10 minute read
Glasgow Life: Events that inspire
from Host City 2024
Susan Deighan, Chief Executive of Glasgow Life, will join Vicki Miller, Chief Executive at VisitScotland, in opening the 11th global Host City Conference and Exhibition in December. We caught up with Susan on Glasgow Life’s approach to success as a host city for major events.
Host City: Thank you so much for hosting us again in Glasgowwhat are your expectations of Host City 2024?
Susan Deighan: The Host City Conference is a really important event for the sector as it provides an invaluable opportunity to bring together global events industry partners. It is an extremely productive platform that enables experiences and insights to be shared on current industry issues, and encourages discussion and debate on challenges and opportunities for host cities.
It is also a fantastic chance to network with the world’s best industry contacts, and build connections that foster collaboration and generate mutually beneficial partnerships – so that’s incredibly important too.
The ‘inspiring action’ theme of this year’s conference is, I think, well-chosen and I hope it will spark lively discussion on ideas about innovative ways for the future development of events.
The conference programme features an impressive line-up of speakers, representing the world’s leading events and global host city organisations – so I’ve no doubt delegates will come away from it inspired to action!
From a Glasgow perspective, I’m looking forward to highlighting our city’s most recent achievements as a host city – staging major international events including the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships – as well as sharing our ambitions, as set out in Glasgow’s new Events Strategy, to broaden our events portfolio, enhancing its impact, and increasing its benefits to local residents as well as visitors.
While acknowledging challenges our industry faces, Glasgow is excited about the future for accessible, inclusive, sustainable and relevant events in our city. So I’m looking forward to hearing conference attendees’ feedback, and their experiences of delivering events that inspire.
Host City: What would you say are the keys to Glasgow’s success as a host city for major events?
Susan Deighan: Over the past couple of decades, Glasgow has focused on developing its events delivery capability and attracting high-profile events to the city. As a result, we have enhanced our international reputation for expertise in world-class events.
We’ve built up a track record for hosting global events such as COP26, the 2014 Commonwealth Games, the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships, and 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships. All of these have showcased our city’s ability to host global events.
And we’ve focused too on ensuring events in the city benefit our communities and leave a lasting legacy
So, what differentiates Glasgow from other host cities, making it an inspirational destination for events of all types? As a proud Glaswegian, I’d say that our city’s character, resilient spirit, energy and creativity are at the heart of its success. Glasgow always wants to innovate, to try out new ways of doing things – and do whatever it takes to make an event a resounding success.
We’re proud too to live up to our city slogan ‘People Make Glasgow’. And of our renowned warm welcome – recognised by Conde Nast Traveller’s Readers’ Choice Awards voting us the friendliest city in the UK, and Rough Guide naming us the world’s friendliest.
So Glasgow always aims to excel in hosting events. And make them more than mere moments in time, but milestones that create lasting memories. We recognise that events don’t just inspire change but make it happen. So, in addition to our track record as an outstanding sustainable events destination, I believe Glasgow’s unique identity gives us an edge that enables us to punch above our weight as a host city.
Host City: How important is it for major event hosts to show leadership in sustainability and diversity right now?
Susan Deighan: Sustainability is an issue that is, quite rightly, of increasing importance to the global events industry. And the green credentials of host cities are now a factor that greatly influences the destination choices of events organisers, as well as attendees.
We’re proud too to live up to our city slogan ‘People Make Glasgow’. And of our renowned warm welcome.
Our city recognises that, and Glasgow is committed to ensuring we inspire and lead action. So our aim is to embed sustainability into every aspect of our events delivery.
A recent example of how we are doing this is the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships, which became the firstever event to win an Athletics for a Better World platinum-level award for its sustainable delivery.
As a city, Glasgow has focused on building its sustainability credentials, and our efforts have seen us becoming the only Scottish city to be ranked in the Global Destination Sustainability Index’s latest top 20. We are one of just two UK destinations to be recognised by the world’s most-trusted environmental performance improvement programme. It’s essential that our global events industry is responsive to evolving needs and expectations. Host cities can leverage the power of events to inspire action in sustainability, inclusion and diversity, influencing change to ensure access for all audiences. And Glasgow is committed to leading by example on that.
Host City: How does Glasgow Life ensure local communities benefit from and participate in major events?
Susan Deighan: We are committed to ensuring Glasgow’s communities can connect with city events in a way that they can relate to, engage with, and benefit from.
Our new Events Strategy – developed in consultation with city residents and community groups – sets out our plans to ensure our events portfolio meets the needs of all of Glasgow, generating positive long-term impacts for our communities.
While continuing to deliver high-profile events that drive economic growth, we’re focusing on extending the reach of our events portfolio, and strengthening its socio-economic benefits, by encompassing community, commercial, and publiclyfunded events of various genres and scale.
We are bringing together local community, commercial and public sector representatives in a Glasgow Events Industry Group. It will help us identify new ways for city events to better reflect our diverse communities, by broadening our engagement with groups in the city, and creating more inclusive events.
We will also focus on building on the strong track record Glasgow has built for creating a positive long-term legacy from city events. For example we capitalised on the impact of the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships by creating enhanced opportunities that enabled and encouraged the people of Glasgow, regardless of ability or background, to take up cycling for life. Our Go Cycle Glasgow Fund provided £210, 000 of funding support to 29 community projects to benefit mental and physical health and social inclusion. As result, over 1,450 people – many from underrepresented groups, took up cycling.
Creating real value for all of Glasgow’s diverse communities also enhances the city’s visitor experience – further increasing the economic return from events and tourism.
Host City: How important is the Commonwealth Games to Glasgow – not just for 2026 but the future of the event?
Susan Deighan: The Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games will be remembered as one of the most successful Games ever, and organisers hailed it as the best in the event’s history. Commonwealth Games Federation Chief Executive Mike Hooper said the sporting excellence was backed up by well-run venues, a strong legacy plan, and a warm welcome from Glaswegians.
Attended by 690,000 visitors, the 2014 Games’ resounding success reinforced Glasgow’s reputation as a capable host city for global sporting events.
The success of the 2014 Games, and more recent major sporting events – including the UCI Cycling World Championships and World Athletics Indoor Championships – certainly led to Glasgow being trusted to host the new format 2026 Commonwealth Games.
Due to our record and experience, the Commonwealth Games Federation has come to Glasgow to save and reinvent its flagship event. And to do so within an incredibly tight lead-in time and a fraction of the budget of before.
Glasgow can deliver a much more sustainable model of the Games, which could be replicated in future by Commonwealth countries who don’t have the wealth of the UK, Canada or Australia but who would truly benefit from hosting an international sporting event.
As a result, we can continue to maintain Glasgow’s unprecedented global profile, delivering benefits to our city and a thrilling two weeks of sport for Glaswegians and the world to enjoy. We are very much looking forward to the Games shining the global spotlight on the city again, as four of our world-class venues welcome around 3,000 athletes from up to 74 Commonwealth nations and territories, as well as spectators from near and far.
Starting 12 years to the day that the 2014 Games kicked off, the city will host the 2026 event from 23rd July to 2nd August. While the scale will be different, with 10 sports instead of the previous 17, hopes are high for another great success for Glasgow.
Indoor Championships in the Emirates Arena. Photo Jeff Holmes
Host City: Looking ahead, what are your aspirations for Glasgow Life in terms of future events and their impact on the city’s cultural and economic landscape?
Susan Deighan: Major sporting events confirmed for the future, beyond the Commonwealth Games, include the 2028 UEFA European Football Championship, with six finals being played at the city’s famous Hampden Park.
We will also build on the phenomenal success of events showcasing the culture for which the city is renowned. Ranging from unique events – such as last year’s blockbuster Banksy show which attracted over 180,000 visitors to our Gallery of Modern Art, and a critically-acclaimed Degas exhibition at our world-famous Burrell Collection – to many established highlights of Glasgow’s year-round programme of world-class events.
Continuing to grow in scale and reputation, these include Celtic Connections – our UNESCO City of Music’s internationally-famous winter festival. Attracting 115,000 visitors last year, it looks set to top that when it kicks off 2025. And Glasgow International Comedy Festival, which enjoyed a record-breaking 21st edition in 2024with over 560 shows, and has an even bigger and better programme planned for 2025.
Other annual cultural events that are hugely popular internationally are as diverse as the World Pipe Band Championships – which last year saw 204 bands representing 13 countries competing - and the award-winning Glasgow Film Festival. Attracting film industry professionals and screen talent from around the world, as well as international audiences, this highly-respected festival celebrates its 21st anniversary in 2025 with a special retrospective programme theme. Going forward, business events will also continue to make a huge impact on the city. In the past year 300 conference and conventions were hosted in Glasgow, attracting over 120,000 delegates. And 120 events, worth £220m to the local economy, have already been confirmed up to 2029.
New high-profile events we can look forward to include one that recognises the city’s growing reputation as a world-class food destination. In a first for Scotland, we will host the Michelin Guide Awards ceremony next year – when we will also mark Glasgow’s 850th birthday with celebratory events throughout 2025.
So looking ahead, our ambition is that events continue to be a key force for transformative, positive change for the city and its people. That we build on our journey of over 30 years, when few could have imagined Glasgow would become European City of Culture in 1990, or host the Commonwealth Games in 2014. And that we keep delivering such a major positive impact, and continue working with partners to lead exciting innovation in the world of events.
