Scotland’s reputation as a global leader for delivering world-class events is stronger than ever following the successful conclusion of the inaugural European Championships that saw the country deliver 11 days of sporting and cultural action with co-hosts Berlin.

For all involved, the European Championships has surpassed expectations and has shown what can be achieved when you are brave, ambitious and innovative.

As a new event there was no manual for how the Championships should be delivered, giving us the opportunity to be bold and find different ways of working; and while there were undoubtable some challenges as we navigated our way down this new path, overall the sector really responded by creating a new delivery model that is causing real disruption within the market.

I believe what has been delivered by co-hosts Glasgow and Berlin, in partnership with the European sports federations and the European Broadcast Union, is a model that is the way forward for sport events in the future.   

With a potential total audience of more than 1.03 billion viewers across the continent, and an even wider audience via multiple digital platforms, the event was shown by more than 40 free-to-air broadcasters across 3000 hours.

Early international TV viewing figures across terrestrial channels were strong across Europe. In Germany and France, more than 3 million viewers tuned in on a single day (Sunday 5^th August) to watch the action.

The quality of sport on offer also showed the calibre of the event. From Adam Peaty beating his own world record in the 100m breaststroke, to Grace Reid’s amazing final dive in the 3m springboard final to snatch gold from teammate Alicia Blagg, through to the emergency of new track stars in Dian Asher-Smith and Jakob Ingebrigtsen, the European Championships produced world-class performances across the board.

This shows that bringing existing individual events together, under one umbrella, and creating a mutually beneficial multi-sport event that is shown across multiple media platforms, you can achieve greater reach and impact than when done on their own. 

Co-hosting the event with Berlin was also something very special and new. Co-hosting of events has rarely been done but again I think it is something we will see more and more of going forward. It is a great opportunity for cities and countries to come together and bid for events that otherwise might not have been possible on their own.

We’ve shown time and time again that Scotland’s events industry has the capacity and capability to deliver innovative events that offer a first-class experience for all involved. I’m proud of what we have delivered as an industry for the European Championships. This was an opportunity to build on the momentum we have created off the back of 2014 while being bold and trying something new. As an industry we have learnt a lot and can now take that forward in the delivery of and bidding for future events, ensuring Scotland continues to raise its game and maintain its reputation as the perfect stage for events.

[Source: Glasgow 2018] A new era of sport has been ushered in as the first ever European Championships begins in Glasgow.

The inaugural day of sport sees qualifying rounds taking place in Track Cycling, at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, Women’s Artistic Gymnastics, at the SSE Hydro, and Rowing at Strathclyde Country Park.

The European Championships are a major innovation in world sport as seven sports bring their existing events together under one banner for the first time.

The next 11 days will see world class athletes in Aquatics, Cycling, Gymnastics, Golf, Rowing and Triathlon competing in Glasgow and Scotland, while Berlin hosts the Athletics.

With 114,505 tickets now gone and with some sessions full, or with just a few tickets remaining, ticket buyers are being urged to hurry to secure the chance to see their favourite Olympic and Commonwealth stars crowned European champions.

Yesterday the unifying symbol of the Championships, the new Winning Nations Trophy, was revealed for the first time. Perfectly designed for teams to be able to lift and carry together in celebration, this will be awarded to the individual country which has secured the most gold medals at the end of the event.

Other firsts we’ll see in the next few days are:

• Glasgow will create history by becoming the first city to simultaneously host the European Cycling Championships in four different disciplines – Track, Road, BMX and Mountain Bike.
• Gleneagles will host a groundbreaking golf competition; with men and women playing together for the first time and competing for equal prize money.
• It is the first time an event on this scale has been delivered using hotel accommodation for competitors, rather than the creation of an athletes’ village.
• More unusually, it is also the first known time a swimming event will take place on a tennis court – with a 330,000 gallon temporary pool installed at Scotstoun Sports Campus, which hosts the synchronised swimming events.  

Speaking at a press conference this morning, Championships Director Colin Hartley said: “This is the biggest event in the UK since Glasgow hosted the best ever Commonwealth Games in 2014.

“But it’s not just big, it’s truly innovative. By combining these seven sports we elevate the European champions we’ll see crowned in the next few days onto an even higher platform.

“With bigger crowds, a bigger TV audience and more opportunities for people to see their Olympic and Commonwealth heroes, today is the beginning of a new era for sport in Europe.

Jane Allen, Chief Executive of British Gymnastics said: “The 2015 World Championships were declared by FIG as the best ever and raised the bar for the sport so we’re really excited to be back in Glasgow.

“It’s fantastic that the same innovative venue layout and stunning presentation is being used again for the 2018 European Championships and I am sure it is going to be a fabulous week here both for our sport and for the British team.”

Jack Buckner, Chief Executive of British Swimming said: “We are delighted to be part of this outstanding new multi-sport European Championships and I would like to congratulate Glasgow on taking on this significant challenge to host such a ground breaking and complex event.

“We’re going to be using four incredible and unique venues across Scotland and I know they’ll be a great stage for the British Team to put in their best performances.

“This is an extremely important event for British Swimming as we build towards Tokyo 2020 and we have a large team of around 80 athletes here in Scotland across all four disciplines.”

Beth Tweddle Britain’s greatest ever female gymnast said: “It is fantastic to see another world-class event come back to Glasgow which has such a great track record for hosting big events. The World Championships in 2015 were incredible and the fans here in Glasgow are going to be in for another treat with an amazing action packed eight days of gymnastics at The SSE Hydro.”

Billed as a new era in world sport, this summer’s multi-sport European Championships will elevate the profiles of host cities Glasgow and Berlin during an 11-day sporting extravaganza. The inaugural event will bring together the existing European Championships for athletics, aquatics, cycling, gymnastics, rowing and triathlon, while a new golf team championships will be held.

Around 4,500 athletes from 52 nations will take part in the championships, which are set to be held every four years after August’s event. And the UK’s biggest multi-sports event since the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games is showcasing novel features in two of its venues.

The Glasgow BMX Centre in Knightswood is the only permanent new venue constructed for the event. The first ever world and Olympic-standard BMX track for Scotland, built at a cost of £3.7 million, makes Glasgow the only city in the world with venues capable of hosting all four Olympic cycling discipline events (BMX, mountain biking, road and track) within its city boundary. All four disciplines are being staged as part of the European Cycling Championships.

The facility, completed in May 2018, features the only outdoor 8-metre ramp in the UK as well as a 5-metre starting ramp. Funded by Glasgow City Council, SportScotland, Glasgow 2018 and British Cycling, the venue is already open for use by the local community. After the championships, it will also be utilised for training by Western Titans BMX Club.

Colin Hartley, Glasgow 2018 championships director, said: “The exhilarating thrill ride that BMX will take us on in August is set to be spectacular, and we’ve got a fantastic venue for it. 

“We commissioned the innovative Glasgow BMX Centre to be built especially for the championships and, in doing so, we brought Scotland its first and only world and Olympic-standard BMX track, with a legacy that will last for years to come. 

“Witnessing the BMXers take to the track this August will definitely be a moment to remember.” 

Swimming Pool Innovation

Home to the Glasgow 2018 Synchro Swimming European Championships, Scotstoun Sports Campus, located in the west end of Glasgow, is one of the busiest sport and leisure facilities in the city.

The campus accommodates both Scotstoun Stadium, home of the Glasgow Warriors, and Scotstoun Sports Centre. The centre is a Glasgow City Council-owned facility, featuring a 25m x 25m pool, gym, six squash courts, multipurpose sports hall, eight indoor tennis courts and the National Badminton Academy of Scotland. There are several outdoor football pitches and tennis courts.

In the wake of its successful hosting of the table tennis and squash events at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, Scotstoun Sports Campus was chosen to deliver the Glasgow 2018 European Synchronised Swimming Championships. It became an interesting and unique project.

The sport required a venue with a 20m x 25m x 3m competition pool as well as a training pool. Glasgow 2018 organisers thought outside the box and a decision was made to utilise Scotstoun by building an international standard synchronised swimming competition pool – in the indoor tennis centre.  

The design team ensured all technical requirements were incorporated into the build, including the installation of a heating, ventilation and cooling system to regulate the temperature of the hall to 27 degrees.  

The overlay included: excavation to create a level platform for pool filtration equipment and associated power overlay; construction of a platform to hold an HVAC unit that was craned into position over the building; and complete strip of all internal lighting to install temporary broadcast lighting, a competition PA system and screen rigging truss.

The work also involved construction of a 20m x 25m x 3m competition pool, installation of a 3.1m pool deck platform and two grandstands to accommodate spectators, athletes, sponsors and European federations’ guests, as well as installation of media and broadcast tribunes.

“We’ve got an excellent facility in Scotstoun, so it made perfect sense to build upon this in order to deliver a venue fit for our world-class synchronised swimmers,” said Glasgow 2018 director Hartley. 

“Making the venue ready for the events was quite an interesting undertaking, and one we’ve really thrown ourselves into in order to make it as perfect as possible for both our athletes and attendees.

“Our grandstands will ensure everyone is able to see the show-stopping performances in this not-to-be-missed spectacular.”

For the first ever European Championships, a total of 12 venues across Scotland will be used. Glasgow hosts six sports – aquatics, cycling, golf, gymnastics, rowing and triathlon – while Berlin stages athletics at its Olympic Stadium, with the road races and race walking events held throughout the city.

More than 3,000 athletes will travel to Scotland as part of a total delegation of around 8,500 including officials, media and others. A further 1,500 athletes will compete in Berlin.

Festival 2018, an arts and culture programme, will complement the sporting competition in Glasgow and Scotland. “There is something on offer for everyone at Glasgow 2018, with elite sporting action and a unique cultural programme, and we want to see as many people as possible get out to enjoy the events whether that’s in George Square, Go Live at the Green or the sports venues,” said Scotland’s culture secretary Fiona Hyslop.

Organisers of the championships say it has a potential European TV audience of up to 1.03 billion. In a deal with the European Broadcast Union, its free-to-air members, including the BBC, will screen the event across the continent.

The biggest sporting event to be staged in Scotland since the Commonwealth Games, the first ever European Championships, gained momentum with a 200 day to go celebration on Sunday 14 January 2018.

Taking place from 2 to 12 August, Glasgow 2018 will see around 3,000 athletes compete in six sports at 12 venues across Scotland. The new multisport event is set to celebrate the country’s young talent and achievers coinciding with the Year of Young People.

During a significant year for sport, 12 venues across Scotland will host 84 sessions across six different sports - Aquatics, Cycling, Golf, Gymnastics, Rowing and Triathlon.

Six ambitious young athletes, representing each of the sports, are looking forward to the spectacular and hope that the profile of Glasgow 2018 will help inspire more young people to get involved in sports.

The rising stars whose sporting ambitions are set to reach new heights in 2018 include 18-year-old Glaswegian BMX racer Mia Paton (pictured) who will benefit from the new Olympic-standard BMX track being built at Knightswood Park, which will host Europe’s best racers during the Championships.

Fraser Lynes, a 14-year-old gymnast from East Ayrshire who studies and trains at Glasgow School of Sport already has a collection of medals to his name, having represented Scotland in the sport several times, and says the Glasgow 2018 action at the SSE Hydro will help encourage more people into gymnastics and demonstrate the benefits of sport.

Troon golfing talent Hazel MacGarvie, 19-year-old University of Edinburgh rower Josh Armstrong, 13-year-old diver Danny Mabbott and 18-year old triathlete Iona Miller from Inverclyde are also full of anticipation for Glasgow 2018 and the momentum it will build within each of their sports.

Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Tourism and External Affairs, Fiona Hyslop said: “2018 marks a milestone year for Scotland. In just 200 days we will make sporting history on the global stage when we host the first ever European Championships and in Scotland’s Year of Young People, celebrate the outstanding spirit and contribution of our young people. The feats of sporting skill and the cultural brilliance showcased at the Championships will inspire the whole country and allow Scotland and its young people to shine on the world stage.”

Leader of Glasgow City Council, Councillor Susan Aitken, said: “The Glasgow 2018 European Championships promises to be a fantastic platform to inspire, engage and celebrate young people – from sports fans and athletes to artists, performers and volunteers. In 200 days Glasgow and Scotland will come alive with an unforgettable display of sport and culture that is a must-attend, must-watch event for 2018.”

The first ever European Championships will bring together some of the continent’s leading sports including the existing European Championships for Aquatics, Cycling, Gymnastics, Rowing and Triathlon with a new Golf Team Championships and Athletics hosted in Berlin.

To be staged every four years, the European Championships will be an 11-day celebration of world-class sport and produce a packed 10-day broadcast schedule, with audiences of up to 1.03 billion.

[Source: Glasgow 2018] A fund of up to £750,000 has opened to artists, arts organisations and groups who want to apply to be part of the Glasgow 2018 European Championships’ cultural festival.

Festival 2018 is part of the biggest sporting event hosted in Scotland since the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. Co-hosted with Berlin, Glasgow 2018 is multi-sport event to be staged from 2 to 12 August 2018. It brings together the existing European Championships for Aquatics, Cycling, Gymnastics, Rowing and Triathlon along with a new Golf team championships. Berlin will host Athletics.

More than 3,000 of the best athletes on the continent will compete in 12 venues across Scotland including Glasgow, Edinburgh, Loch Lomond and The Trossachs, North Lanarkshire and Perth & Kinross.

The Festival 2018 Fund aims to deliver a programme of broad cultural expression ranging from grassroots initiatives to large scale international projects to involve talent from across Scotland and deliver a programme with something for everyone.

Applications are invited from all art-forms including music, visual art, theatre, dance, film, literature and performance to showcase the best of Scotland’s cultural offer. Glasgow’s George Square and the Merchant City Festival will be at the heart of Festival 2018 alongside communities close to the venue areas.

The fund opened on Tuesday 25 July 2017 and closes on 6 September 2017. Applications can be made at www.glasgow2018.com/festival2018/fund. Applications will be considered in terms of quality and impact and how they reflect the European context and Glasgow’s close collaboration with co-host Berlin, the 2018 Year of Young People and the way in which arts and culture can reference and link to sport through physical movement.

The Glasgow 2018 European Championships is delivered in partnership with several leading European sports federations with support from the Scottish Government and Glasgow City Council.

Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop said: “The European Championships 2018 Cultural Festival offers an excellent platform to strengthen connections both at home and internationally. Scotland has a reputation for being a vibrant and culturally-rich nation and everyone here for the Championships will be able to sample some of this for themselves.

“As we look towards 2018 and the Year of Young People, there will also be a programme of events and activities celebrating Scotland’s many unique qualities as a great place to grow up and mark our young people’s important contribution to society. This Festival Fund will help to create new and valuable experiences for visitors and those who live here and I’m delighted to welcome this important part of the European Championships 2018.”

Leader of Glasgow City Council Susan Aitken said: “Festival 2018 will showcase and celebrate the very best of Glaswegian and Scottish culture.

“Our city has the greatest concentration of creative industries in Scotland, with more than 5,000 people employed in the cultural sector directly and more than 25,000 employed in the arts and creative industries more widely.

“This fund reflects our commitment to that sector and will help deliver a programme of activities at Glasgow’s iconic George Square; the Merchant City Festival, and many more venues across the city next year.”

Tickets for sporting events are now on sale and can be purchased from www.glasgow2018.com/tickets. Tickets are being sold on a first come first served basis, with fans encouraged to book early to avoid disappointment. 

“In my role as President of the Ligue Européenne de Natation, it has been a pleasure to enjoy two excellent major aquatics events so far this summer – the European Diving Championships in Kiev, Ukraine, and the European Junior Swimming Championships in Netanya, Israel. And still to come is the FINA World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

“It was fantastic to see Kiev host an elite European Championships in Aquatics for the first time. The event was a great success, with sold-out sessions and a great atmosphere.

“Of course, our diving continental showcase will be staged next year within the European Aquatics Championships – part of the Glasgow 2018 multisport European Championships. While co-chairing the most recent Glasgow-Berlin 2018 European Championships Board meeting in June, it was reassuring to hear from the Glasgow organisers that ticket sales are going very well for all sports – not least for our aquatics events.

“Indeed, one of the key objectives for LEN is to develop our disciplines such as swimming, synchronised swimming, open water swimming and diving by reaching out to as wide an audience as possible. Thus it was great to learn that there is such an appetite to watch these disciplines when they take place at the Tollcross International Swimming Centre, Scotstoun Sports Campus, Loch Lomond and Royal Commonwealth Pool.

“Of course, each stakeholder has some of their own individual objectives, but there is an overriding common vision that we all share: the European Championships as a new generation multisport event for European sports that will be an 11-day celebration staged every four years with a super-charging effect on our participating sports and our athletes.

“Together we are creating a must-watch and must-attend experience that elevates the Champions of Europe. We aspire to unite our sports, the public, athletes, nations; to be diverse in showcasing our sports and demonstrate that being a European Champion is a fantastic achievement; to inspire the next generation of champions and encourage the public to get involved in sport; and to continue the rich tradition of our sports so they have a long-lasting, positive impact on the sporting world-stage.

“In short, it is the ultimate multi-sport event to promote our sports on the continent.

“During our recent aquatics events, I have been speaking with our Member Federations about what a special event the European Championships will be for the athletes, and I have been reassured by the positive response of the aquatics family.

“It is our job to work with the athletes who will be competing in Glasgow to ensure they are aware of the enormity of the event. Now that the Championships are starting to be recognised, I am sure many of our European participants in Budapest will be endorsing the European Championships and giving it their full support.

“Indeed, there are so many special qualities connected to the European Championships. We must remind our sports men and women (important to say we have an almost equal gender split!) that between the participating sports – aquatics, athletics, cycling, golf, gymnastics, rowing and triathlon – there are 450 years of history surrounding our respective European Championships. We need to remind them also that to be the best at something out of a continental population of 750 million people is a pretty special achievement!

“Their achievements will be celebrated not only by the fans attending the events in Glasgow and Berlin but also by those watching on television. Our seven major sports have joined forces based on their existing power to attract broadcast viewers which will be further enhanced by packaging them together.

“One of the most important benefits for our sports is that we will benefit from an enhanced offer from our Broadcast Partner, the European Broadcasting Union – up to 1.3 billion television viewers, with many more viewers across multiple digital platforms.

“With one year to go approaching, we are all working hard to promote the inaugural event in Glasgow and Berlin – two of the most iconic sporting and cultural cities in Europe. The European Federations, the Host Cities, and the EBU are fully focused on achieving collective success, pushing the ground-breaking concept and educating everyone within our own communities and beyond.

“We aim to create an awareness and engagement amongst sports and main eventers across Europe – and we see the enormous power of social media as presenting the biggest opportunity to engage these audiences. We want everyone to share in 'The Moment' – our tagline that celebrates an event that will be the defining moment for European Champions for 2018 and beyond."

Paolo Barelli, LEN (Ligue Européenne de Natation) President and co-chair of the 2018 European Championships Board

[Source: 2018 European Championships]

Tickets for the Glasgow 2018 European Championships – a brand new event on the global sporting calendar – will go on sale to the general public from Wednesday, June 14.

The on-sale date for the 84 sporting sessions across 12 venues was revealed via an interactive light show projected onto the SEC Armadillo in Glasgow. The event will be inclusive and accessible, with tickets starting from just £10, and under-16s attending the cheapest sessions for just £5.

Fans who want to secure tickets to their preferred sports before the general sale date are urged to sign up for priority ticket access via the Glasgow 2018 website at www.glasgow2018.com/join-in-form while they still can.

A comprehensive online ticketing and destination marketing guide has also been released by Glasgow 2018 giving people the chance to identify which of the sessions they wish to see, with added information on dates and timings and venues across Scotland.

Glasgow 2018 is part of a brand new multi-sport event running between August 2-12 2018 which will combine the existing European Championships for Aquatics, Cycling, Gymnastics, Rowing and Triathlon – plus a brand new Golf Team Championships – to create 11 days of exhilarating sporting action. At the same time Berlin will host the European Athletics Championships completing the line-up for the first edition of the European Championships.

More than 3,000 of the best athletes on the continent will compete in Glasgow and Scotland during the Championships and attendances across all sports are expected to be in the region of 250,000. It will be the biggest sporting event held in Scotland since the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

The sporting action will take place across 12 venues in Glasgow and Scotland including Glasgow’s SSE Hydro (Gymnastics), Edinburgh’s Royal Commonwealth Pool (Diving), Strathclyde Country Park (Rowing and Triathlon) in North Lanarkshire and Gleneagles PGA Centenary Course (Golf) in Perth & Kinross.  

A number of free events – including the Cycling Road Race through the streets of the city and beyond, Open Water Swimming at Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park and Mountain Bike at Cathkin Braes – will also take place, giving as many people as possible the opportunity to witness sporting history on their doorsteps.

A vibrant cultural programme, with Glasgow’s George Square at its beating heart, will also run alongside the sporting action, bringing local communities across the country to life with a celebration of Scottish and Glaswegian culture. Themes from the national Year of Young People in 2018 will also run through the programme.

Glasgow 2018 Championships director Colin Hartley said: “The moment is coming. The European Championships promises to be one of the most memorable sporting and cultural events this country has ever experienced and we want as many people as possible to come to Glasgow and Scotland to join us on this historic journey.

“Our fair and competitive pricing structure, combined with a number of high-profile free events and an exciting cultural programme, will ensure that everyone feels part of this momentous occasion and can enjoy the sport and culture and also sample our fantastic tourism offer.

“Of course our crowds are internationally renowned as some of the most passionate and welcoming in the world and I have no doubts that the Glasgow 2018 European Championships will serve to strengthen that reputation to a global audience.

“We aim to put on a truly remarkable sporting event and, along with the athletes and the sports themselves, the fans will play an important role in ensuring the first ever European Championships is a success.”

International broadcasters came together this week to meet with Eurovision Production Coordination (EPC), host cities Berlin and Glasgow, and the seven participating European Sports Federations for a world broadcaster briefing ahead of the inaugural multisport European Championships in August 2018.

The working session, complemented by site visits at some of the main event venues, is a major milestone in developing up to 300 hours of programming delivered to a potential worldwide audience of more than one billion people.

The European Championships is a major new multisport event taking place every four years, supported by Europe’s free-to-air broadcasters, which aggregates the existing senior continental championships of Athletics (European Athletics), Aquatics (LEN), Cycling (UEC), Gymnastics (UEG), Rowing (FISA), Triathlon (ETU), with a new Golf Team Championships (ET & LET) – all unified under a common brand.

EPC introduced its international signal production plans and gave an overview of the content, venue and network services to be offered to rights-holding broadcasters, including integrated digital solutions to support first- and second-screen programming.

With the meeting in Glasgow, the participating broadcasters visited some of the key venues including Glasgow's Tollcross International Swimming Centre (Aquatics), Emirates Arena (Track Cycling at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome), and SSE Hydro (Gymnastics), as well as Strathclyde Country Park in North Lanarkshire (Rowing and Triathlon).

In Berlin, the Olympic Stadium will be the venue for the European Athletics Championships with the road races and race walking events held throughout the city.

The venue tour also covered George Square and Glasgow Green, along with a visit to BBC Scotland’s facilities, where Eurovision Production Coordination will set up the Broadcast Operation Centre (BOC) during the event. A similar facility, the International Broadcaster Centre (IBC) will be in Berlin, next to the Olympic Stadium.

The three-day meeting also offered an opportunity for broadcasters to meet with the Glasgow and Berlin local organising committees and Federation representatives.

“As the Broadcast Partner and Host Broadcaster for the upcoming European Championships, we are pleased to see such strong interest coming from the broadcasting community for this milestone event,” said Stefan Kuerten, Director of EBU Sport. “We've received positive feedback from rights-holding broadcasters and will continue working with all parties to provide the overall production and technical solutions for broadcasters to showcase engaging content for audiences.”

Earlier this year, the seven European Federations, Host Cities Glasgow and Berlin, and the EBU agreed on a sports competition schedule that will run from Thursday, August 2 to Sunday, August 12 2018 with a compelling 10 days of television coverage starting Friday, August 3.

Glasgow 2018 is pleased to announce the Invitation To Tender (ITT) for Telecommunications and Network Integration Services contracts for the Glasgow 2018 European Championships – an exciting new multi-sport event that brings together some of Europe’s leading sporting competitions.

To be staged every four years the European Championships will combine the existing European Championships of Athletics, Aquatics, Cycling, Gymnastics, Rowing and Triathlon and a new team Golf event. The first edition will be held in the summer of 2018 in a unique sporting partnership between Host Cities Glasgow and Berlin.

Technology represents a critical dependency for the Glasgow 2018 European Championships throughout all phases of the lifecycle, from planning through to delivery, operations and dissolution. Glasgow 2018 is inviting suppliers to respond to the ITT to provide a services solution for one or both lots (Lot 1 – Telecommunication Service & Internet Access Connectivity (WAN Services), Lot 2 –Network Integration Services).

Glasgow 2018 is seeking to engage with companies for these services who not only have the appropriate level of experience, technical and resource capacity, but will also offer a flexible, creative and dynamic approach that is fully integrated with Glasgow 2018 and other stakeholders involved in the delivery of technology solutions for the Championships; collectively helping to ensure that the 2018 European Championships are the very best they can be.

The successful bidder for the Telecommunications Services contract will deliver services critical to Glasgow 2018 and provide vital connectivity to both competition and non-competition venues for the event and for client groups and stakeholders.  Services may include internet access ranging from consumer broadband to high-bandwidth leased line business services; basic telephony services and broadcast connectivity/circuits.

The successful bidder for the Network Integration Services contract will supply both wired and wireless LAN services, as well as Network Integration services to co-ordinate the delivery of technology services. This will include Network Design, Architecture & Security; Network Technology Integration; Network Technology Implementation; Programme Management of network services and Technology Service Management. Wired and wireless LAN connectivity will be required at both competition and non-competition venues to support the range of different client groups and stakeholders.

As part of the inaugural European Championships in 2018 around 3,000 athletes will visit Scotland for six events (Aquatics, Cycling, Golf, Gymnastics, Rowing and Triathlon) while a further 1,500 athletes will compete in Berlin as part of the European Athletics Championships. The event will build on Glasgow and Scotland’s track record of hosting major international events including the 2014 Commonwealth Games, 2014 Ryder Cup and 2015 World Gymnastics Championships.

The tender has been published on public contract Scotland. All details and a link to the tender can be found at http://www.glasgow2018.com/get-involved/procurement

Communities across Glasgow and Scotland are set to come alive in the summer of 2018 as part of a vibrant Cultural Festival being developed to run alongside the Glasgow 2018 European Championships – an exciting new multi-sport event that brings together some of the continent’s leading sports.

Glasgow’s iconic George Square will be the beating heart of the activities, bringing the city centre to life as a creative hub showcasing the very best of Scottish and Glaswegian culture. The city’s renowned Merchant City Festival, will also become an integral part of the celebrations in the summer of 2018.

The Men’s and Women’s Road Race events at Glasgow 2018 will also pass through George Square, providing a stunning backdrop for one of the key sporting moments during the Championships and further enhancing the city centre activation plans.

Glasgow will also work in close collaboration with 2018 European Championships co-host Berlin to highlight the considerable creative expertise of both cities in a ground-breaking cultural partnership. At the same time Glasgow will also work with partner Local Authorities ensuring that communities across the country are part of the celebrations.  

To be staged every four years, the European Championships will combine the existing European Championships of Athletics, Aquatics, Cycling, Gymnastics, Rowing and Triathlon along with a new Golf team championships. The first edition will be held in 2018 in a unique sporting partnership between Host Cities Glasgow and Berlin.

This partnership will create a new event on the world stage elevating the status of European Champions and attracting a potential television audience of up to 1.03 billion across the continent, with a wider audience via digital platforms. Attendances across Glasgow 2018 are expected to be in the region of 250,000.

Staged alongside the elite sporting competition (2–12 August 2018), the action-packed programme of cultural activities will capitalise on Glasgow and Scotland’s international reputation for creative and artistic excellence and secure the cultural legacy of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games across four key themes:

·        2018 The Year of Young People

·        Movement, physical activity and sport

·        Cultural collaborations with host Local Authorities, Berlin and Europe

·        The 150th anniversary of the birth of Charles Rennie Mackintosh

The cultural programme will work across all platforms including theatre, dance, music, digital, comedy and visual arts performances, bringing communities to life alongside the 11 days of world-class sporting action.

The announcement coincides with the “500 Days To Go” milestone with further information on how arts organisations and local communities can become part of the cultural celebrations to be confirmed over the coming months.

A similar programme of activities was delivered by the city during the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, ensuring that non-sports fans were part of the overall event experience and organisers are committed to ensuring the same is the case during the Glasgow 2018 European Championships.

Paul Bush OBE, VisitScotland’s Director of Events, said: “The Glasgow 2018 European Championships are a direct legacy of Scotland hosting the 2014 Commonwealth Games and The Ryder Cup. The Cultural Festival secures the legacy further and ensures Scotland continues to be recognised as a global leader in the delivery of sporting and cultural events. EventScotland is proud to be part of the team helping deliver the Championships that will once again show Scotland as the perfect stage for events.”

Dr Bridget McConnell, Chair of the Glasgow 2018 European Championships Board, said: “Glasgow is Scotland’s sporting, creative and cultural powerhouse and we know how to celebrate in style. During the Glasgow 2018 European Championships the city and nation will, once again, come alive with a fantastic celebration of our finest artistic talents. We’re counting down the days until Glasgow shines once more on a global stage.”

Glasgow has the greatest concentration of creative industries in Scotland, with more than 5,000 people employed in the cultural sector directly and more than 25,000 employed in the arts and creative industries more widely.

The Glasgow 2018 European Championships will build on Glasgow and Scotland’s reputation for hosting world-class sporting and cultural events including the 2014 Commonwealth Games and Ryder Cup, Radio 1’s Big Weekend and the MTV European Music Awards. Pre-registration for priority access to tickets currently available at www.glasgow2018.com for a limited time.

As part of the inaugural European Championships in 2018 around 3,000 athletes will visit Scotland for six events (Aquatics, Cycling, Golf, Gymnastics, Rowing and Triathlon) while a further 1,500 athletes will compete in Berlin as part of the European Athletics Championships.

Source: Glasgow 2018