HOW TO MAKE EVENTS CATALYSTS FOR SOCIAL CHANGE:
REFLECTING ON A DECADE OF SPIRIT OF 2012’S WORK

Social impact from events doesn’t happen by chance—it requires bold design, local ownership, and a willingness to put people, not profits, at the heart of legacy.

Ruth Hollis OBE (Chief Executive, Spirit of 2012, UK).

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

·       Too many events promise social impact but fail to plan, measure, or deliver it meaningfully.

·       Lasting legacy depends on shifting ownership to local communities and investing in outcomes people care about.

·       Wellbeing—not just economic gain—should be the primary measure of success for event legacies.

·       Smaller, local events often create profound social ripples when designed with inclusion and belonging in mind.

·       A national Events Data Observatory and better knowledge transfer are vital to scaling what works.

INTRODUCTION

What if major events weren’t judged by headlines, attendance numbers, or the glitter of opening ceremonies—but by the quiet, everyday moments they spark years later? A neighbour feeling proud to walk down their street. A young woman finding her voice in her community. A volunteer rediscovering their sense of purpose. These are the hidden legacies—the kind that don’t grab global news but fundamentally change how people feel about themselves and the places they live.

Yet, more than a decade since London 2012, many still ask the same question: do events genuinely leave anything meaningful behind, or is “legacy” just another word for broken promises? It’s a fair question. Billions spent, bold pledges made—but too often, social impact is the afterthought of event planning, overshadowed by short-term spectacle and economic talking points.

I’ve spent the last eleven years leading Spirit of 2012, the UK’s social legacy charity from the London Games, created with £47 million to keep the “spirit” alive long after the final medals were handed out. We’ve seen firsthand that when done well, events can go far beyond entertainment. They can build confidence, inclusion, and cohesion—but only with deliberate design, patience, and a commitment to impact that lasts years, not weeks.

The question isn’t whether events can leave a legacy—it’s whether we have the courage to do legacy differently.

“The question isn’t whether events can leave a legacy—it’s whether we have the courage to do legacy differently.”

THE PROBLEM AND/OR OPPORTUNITY

The problem is simple but persistent: for all the bold claims made about the social benefits of major events, the follow-through often falls short. Too many organisers focus on the immediate success—the spectacle, visitor numbers, economic spend—while the promises of deeper, long-term social impact quietly fade into the background. Social legacy gets trapped between rhetoric and reality.

But here lies the opportunity. We know that with the right approach, events—large and small—can be powerful catalysts for improving wellbeing, strengthening communities, and boosting inclusion. The challenge is moving beyond vague legacy language and designing for impact from day one.

That requires shifting ownership to local people, building accountability, and investing in outcomes that matter: people feeling connected, confident, and proud of where they live.

It’s not just possible—it’s essential. Because when events fall short of their social promises, communities lose trust, and future opportunities for meaningful change slip away.

For decades, research and policy discussions have focused heavily on the economic legacy of events—jobs created, infrastructure built, visitor spend generated. These metrics dominate headlines and political speeches because they’re visible, quantifiable, and easy to sell. But they paint only part of the picture.

What’s often overlooked is the more complex, harder-to-measure realm of social impact—the changes in how people feel about themselves, their communities, and their future prospects. Existing legacy models tend to treat this as an afterthought or, worse, assume it will emerge naturally from the event itself.

WHY DOES THIS MATTER NOW?

Our work at Spirit of 2012 challenges this. We’ve shown that social impact is neither automatic nor inevitable—it is engineered through deliberate design, investment, and local ownership. This approach builds on the best of what we know about legacy but confronts the uncomfortable truth: without specific, measurable, and inclusive planning, events risk reinforcing inequalities rather than reducing them.

It’s time to move from vague promises to practical, evidence-based strategies that put people—not just profits or infrastructure—at the centre of legacy planning.

HOW DOES THIS ADD TO WHAT WE ALREADY KNOW?

For decades, research and policy discussions have focused heavily on the economic legacy of events—jobs created, infrastructure built, visitor spend generated. These metrics dominate headlines and political speeches because they’re visible, quantifiable, and easy to sell. But they paint only part of the picture.

What’s often overlooked is the more complex, harder-to-measure realm of social impact—the changes in how people feel about themselves, their communities, and their future prospects. Existing legacy models tend to treat this as an afterthought or, worse, assume it will emerge naturally from the event itself.

Our work at Spirit of 2012 challenges this. We’ve shown that social impact is neither automatic nor inevitable—it is engineered through deliberate design, investment, and local ownership. This approach builds on the best of what we know about legacy but confronts the uncomfortable truth: without specific, measurable, and inclusive planning, events risk reinforcing inequalities rather than reducing them.

It’s time to move from vague promises to practical, evidence-based strategies that put people—not just profits or infrastructure—at the centre of legacy planning.

“We’ve shown that social impact is neither automatic nor inevitable—it is engineered through deliberate design, investment, and local ownership.”

Key Arguments

  • One of the most damaging misconceptions in event planning is treating legacy as something that starts after the closing ceremony. By then, it’s already too late. If we want events to leave behind more than good memories, we need to understand legacy as a long-term process—years in the making, years in the unfolding.

    Take the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Their social impact didn’t magically emerge the day after the final firework faded. It began well before the opening ceremony with intentional strategies to inspire volunteering, promote inclusion, and engage communities. Spirit of 2012 was created not to celebrate the past but to invest in the future, using a £47 million endowment to embed wellbeing, cohesion, and confidence into communities long after the Games left town.

    But even that wasn’t enough on its own. Truly lasting impact for mega events requires a two-decade horizon—minimum – before, during and post event. It’s about planting seeds before the event, nurturing them during, and staying committed long after the global spotlight moves on. Cities that treat legacy as a one-off outcome will inevitably fall short. Those that embed it into long-term development plans—like Liverpool with Eurovision or Glasgow following the Commonwealth Games—set the stage for real, measurable social change. (Spirit of 2012, “Developing Local Events Stategies”)

    Events must be seen as pivot points within a much bigger process of place-making, inclusion, and wellbeing. Otherwise, legacy risks being little more than an expensive afterthought.

  • The most successful social legacies are not imposed—they are co-created. Too often, event organisers or political leaders make sweeping promises from the top, detached from the realities and aspirations of the communities expected to benefit. The result? Cynicism, unmet expectations, and what many now call “social washing”—bold claims of transformation without the delivery to match.

    Spirit of 2012 took a different approach. We recognised that the people who understand what their communities need are the people living in them. That’s why our work has focused on building capacity in local organisations, supporting grassroots initiatives, and ensuring that social impact is designed with—not for—the communities involved.

    One example is the Get Out Get Active (GOGA) programme. Rather than chasing ambitious national targets for participation, GOGA focused on the least active, designing activities that responded to real barriers in specific places. The lesson? When you shift ownership to the local level, you create programmes that are relevant, sustainable, and genuinely impactful. (Wavehill & Activity Alliance, Get Out Get Active Impact Report)

    The same holds true for major events. Social legacy can’t be parachuted in from a glossy bid document—it must be grounded in the needs, voices, and leadership of local people. Without that, legacy is little more than rhetoric.

  • For years, we measured the success of events by ticket sales, television ratings, and economic figures. These are important, but they miss what truly matters to people: how events make them feel—about themselves, their communities, and their place in the world.

    At Spirit of 2012, we placed wellbeing at the heart of our impact model. Using the UK’s Office for National Statistics (ONS) wellbeing measures, we asked simple but powerful questions: Do people feel more satisfied with their lives? Do they feel what they do is worthwhile? Are they less anxious? These measures, often dismissed as “soft,” have proved to be the most meaningful indicators of genuine legacy. (PBE, “Helping Funders To Measure What Matters”)

    Take EmpowHER, a programme supporting young women’s wellbeing around the centenary of women’s suffrage. It wasn’t about grand gestures—it was about creating spaces where girls with low starting wellbeing could build confidence, relationships, and purpose. The result? Measurable, long-term improvements in how participants felt about themselves and their future. (UK Youth, EmpowHer Final Impact Report)

    This is the real test of social legacy—not fleeting moments of celebration, but sustained, positive shifts in wellbeing. Yet, most events still fail to prioritise or even track these outcomes. Until that changes, we will continue to overstate our successes and under-deliver for communities.

    Events must become platforms for improving how people feel—not just during the spectacle, but long after the crowds go home.

  • When we talk about legacy, the spotlight often falls on mega-events: Olympic Games, World Cups, major festivals. Yet some of the most profound and enduring social impacts come from the quieter, smaller-scale events happening in towns, neighbourhoods, and local venues.

    These events act as bridges—connecting people to one another, building confidence, and often serving as the first step for those who feel excluded or disconnected from their community. They leverage the inspiration of major moments but root the impact in everyday places.

    Spirit of 2012 saw this repeatedly. Our funding didn’t just support global spectacles; it empowered local organisations to run cultural, sporting, and community events designed to increase belonging, inclusion, and wellbeing. For example, the walking group in Scotland set up after the Glasgow 2014 Games wasn’t glamorous—but for one woman with a history of mental ill health, it was life-changing. Her journey from participant to volunteer didn’t hinge on the scale of the event, but on feeling seen, valued, and connected. (Research Scotland, Changing Lives through Sport & Physical Activity Fund Report)

    Small events matter. But they are often underfunded, overlooked, and disconnected from broader legacy plans. If we truly believe in lasting social impact, we must equip grassroots organisations with the tools, resources, and recognition to deliver change.

    Legacy isn’t confined to stadiums and city centres. It thrives in local parks, village halls, and community spaces—if we design for it.

  • Legacy discussions are awash with data—impact reports, evaluations, and surveys flood in after every major event. Yet too often, that data remains fragmented, inconsistent, or hidden behind institutional barriers. Without strategic integration, we lose the ability to spot patterns, compare outcomes, or genuinely understand what works.

    Spirit of 2012 encountered this challenge repeatedly. Across sport, culture, volunteering, and community programmes, brilliant evaluations were happening—but in silos. One city’s lessons weren’t reaching another. Measures varied wildly, making it impossible to aggregate insights or build cumulative knowledge.

    That’s why we championed the concept of an Events Data Observatory—a national, open-access platform to collate, compare, and share data on the social impact of events. Imagine the possibilities: a single source tracking wellbeing, inclusion, cohesion, and economic outcomes across events of all sizes, over decades. (FRY Creative, Events Data Observatory Feasibility Report)

    The feasibility work is underway, but the principle is clear: data must be made accessible, consistent, and embedded into the DNA of event planning. Otherwise, every event starts from scratch, repeating mistakes and missing opportunities for collective progress.

    Legacy is too important to be left to chance—and too complex to navigate without evidence. Data done right can transform how we design, deliver, and measure social impact—if we have the vision to use it.

CONCLUSIONS

For too long, the promise of legacy has been treated as a convenient soundbite—an optimistic afterthought tacked onto the end of ambitious event bids. But genuine, lasting social impact doesn’t happen by default. It requires more than fireworks, photo opportunities, or inflated participation targets. It demands courage to do legacy differently.

The lessons from Spirit of 2012 are clear. Events can absolutely change lives—but only when social impact is designed with intent, measured with consistency, and grounded in the realities of local communities. It’s not enough to deliver a successful spectacle and hope the benefits trickle down. Legacy starts years before the opening ceremony and continues long after the crowds have gone.

We’ve seen what works: shifting ownership to those on the ground, focusing on the people who stand to benefit most, embedding wellbeing as the true measure of success, and valuing the quiet power of small events as much as global spectacles. We’ve also seen the gaps: fragmented data, overpromising, and the persistent imbalance between economic headlines and social outcomes.

The good news is that this can change. But it takes leadership willing to look beyond short-term wins and funders prepared to back long-term, locally owned solutions. The next decade presents an opportunity to rethink how events serve society—not as fleeting entertainment, but as catalysts for inclusion, pride, and connection.

If we care about leaving more than memories behind, now is the moment to act.

“The next decade presents an opportunity to rethink how events serve society—not as fleeting entertainment, but as catalysts for inclusion, pride, and connection.”

PRACTICAL ACTIONS

Translating social impact from aspiration into reality requires clear, coordinated action across organisers, policymakers, and researchers. Legacy won’t deliver itself. Here’s where to start:

For Managers and Event Organisers

·       Design for Long-Term Impact from Day One
Legacy must be embedded early. Map how the event connects to existing community priorities and ensure plans for social impact are developed alongside operational delivery—not bolted on later.

·       Shift Ownership to the Local Level
Engage local authorities, grassroots organisations, and residents meaningfully—not through token consultation, but as partners shaping programmes. Local knowledge and accountability increase both relevance and impact.

·       Prioritise Fewer, Deeper Outcomes
Overstretching legacy ambitions leads to diluted delivery and inevitable disappointment. Focus on a small number of social outcomes—such as wellbeing, cohesion, or inclusion—and align all activities around achieving them.

·       Resource the Gaps Between Events
Long-term social impact cannot be sustained if momentum vanishes when the event ends. Budget for post-event programmes and pathways that allow individuals, particularly those furthest from participation, to continue their journey.

For Policymakers

·       Ring-Fence Funding for Social Impact
Social legacy needs dedicated, protected investment—not just reliance on short-term event budgets. Establish funding pots for legacy activities, with clear governance and accountability structures embedded from the outset.

·       Create a National Events Impact Strategy
Avoid piecemeal approaches by developing a coherent framework that guides how events of all sizes can contribute to national goals—particularly around health, wellbeing, inclusion, and pride in place.

·       Support an Events Data Observatory
Invest in a national platform that aggregates social impact data across events. Shared learning, consistent measures, and transparent reporting will lift the sector’s overall effectiveness and credibility.

For Researchers and Academics

·       Strengthen Evidence on What Works
Expand longitudinal studies, develop rigorous evaluation methods for social impact, and ensure findings are accessible to practitioners—not buried in academic journals.

·       Collaborate with Communities and Practitioners
Co-design research agendas with local organisations, policymakers, and event organisers to ensure studies address real-world challenges and generate actionable insights.

·       Help Equip Small Organisations
Many community groups lack the tools or capacity to evaluate social outcomes. Researchers should provide simplified, scalable resources to help smaller events contribute meaningfully to broader legacy efforts.

By aligning these efforts, we can close the gap between promise and delivery. Events have immense potential to foster wellbeing, inclusion, and cohesion—but only when we stop treating legacy as an afterthought and start designing for impact with humility, evidence, and long-term commitment.

IMPLEMENTATION CHALLENGES

Delivering genuine, long-term social impact through events is not without its constraints. The most obvious is funding—social legacy often competes with more visible, immediate priorities, particularly as public sector budgets tighten. Without protected investment, even the most ambitious plans can falter.

There is also a risk of overpromising. Events cannot single-handedly solve entrenched social inequalities. They can catalyse change—but only if embedded within broader, sustained efforts by local authorities, community organisations, and national policies.

Measurement poses further challenges. While wellbeing provides a meaningful indicator, capturing the complexities of social impact—especially across diverse communities—requires careful, consistent methods. Data fragmentation, inconsistent evaluation frameworks, and limited capacity in smaller organisations all hamper progress.

Finally, maintaining momentum after an event concludes is difficult. Political cycles, leadership changes, and shifting public attention can derail long-term legacy commitments. Without clear ownership and accountability structures, the promise of social impact risks fading as quickly as the event itself.

These are real barriers—but not insurmountable. With strategic planning, honest expectations, and the courage to prioritise people over spectacle, events can deliver legacies that truly last.

REFERENCES

AUTHOR(S)

Ruth Hollis OBE, Chief Executive, Spirit of 2012 (UK).

Ruth has been Chief Executive of Spirit of 2012 since 2019. Previously she was Spirit’s Director of Policy and Impact and has worked with the Trust since inception. Ruth left a career in the civil service to help set the charity up in 2013 and leads Spirit’s team to deliver a diverse programme of grant funded projects with a strong focus on measuring and sharing the social impact of our work. She was delighted to be awarded an OBE in the 2025 New Years Honours List in recognition of her services to sport, to the arts and volunteering. “Spirit uses events, like Glasgow 2014, Hull 2017 and the Centenary of Women’s Suffrage, as catalysts for social change – building on the way events bring people together and foster connection, pride, hope and optimism. I am passionate about the power of sport, arts and culture, and volunteering to improve wellbeing and really change lives both for communities and individuals.”

Disclaimer
The views and insights expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and reflect their research and professional expertise. They do not represent the views of the Centre for Events & Festivals CIC or its partners.