Leisure as a creative solution to collectively enhance the social, cultural, environmental, and economic quality of life of communities: a retrospective overview of the World Leisure International Innovation Prize

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis article offers a retrospective analysis of the World Leisure Innovation Prize and, more specifically, of some of the Prize's winning projects from around the world in the period 2006–2017. These projects are observed as examples of innovative leisure practices and experiences, and put in relation with some references in the leisure innovation literature. Building on this analysis, the article provides a wider reflection on the potential of leisure as a creative solution to collectively enhance the social, cultural, environmental, and economic quality of life of communities. As regards the structure of the paper, firstly, a short introduction about the WL Innovation Prize is provided; secondly, the rationale behind the Prize is put in relation to some theoretical references on leisure and innovation; then, the analysis of the cases follows, focusing on their innovative contribution, and, finally, some conclusions are drawn.