Further Research - Looking at Olympic Celebrations

Although Music Nation is not officially part of the Olympic ceremony, I still thought it would be a worthwhile exercise to take the time to look at previous Olympic celebrations, which have always been a highlight of previous years and prove something that the hosting nation really takes the time to get behind and make truly memorable, if only to get a sense of the scale and epic celebration on hand, and the efforts and passion that designers, artists, athletes, heck everyone on hand puts into pulling these things off!


I was actually there at Trafalgar Square when they announced we got the games, although stuck right at the back and unable to see shit, but still... was nice to be there!


It seems Olympic Games ceremonies have been an integral part of the games since even Ancient times, with some elements of the modern ceremonies even harking back to the Ancient Games from which the Modern Olympics draw their ancestry. The various elements of the ceremonies are mandated by the Olympic Charter and cannot be changed by the host nation. Even the artistic portion of the opening and closing ceremonies must meet the approval of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The ceremonies have evolved over the centuries. Ancient Games incorporated ceremonies to mark the beginning and ending of each successive games. There are both similarities and differences between the ancient Olympic ceremonies and their modern counterparts. While the presentation of the Games has evolved with improvements in technology and the desire of the host nations to showcase their own artistic expression, the basic events of each ceremony have remained unchanged. The presentation of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies continue to increase in scope, scale and expense with each successive celebration of the Games, but they are still steeped in tradition.

The Ancient Games, held in Greece from ca. 776 BCE to ca. 393 CE, provide the first examples of Olympic ceremonies. The victory celebration, elements of which are in evidence in the modern-day medal and closing ceremonies, often involved elaborate feasts, drinking, singing, and the recitation of poetry. The wealthier the victor the more extravagant the celebration.The victors were presented with an olive wreath or crown harvested from a special tree in Olympia by a boy, specially selected for this purpose, using a golden sickle.The festival would conclude with the victors making solemn vows and performing ritual sacrifices to the various gods to which they were beholden.

There is evidence of dramatic changes in the format of the Ancient Games over the nearly 12 centuries that they were celebrated. Eventually, by roughly the 77th Olympiad, a standard 18–event program was established. In order to open a Games in ancient Greece the organisers would present an Inauguration Festival. This was followed by a ceremony in which athletes took an oath of sportsmanship. The first competition, an artistic competition of trumpeters and heralds, concluded the opening festivities.

The initial vision of the Modern Olympics featured both athletic competitions and artistic achievements. As the modern Olympics have evolved into a celebration of sport, it is in the opening ceremonies that often stand tallest. The ceremonies typically start with the raising of the host country's flag and a performance of its national anthem. The host nation then presents artistic displays of music, singing, dance, and theatre representative of its culture, history, and the current Olympic game motto. Since the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, the artistic presentations have continued to grow in scale and complexity. The opening ceremony at the Beijing Games, for example, reportedly cost £75 million with much of the cost incurred in the artistic portion of the ceremony.

Us bloody designers with our bloody expensive ideas eh...

What is perhaps most apparent through all this observation, is the sense of unity and patriotism shown in these ceremonies. Every event, even every idea within them has a great sense of price and passion, with every member of the host nation channelling their combined efforts into one incredible showcase of ideas, working as one to do their country most proud. It's quite inspiring to witness and see transpire right before your very eyes, and is more than lone lone artist could ever achieve in a whole lifetime.

This very fact alone ties in perfectly to the stuff we've been doing through crowdsourcing, relinquishing control for the greater good and contributing even small ideas to see them realised on an even bigger scale in much more incredible ways!