Podcast blurb: If you look around every city, the performing arts centre, concert halls, theatres, art galleries, museums, arts street, art cinemas, architecture, and food, are often the highlights of the destination’s culture and image. When a programmer programmes for a space or a place, the programmer is adding soul to what animates the characteristics of a place. It is almost an imagination or the putting together of a tapestry of arts and culture representative of its past, present and future. The whole city becomes a stage when cultural programming is applied to a mega event, however, the question remains about how big this stage is and how inclusive cultural programming ought to be.

Sandra’s bio: Dr Sandra Goh is a Senior Lecturer and Programme Leader of BA Event Management at the School of Hospitality and Tourism, Auckland University of Technology, in New Zealand. Sandra’s research touches on the contemporary issues in events and tourism. As a former event producer, Sandra is particularly interested in how creativity and the understanding of people and places help resolve some of the current issues in events, tourism and society. Sandra also serves on the editorial board of the Event Management journal. As chair of the 7 Experiences Summit, She likes to invite you to join her in New Zealand from the 28 November to 1 December 2023.

Further reading and resources:

Goh, S., Ryan, C., Faisal, A., & Qi, H. (2022). Mega events, disruptions, and arts entrepreneurs: Reconceptualising the creative transformation of urban spaces. Annals of Tourism Research, 92(C).

Pappalepore, I., and Duignan, M.B. (2016). The London 2012 Cultural Programme: A Consideration of Olympic Impacts and Legacies for Small Creative Organisations in East London. Tourism Management, 54, 344-355. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2015.11.015.