Cultural Olympiads & the creative industries: local engagement in Torino and London

The focus of this research is on the benfits of hosting Olympics to local, small and micro firms, which are often the greatest contributors to creative innovation and cultural diversity. The findings are based on research conducted in 2010 on the ‘Role of the Olympic Games’ Cultural Programme in Fostering Local Creativity’ focusing on softer impacts, such as improved contacts, creative inspiration and informal learning. It does so by exploring local creative industry professionals’ perceptions and feelings towards the Cultural Olympiad of Torino 2006 and London 2012. This paper focuses on the creative industries, clustering of creative firms and their role in local development around Olympic Games planning and delivery. The authors argue that the role of such organizations has increasing value and importance for an Olympic programme, which reflect their growing importance in society more generally.