Events and the Local Community

‘A community is not just the people who attend an event, but also those who are affected by it.’ This statement emphasises something that many event organisers still overlook.

Festivals, cultural gatherings, and major sporting events are often seen as tools to help communities grow. But is that really the case? As events increasingly need to appear socially responsible. This blog will discuss whether events truly empower communities or if they are being commercialised.

Celebrating Communities or Commercialising Them?

Events are often praised for promoting identity, social cohesion, and civic pride (Derrett, 2003). Specially, local festivals are seen as spaces for interaction, openness, participation, and cultural expression.

However, researchers such as Quinn (2005) and Finkel et al. (2019) have warned that many events are designed using a top-down approach and are heavily influenced by commercial interests. As a result, the voices of local people may be pushed aside, while culture itself becomes a consumer product for tourism and brand image.

Case Studies

Real-world examples show that events marketed as community-focused may not always live up to that label. The Rio 2016 Olympics, which were promoted as a celebration of Brazil’s diversity, led to the displacement of many of the 77,000 residents living in favelas and redirected public funds away from essential services (Zimbalist, 2017).

In the UK, the Glastonbury Festival faced criticism for sidelining local stakeholders and placing pressure on rural infrastructure (Webster & McKay, 2016).

Similarly, the 2022 Formula E race in Jakarta was presented as a green initiative, but sparked backlash over land appropriation and exclusionary decision-making. Locals reported limited transparency and minimal benefits from the event (Paramashanti, 2023).

These cases illustrate a common pattern that is cultural branding is often used as a shield to justify actions that silence or marginalise local communities.

Participation or Performance?

Sustainable event theory highlights the importance of participatory planning (Getz & Andersson, 2010). However, in practice, participation often comes too late to influence outcomes. Consultation tends to become a box-ticking exercise rather than a genuine platform for impact.

This raises important questions like who sets the agenda for the event? Is it the organisers, the sponsors, or the residents? Are local traditions being elevated, or simply re-staged to attract tourists? Finkel et al. (2019) warn that when community involvement is symbolic rather than structural, events risk reproducing the very inequalities they aim to challenge.

Toward Events That Centre Communities

To fulfil the promise of truly community-led events, several changes are needed. Event organisers must share power from the outset, inviting local leaders, NGOs, and residents to co-design the programme, spaces, and outcomes. Setting up community advisory groups is one way to formalise this commitment (Thornham & Parry, 2015).

Equally important is conducting social impact assessments that go beyond economic indicators. Issues such as housing displacement, affordability, and cultural impact must be placed at the centre rather than treated as secondary concerns. Direct reinvestment into the local economy through hiring, procurement, and accessible ticketing helps ensure that benefits are more evenly distributed (Misener & Mason, 2010).

Finally, smaller, decentralised events often create deeper connections and cause less disruption than large-scale ones. As Duffy et al. (2021) argue, sustainability is not about how many people you attract, but how meaningfully you engage those who are already present.

From Passive Backdrops to Active Partners

Events have great potential to drive positive change, but only when communities are seen as co-creators, not as decorations. Moving from community as backdrop to community as backbone requires more than inclusive language. It requires shared leadership, long-term investment, and a willingness to reconsider whose voices we seek to elevate. In a truly sustainable events industry, Community is not an audience to be reached for the sake of reaching out, but the soul, the reason for the existence of the event.