The FIFA World Cup 2006 has netted a wealth of opportunities for artists, galleries and museums all over the world.
It’s billed as the world game. Soccer to some, football to most people. And this year, the sport’s pinnacle competition has been predicted to attract television audiences in excess of five billion viewers. Some analysts put the associated costs of hosting the World Cup (such as refurbishing stadiums, improving transport infrastructure, etc.) at trillions of EUROS. Whilst the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) has stated the total value of direct revenues (from media rights, ticketing, and sponsorship) to be 1.9 billion EUROS. 60,000 jobs have been created with a third expected to remain after World Cup fever has left the nation. Organisers are well aware that a spectacle on such a monumental scale needs to look the part. In the course of the event many thousands of artists will be involved, helping to ensure that what goes on outside of each game’s ninety minutes maintains the illusion of grandeur.
