Key Takeaways
- The Aspen Institute Sports & Society Program and LACMA have launched “Why We Play,” an 18-month event series featuring athletes, artists, and authors exploring sport’s role in shaping society.
- The series will culminate in a major LACMA exhibition and companion book timed to the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles.
- The first roundtable took place November 12 in the Rose Bowl Stadium locker room, featuring speakers including Paralympic gold medalist Ezra Frech and legendary UCLA softball coach Sue Enquist.
- Additional events are scheduled in Milan, Beverly Hills, and Boston through 2026, with the series exploring three core themes: Belonging, Freedom, and Power.
- Manatt, Phelps & Phillips LLP serves as presenting sponsor, with organizers aiming for the initiative to contribute to the Cultural Olympiad.
A New Framework for Understanding Sport’s Cultural Impact
The Aspen Institute Sports & Society Program and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art announced on November 25, 2025, the launch of “Why We Play: Sport, Art, and the Making of Modern Life.” The initiative brings together athletes, artists, and authors across multiple event formats to examine how sport has influenced societal institutions since the 1890s.
The series arrives as the United States prepares to host both the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles. Organizers are positioning the project as a potential contributor to the Cultural Olympiad, which traditionally showcases host country culture and artistic work in the lead-up to the Games.
Tom Farrey, founder of the Sports & Society Program and an award-winning author, is leading development of the conversation series alongside Britt Salvesen, curator and department head at LACMA. The two will also co-curate the museum exhibition and co-edit the companion book.
“If you want to understand a community, watch how its members play, and watch others play,” Farrey said. “Sport in many ways is the glue that binds our diverse, messy, competitive societies, especially in the U.S.”
First Roundtable Convenes at the Rose Bowl
The series launched on November 12 with an invitation-only roundtable held in the historic Rose Bowl Stadium locker room in Pasadena, California. The event focused on the theme of “Belonging,” with 20 participants reflecting on sport’s capacity to create connection and shared purpose while also acknowledging risks around division and exclusion.
Speakers at the inaugural event included:
- Jay Coakley, sports sociologist
- Ezra Frech, Paralympic gold medalist
- James Washington, Rose Bowl Institute President and former NFL player
- Bryant Robinson, documentarian
- Sue Enquist, legendary UCLA softball coach
- Catherine Opie, fine art photographer
- Brandon “Stix” Salaam-Bailey, music producer
The Rose Bowl Institute is hosting three roundtables in total, with upcoming sessions planned around the themes of “Freedom” and “Power.”
“At the Rose Bowl, we’ve always believed that sport can bring out the best in people,” said James Washington. “These roundtable discussions give us a chance to sit down, talk openly, and learn from one another.”
Exploring the Intersection of Sport and Art
The collaboration between a sports-focused policy organization and one of the nation’s largest art museums reflects a deliberate effort to examine sport through an artistic and cultural lens rather than purely through athletics or economics.
“There are many throughlines between art and sport in the modern era, for example, a focus on the body and an engagement with technology and innovation,” said Britt Salvesen. “Perhaps most importantly, art and sport are expressions of social values, aspirations, and critiques.”
The partnership will draw on LACMA’s collection of more than 150,000 objects spanning 6,000 years of artistic expression. Insights from the conversation series, paired with selected artworks, will inform the exhibition’s development.
The premise for the series was previewed at the 2025 Project Play Summit, where Farrey and author Michael Lewis explored how sport has reshaped parenting in America.
Event Schedule and Upcoming Programming
Following the Rose Bowl roundtable, the series will continue across multiple locations through 2026:
- December 1, 2025: Event in Milan with Aspen Italia
- February 24, 2026: Event with the Aspen Society in Beverly Hills
- May 5-6, 2026: Programming at the Aspen Institute’s flagship Project Play Summit in Boston
Additional events are expected to be announced. Each event will feature different formats, ranging from candid off-the-record roundtables to public panel discussions. The Why We Play website includes a timeline of how sport has shaped society since the 1890s, along with other educational materials.
Manatt, Phelps & Phillips LLP, a professional services firm providing integrated legal and consulting services, is serving as presenting sponsor for the initiative.
Looking Ahead to 2028
The 18-month conversation series represents a significant investment in examining sport’s cultural role ahead of a period when global attention will focus on Los Angeles as an Olympic host city. The culminating exhibition and book aim to offer a framework for understanding not just how sport became a cultural force, but how it can remain relevant moving forward.
For youth sports professionals, the initiative signals growing institutional interest in understanding sport’s broader societal impact beyond participation numbers and economic metrics. The themes of Belonging, Freedom, and Power may offer useful lenses for organizations examining their own community impact and programming priorities.
Information on upcoming programming, speakers, and participation opportunities will be shared through the Why We Play website as each event approaches.
via: Aspen Institute
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