiences with iconic moments to capture international imaginations is crucial for the success of Cultural Olympiads.  
• Embracing artistic expressions, even if political, contributes to the authenticity of the event, connecting the Olympics to civic issues like homelessness, health, wellbeing, justice, and sustainability.  
• Empowering local artists and arts organizations, particularly those from disadvantaged communities, is essential to seize the opportunities presented by Cultural Olympiads fully.  
• Providing capacity-building support ensures their participation and enhances the impact of the event.

Impact

• Bringing together five Olympic cities. As part of the exchange, there was a public online event bringing together former Olympic host cities including London, Sydney, Tokyo, Los Angeles and Paris. The event was moderated by Kate D. Levin, Bloomberg Philanthropies and was also attended by Angelito Teo, Director of the Olympic Foundation for Creative & Heritage. The event was attended by 200 people from across 20 cities. 

• A new collaboration between Paris and Los Angeles. The exchange has sparked a conversation about a creative collaboration. Both teams have a deepened respect for the vital role of strategic partnerships for building clarity within roles and goals. 

Images Courtesy of City of Paris & Los Angeles © WCCF