Cultural Olympiad kicks off
The Olympic Games are not just about sport, they also celebrate cultures, people, languages and internationalism. The founding principles of the Olympic movement include a commitment to sport, culture and education. The Cultural Olympiad has been a feature of every summer and winter Olympics ever since with London 2012 being no exception.
The Cultural Olympiad for the London Olympics kicked off on 26-28 September and runs for four years up to the Games in summer 2012. The London 2012 team is working in partnership with a number of cultural agencies including the Scottish Arts Council. The Cultural Olympiad presents opportunities for arts, culture and heritage organisations from across the UK.
New opportunities are being created to inspire young people and encourage participation from communities across the UK and around the world, it is hoped that the Cultural Olympiad will have a lasting legacy for the whole of the UK.
A number of projects and activities are already on stream but there is still plenty time to get involved. Visit the website of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad to find out more.
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The Cultural Olympiad was officially launched with an open weekend on 26 to 28 September and was described by the Olympiad team as writing the first sentence of a four-year story. The weekend opened up opportunities for people across the UK to visit spaces, places and people and get them involved in imaginative, thought-provoking creative activities. |
For more information on how to get involved or activities in your area visit the London 2012 website
The open weekend is just the start of the celebrations. The 2012 team are in the process of developing a number of other major projects and legacy activities along with planning for the torch relay and grand opening ceremony in 2012. To do this the 2012 team are working in partnership with a number of cultural agencies including the Scottish Arts Council and have recruited a network of creative programmers from across the UK.
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In Scotland, the Scottish Arts Council recently announced the appointment of Leonie Bell as Creative Programmer for Scotland. Leonie started in mid September and will curate a programme of high quality, accessible and innovative activity as part of Scotland's contribution to the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad programme. |
In addition, part of the Creative Programmer role will be to work closely with Culture and Sport Glasgow and the Scottish Government to identify opportunities to build on the London 2012 programmes, as part of the development and promotion of the cultural programme for Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.
Artists Taking the Lead will challenge artists to lead a celebration of the excellence, diversity, innovation and internationalism of the arts across the UK.
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Twelve artists commissions - one in each of the nine English regions and in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales - will respond to and celebrate our local and national cultural life. Whether mounted in a city centre or development site, on a beach or a hillside, and whether rooted in one art form or bringing together a range of disciplines, each commission will be the realisation of an artist's vision, in partnership with children, young people and communities. |
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The aim of Artists Taking the Lead is to put down a celebratory marker for 2012 in each region, creating a new expression of our creativity for presentation on the world stage. It will enable a wide range of people to enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime experience and aims to achieve a genuine legacy of opportunity and aspiration beyond 2012.
Further information about how artists and communities can get involved will be announced in autumn 2008 and it is expected that the programme will launch formally in spring 2009.
London 2012 are inviting organisations to propose surprising, exciting, brand-new projects, events or activities inspired by London 2012 to receive the Inspire Mark.
Chosen projects will reflect the values of the Olympic and Paralympic Movements and will be granted the right to use the Inspire mark on various project materials, such as posters, brochures and website recognising that a project has been inspired by London 2012.
Please note, the London 2012 Organising Committee is not a funding body. You should have sorted out all or most of the funding you need for your project before you put in an application to the Inspire Mark programme.
It is important that the London Olympics have a lasting positive legacy for all of the UK. To support this aim the Legacy Trust UK has been established to fund a wide range of regional and national innovative cultural and sporting activities for all. These will share the values and aims of the Cultural Olympiad and leave a lasting legacy in communities throughout the United Kingdom.
The Trust has an initial endowment of £40million. It has committed to match this original funding and has set itself a target of £80 million being available for legacy projects over its lifetime.
About 70 per cent of Legacy Trust UK funding will go to cultural activities, the rest to sport. The Scottish Arts Council is developing the regional Scottish projects which will be delivered with partner organisations.
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"Olympism is a philosophy of life, exalting and combining in a balanced whole the qualities of body, will and mind. Blending sport with culture and education, Olympism seeks to create a way of life based on the joy found in effort, the educational value of good example and respect for universal fundamental ethical principles."
Olympic Charter, Fundamental principles, paragraph 2
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