The Super Bowl: An Opportunity for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Initiatives for Arts Organizations

Abstract

This chapter offers a case study (Yin, 2018) of Super Bowl LIII as a special opportunity for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives for arts organizations. It uses mega-event legacy theory (Preuss, 2015) to frame the outcomes as legacies. The Atlanta Super Bowl Host Committee created a specific initiative entitled Legacy 53. The Legacy 53 initiative consists of five pillars: Business Connection, Capital Improvement Project, Civil Rights and Social Justice, Sustainability, and Youth Engagement (Reed, 2018). This study offers a particular perspective on DEI structures because it examines the Civil Rights and Social Justice pillar's public art project that involved community-driven installations across Atlanta with partners including WonderRoot, an arts organization. The project highlights how administrators can prepare for and take advantage of this unique funding opportunity during future Super Bowls. By reviewing literature on mega-events, urban development, the Olympics, and Super Bowls, I examine the funding structure of the Atlanta Super Bowl Host Committee and investigate how arts organizations relate to DEI initiatives. This work addresses a gap in the literature by highlighting funding with a focus related to systemic justice because it is a unique approach that does not reflect historical Super Bowl funding trends.

Citation

Bourgeois, T. (2024), "The Super Bowl: An Opportunity for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Initiatives for Arts Organizations", Bérubé, J., Dioh, M.-L. and Cuyler, A.C. (Ed.) Accessibility, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Cultural Sector, Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 185-197. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-83753-034-220241027