Live events and gatherings in society date back to the very beginning of human existence. Often, they took the form of pilgrimages joined by shared belief, led by the aim of creating a sacred shared space or experience. Today, large-scale events are ubiquitous. In the economic sphere, live events are crucial to all life, with face-to-face interaction being inseparable from how we buy and sell. It might be said that all large events are cultural in one way or another: Their ritual and organised activity are deeply engrained in our culture, showing the ability to encourage transformative behaviour in both individuals and collectives.

With the worldwide unrest in June 2020, social power but also the destructive violence of this protest movement became apparent. In the streets, it became clear that our culture needs to provide adequate space for the voices and concerns of all parts of our society. Anthropological thinkers (Arnold van Gennep, Elias Canetti) described practices of transforming violent movements into cultural rituals; this talk aimed to include the possibility of such processes. Talking about live events today, the force and potential of such spontaneous gatherings could provoke new perspectives.

In addition to economic efficiency and the fun-factor of mass entertainment, we should explore the ritual function of live events, and examine how strategies can react sensitively to social currents. It is about creating moments where the individual can actively participate as one part of a greater whole. It is about forming spaces in which the voices of individuals are given common resonance, places of communication and co-production of our cultural future.

In light of Covid-19, we are also reminded of the crisis in our understanding of live events. A part of our everyday life, social and political activity, as well as our health, has been transformed. Football games, art fairs, clubs, theatres are all more than leisure-entertainment. They are all more than just a sum of individual experiences: they are important for the functioning of our community and wellbeing. Likewise, cultural events like art fairs are essential for the ability for culture to withstand this crisis and the next. And since we need to assume that the danger of viral infections won’t just disappear in a couple of months, there is a need to rethink the blueprint of such events.

The discussion Culture of Live Events: Redesigning Common Rituals that took place on 6 December looked at the transformation of community through countercultural and ritual processes that large events bring, now extended by the digital realm. In redesigning these mutual spaces of experience, we consider how audiences are engaged for participation and co-production. Even as the economy gains strength, things will shift, and it is presence of the audience that will be key to the success of the transformation.

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