Do the Arts Have a Place in the Olympics?

Hello, Rodney Veal here. Growing up, I was never much of an athlete, and sports never held great interest to me outside of a neighborhood pickup game of basketball in a nearby park. I was solidly in the camp of being an artist. Afternoons filled with sketching and painting overrode the desire for spending competitive time on a courtyard, running track or sliding around a baseball diamond. But becoming a dancer and choreographer is a nod to my comfort with physicality. The dance world requires movement, strength and coordination in the same way as other athletic pursuits.

My comfort with sports today remains at the spectator level – changing the channel on the television remote is the extent of my participation. For me and many others, the Summer Olympics is an all-time vicarious couch potato experience. This year’s games were especially exciting for me as representatives from 206 countries gathered to compete for the gold in Paris, France, one of the greatest arts and cultural capitals of the world – and one my personal favorite vacation destinations.

As the competitions began to unfold, so did the plethora of articles circulating about the events and activities associated with the Paris Olympic Games. In an Art News Article, Pharrell Williams, Creative Director of Louis Vuitton and Musician, commented about reinstating arts competitions in the 2028 Olympics edition, which begged the question, when was this a part of the Olympic experience?

After going down a Google search rabbit hole filled with hours of late-night readings, I discovered the Modern Olympics era of 1912 to 1948. This revival by Baron Pierre de Coubertin incorporated a competitive arts element under the umbrella of the Olympiad experience. During that period, over 151 medals were awarded in the categories of architecture, literature, music, painting and sculpture. While this is a great category question for the trivia junkies and aficionados of the television show Jeopardy, it also has current and local relevance.

The Cincinnati Art Museum is presenting George Bellows: An American Life in Print, a collection of lithographic works from one of America’s finest artists open from October 25, 2024, through February 9, 2025. According to lore, Bellows’ work may have been presented in the Los Angeles Olympics Artist competition. If true, his paintings would have been submitted posthumously but, due to the controversy around the inclusion of the arts, there is a lack of documented history about this period. A special bonus about Mr. Bellows’ is that he is a fellow Ohioan, born and raised in Columbus and alumni of The Ohio State University. 

That is what I love most about being a part of the arts and cultural scene in Southwest Ohio. There is such a rich abundance of artists and creators currently on the scene combined with a rich historical legacy of local artists with national and international impact. Every performance and piece has a rich subtextual backstory from the artist. It is never just a concert, painting or ballet. There is information that enriches your experience, and it can change our perspectives on what we are collectively experiencing and how we understand the fundamental question of resonance.

Although the arts competitions phased out of the games after 1948, art and cultural exhibitions have still woven themselves into the fabric of the Olympic experience. Just think about those opening and closing ceremonies. For prime example, the opening ceremony in Athens in 2004?

Pharrell is on to something about refocusing our lens on re-introducing the arts and culture competition. It speaks towards the loftier ambitions of the spirit of the Modern games, such as the togetherness and collective humanity rising about the seeds of division. While it may have faded away to the annals of history, it could still be the catalyst for a deeper conversation about the possibilities of a reconfigured idea of this competition.

So, whether you visit the George Bellows exhibition this season or engage with any other artist’s work, I encourage you to ponder this idea. There is always more than meets the eye, especially here in Southwest Ohio.

Rodney Veal
CET and Think^TV Producer and Community Arts Liaison