Events and Well-being

This book is the first to take an in-depth examination of events and well-being and responds to recent calls for researchers to take a more critical approach to event studies. Well-being has been the subject of academic research for some time now, across a diverse range of discipline areas such as music, the arts, sport, tourism, economics, interior architecture and of course the health sciences, including psychology. In recent years, several event studies scholars have investigated the intersection of subjective well-being and event attendance and participation, whether explicitly or more obliquely using terms such as ‘quality of life’ or ‘life satisfaction’. However, while researchers have long understood socialisation as the major motivation to attend contemporary festivals and events, it is only just being acknowledged that well-being is also a key motivator. Those researching in the field of event studies are yet to clearly articulate the “the how, why, where, and impacts of socialisation” and this book marks a critical moment in improving our understanding of the intersection of events and well-being.

This multidisciplinary book draws together empirical research across a range of event types and sizes, to provide a nuanced understanding of their contribution to the well-being of individuals and communities. One of its core strengths is its international perspective - it encompasses research from around the world including Spain, the UK, Canada, New Zealand, Singapore, Brazil, Croatia and Samoa. There is also a diverse range of theoretical lenses applied to the conceptualisation of well-being as it applies to events, and methodologies used to achieve research aims and objectives. This volume will appeal to students and researchers in the fields of sport studies, critical event studies, queer studies, cultural studies, tourism, music, sociology and end of life studies. Several chapters provide insights and key learnings for event managers and industry professionals.