Vancouver 2010

Urban development and the arts strongly influence§each other all the more when mega-events such as§the Olympic Games are added to the picture as they§will be in Vancouver in 2010. What happens to a city§and its arts community once the decision for the next§host city is made? How can the influx of new funding,§increased world-wide attention and a common goal be§used to develop the city into a creative world class§city; a great home for all of its citizens and§visitors alike? Over a period of several years the§preparations for a mega-event shape the atmosphere of§and urban change taking place in the city, and exert§an enormous influence on the local economy, civic§pride and people s lives in general. Vancouver s§existing diverse arts community and the extensive§plans for the cultural component hold vast potential§to contribute to the successful staging of the§Olympic Games in Vancouver. Employing computer-based§content analysis of expert interviews, the author§assesses the expectations, fears and hopes of the§arts community and, linking these to§theoretical concepts of urban development, outlines§the potential impacts of the Olympic Games coming to§Vancouver.