1. The Belfast EMAs 2011 beyond economic impacts…civic pride

2. McQuillan, N., Quinn, U. & Murray, A Ulster Business School University of Ulster Copeland, G Belfast City Council Belfast

3. Introduction Belfast City - an emerging global events destination in a post conflict era

4. Titanic Signature Project Tall ships 2015

6. Gary Light Body – Snow Patrol “…Belfast is the most joyous I have ever seen it…the spotlight shone positively”

7. Brian May lead guitarist Queen “How wonderful for us to be in Belfast 40 years later…where Belfast is finally showing its beauty and setting an example to the world, out of grief and tragedy, the beginnings of truth and peace…”

8. Civic pride – the ‘feel good’ factor from the EMAs for the people of Belfast and Northern Ireland

9. Rationale Belfast City Council are interested in measuring civic pride to inform their sustainable events strategy and entice further global events. This paper examines the concept of civic pride and explores its measurement within the context of the successful Belfast EMAs 2011.

10. The Challenge of Measuring civic pride The Belfast Tourism Monitor, commissioned by Belfast City Council to measure the socio-economic impacts of the Belfast EMAs 2011.

11. Exemplar measurements of civic pride Edinburgh Festivals (2011) Blackburn –Arts in the Park (Wood 2005)

12. Belfast EMAs Was civic pride measured? The Data collected by Belfast Tourism Monitor reported on: Media coverage – 8 international crews, 6000 journalists – PR Value £10.9m Global audience 1.2bn Airport arrivals – up 13% - BIA and 8% BC Attendance figures – up 184% Economic Value to Belfast £ 21.96 m

13. Conclusion BCC recognise the potential for the measurement of civic pride, the opportunities exist for doing so and its value towards informing a sustainable events strategy recognised.

14. Recommendations Define civic pride and test community understanding of the meaning; Specifically target community members to collect data before during and after events; Review research methods employed, possibly more qualitative – interviews, focus groups, open questions on surveys;

15. Recommendations (contd) Consider developing a standardised research framework; Develop a longitudinal study over 5 – 10 years.

16. The future for the development of civic pride in Belfast is exciting and …beyond patriotism.