The Brisbane 2032 cultural vision: a legacy beyond the Olympics

By Lucy O’Driscoll, Sports and Culture Sector Lead, Hassell, and Adam Scott, strategist, experience master planner and member of the Hassell Alumni network.

The Brisbane 2032 Olympics presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to redefine how our unique Australian culture can energise our cities and enrich communities. 

For 65,000 years, Brisbane on Yuggera and Turrbal Country, has been at the heart of an enduring cultural universe. The Brisbane 2032 festival of arts, culture, and heritage that will take place in conjunction with the Olympic Games, is not about imitating others — it’s about defining a uniquely Brisbane approach to cultural transformation. 

Building on the insights of a recent symposium titled Performance Futures, hosted by Hassell, which brought together leading Australian thinkers across performance, arts, and the built environment, a compelling vision for Brisbane is taking shape. That conversation, facilitated by Adam Scott, strategist, experience master planner and a member of the Hassell alumni network, yielded ten key recommendations. 

These recommendations, with contributions from artist and creative director Bec Mac, multidisciplinary artist and choreographer Amrita Hepi, Executive Director of the Queensland Ballet Dilshani Weerasinghe, and discussion from Night-Life Economy Minister John ​‘JC’ Collins outline how Brisbane can harness the power of performance for unity and inspiration.

“It’s our opportunity to embrace the unexpected, celebrate the outsider, and champion the authentic, artist-led experiences that make this city extraordinary.” 

— Lucy O’Driscoll, Sports and Culture Sector Lead, Hassell

As Brisbane prepares for the 2032 Olympics, Lucy and Adam introduce a manifesto outlining vital steps — from strategic vision to tactical implementation — that will ensure Brisbane’s cultural festival delivers a lasting impact across creative, environmental and economic landscapes.

“This is not just a cultural programme for the games — it’s a blueprint for Brisbane’s future,” says Adam. ​“A legacy of art, identity, sustainability, and inclusion that will resonate far beyond 2032.”

THE PERFORMANCE FUTURES MANIFESTO

1. Purpose – a shared cultural vision

Brisbane’s cultural festival begins with a collective purpose, rooted in First Nations leadership, local storytelling, and universal accessibility. This is a celebration of 65,000 years of culture, positioning Brisbane as the centre of an enduring cultural universe — open to all, always on.

Commitments:

• A First Nations-led programme, shaping the festival’s artistic direction.
• A one-pass access model, ensuring inclusivity across all events.
• A festival built on authentic, artist-led storytelling, reflecting Brisbane’s diverse communities.

2. Planet – culture and the environment

At its most macro, the cultural festival will champion sustainability. Zooming in, it celebrates Brisbane’s subtropical identity, right down to the river as a connector — a metaphor and physical space for cultural exchange.

Commitments:

• A green cultural agenda, ensuring sustainability is central to all artistic initiatives.
• A programme embracing Brisbane’s outdoor, subtropical character.
• A focus on the river as a cultural and ecological corridor.

3. Profit – a sustainable cultural economy 

The cultural festival will drive economic, social, and environmental returns through a major commissioning fund, ensuring a long-term creative and commercial legacy.

Commitments:

• A dedicated commissioning fund to plan for legacy impact.
• Early activation of community-driven projects, from suburban streets to late-night art markets.
• Investment in creative industries to generate cultural and economic wealth.

4. Policy – institutionalising cultural legacy

A lasting cultural impact requires dedicated policy structures and funding mechanisms. Like Barcelona’s transformation post-1992, Brisbane must commit to a long-term cultural investment plan.

Commitments:

• Establish a government department for cultural legacy, funded for at least 15 years.
• Ensure culture is a catalyst for community-building—affordable housing, public spaces, and high-street renewal.
• Embed cultural impact across urban planning policies.

5. Process – First Nations always, early, and evolving

The cultural festival will be participatory, iterative, and deeply rooted in First Nations knowledge. It will start early, embrace artist residencies, and evolve through constant refinement.

Commitments:

• First Nations cultural protocols embedded at every stage.
• Artist residencies beginning immediately, fostering deep engagement.
• A model of continuous learning and improvement.

6. People – Leadership and risk taking

Great cultural legacies require bold leadership. A dedicated cultural director and team must be in place now to ensure ambition, risk-taking, and longevity.

Commitments:

• Appoint a cultural director immediately.
• Build a team ready to experiment, innovate, and take creative risks.
• Support cross-sector collaboration between arts, business, and government.

7. Performance – small, fast, and experimental

The first wave of cultural festival projects will be quick, experimental, and highly participatory, embracing residencies, maker spaces, and public debates.

Commitments:

• Artist residencies and maker spaces, testing new ideas.
• Public forums and creative debates, ensuring diverse voices shape the programme.
• A focus on emerging and digital cultural trends.

8. Place – expanding through activation and time

Culture must break out of traditional venues. The festival will spread across the city, activating the river, outdoor spaces, and overlooked corners of Brisbane. With the development of new venues such as the Brisbane Stadium at Victoria Park and the National Aquatic Centre at Centenary Pool, Spring Hill, there is a unique opportunity to integrate cultural programming within these spaces, ensuring they serve as hubs for both sporting and artistic excellence.

Commitments:

• River-based cultural activations, utilising Brisbane’s defining natural feature.
• Programmes that break out of traditional venues, taking art into the streets and newly developed Olympic sites.
• A focus on expanding cultural programming throughout the day and night.

9. Projects – major cultural investments

As momentum builds, the festival will deliver significant cultural infrastructure, creating new institutions and reimagining existing spaces. The planned construction of the Brisbane Stadium at Victoria Park and the National Aquatic Centre presents opportunities to embed cultural facilities within these complexes, fostering a legacy of integrated sports and arts precincts.

Commitments:

• The creation of a First Nations arts hub, potentially within or adjacent to new Olympic venues, honouring the cultural heritage of the land.
• Investment in new or revitalised creative precincts, leveraging Olympic infrastructure developments.
• A commitment to long-term arts funding beyond 2032.

10. Provice – city-wide, state-wide legacy

The festival must leave an intergenerational impact, embedding culture into Brisbane’s fabric for decades to come. With events planned across Queensland, including Maryborough, Rockhampton, Gold Coast, Townsville, and the Whitsundays, there is an unparalleled opportunity to foster a state-wide cultural renaissance, ensuring that the benefits of the games are felt throughout the province.

Commitments:

• Investment in cultural infrastructure for the next 65,000 years, not only in Brisbane but across all host cities and regions.
• Green infrastructure, embedding environmental sustainability in city and regional planning.
• Movement infrastructure, ensuring culture is physically accessible to all, connecting urban and regional communities through cultural initiatives.

Video (top of page): Victoria Park location for a new 63,000-seat stadium that will be the heart of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games. Aerial view. Source: Adobe Stock, copyright Blackboxguild. Images sourced from Adobe Stock unless otherwise captioned.