Sport and culture might not seem at first like the most obvious bedfellows – we often associate culture with the more intellectual areas of human activity: scholarly pursuits and the arts. In fact, it is often felt that cultural pursuits and sports are even at odds with one another.

However, sport is such a strong presence in virtually all cultures. The massively diverse forms in which it manifests itself indicate that sport is a valuable platform for human expression, interaction, and achievement. Not only is it hard to separate sport from culture, but there is a strong case to be made that sport is actually one of the core components of culture.

Therefore sport, and the unfurling drama of its people-centric narratives, can provide insights into the world around us and the wider social structures – such as race, politics, and power – that influence all of our lives.

RELAYS at Watershed started in 2008 and reaches its peak with the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Over these four years RELAYS at Watershed has included film screenings and events which included everything from football (Africa United), Boxing (The Sons of Cuba), Table Tennis (Ping Pong) and Cycling. Indeed, cycling spawned a whole new popular festival – Cyclescreen – which has brought writers, cyclists, filmmakers and new audiences to Watershed.

In addition to the public programme and behind the scenes, RELAYS at Watershed has created and run a series of innovative media literacy and citizen journalism projects which develop young people’s critical writing, journalistic and technological skills. The citizen journalism work culminates with young people reporting live on the cultural and sporting Olympic activities in Weymouth, using mobile technology and social media.

In this film, Mark Cosgrove, Head of Programme at Watershed, and author David Goldblatt introduce RELAYS at Watershed, and discuss some of the programme highlights of the scheme's four year run.

RELAYS (Regional Educational Legacy in Arts and Youth Sport) is an innovative and ambitious project delivered through universities and cultural organisations in the south west of England. It aims to inspire young people and their communities to participate in, create and promote cultural and sporting activities; engaging the region with the London 2012 Games and creating a lasting legacy beyond 2012. Watershed isone of three venues in the South West contributing cultural activity to the RELAYS celebrations.

Posted on Wed 1 Aug 2012.

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