The Cultural Olympiad -The UK-wide picture

THE CULTURAL OLYMPIAD The UK-wide picture

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6 7 EAST MIDLANDS8 9 EAST OF ENGLAND

10 11 LONDON12 13 NORTH EAST14 15 NORTH WEST16 17 SOUTH EAST18 19 SOUTH WEST20 21 WEST MIDLANDS22 23 YORKSHIRE24 25 NORTHERN IRELAND26 27 SCOTLAND28 29 WALES

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4 5 Introduction by Dr Beatriz Garcia

30 31 Alan Davey, Chief Executive, Arts Council England Moira Swinbank, Chief Executive, Legacy Trust UK

32 33 Ruth Mackenzie, Director, Cultural Olympiad

34 35 Partners and Supporters

Cover Photograph: Tony West

Project Strand Glossary

Inspire - An Olympic and Paralympic first, the London 2012 Inspire programmeofficially recognises outstanding non-commercial projects and events inspired bythe Games.

Open Weekend - Celebrating the countdown to the Games, Open Weekendenables everyone across the UK to share in the excitement by challengingthemselves to trying something new or taking an interest to a further level.

Unlimited - The Cultural Olympiad programme celebrating arts, culture and sportby disabled and deaf people.

Artists Taking the Lead - A series of 12 extraordinary public art commissionscreated by artists across the nation, as part of the Cultural Olympiad.

Legacy Trust UK - Legacy Trust UK is an independent charity set up to create acultural and sporting legacy from the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games acrossthe UK, with a £40 million endowment from Big Lottery Fund, Arts Council Englandand the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. To do this, the Trust is funding arange of projects in each nation and region of the UK, aimed at engagingcommunities and encouraging participation in cultural and sporting activities. Eachprogramme is different, and activity ranges from street arts festivals to dance,sports and volunteering projects.

Live Sites - Big screens and event spaces in urban centres offering liveinformation, video, news and community events. They will be the destination fornews, events and live screenings of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012.

THE CULTURAL OLYMPIAD The UK-wide picture


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The London 2012 Cultural Olympiad has beenenvisaged as more than just a complement to theOlympic and Paralympic Games. It provides thegreatest opportunity to advance some of the mostchallenging and inspiring agendas of a Gameshosting process, such as building newopportunities for engaging young people,furthering synergies between Olympic andParalympic aspirations and providing a space tointerrogate what should guide the Games in futureyears.

One of its most distinctive aspects has been theappointment of 13 Creative Programmers - oneper nation and region in the UK - who havedeveloped a vision for their areas to enablewidespread participation with the arts and culturalsector, while building bridges across sectors. Thishas resulted in a range of new programmingopportunities, all inspired by London 2012. Inparticular, programmes have deliberately pursuedcross-sector partnerships across the sports,health and arts worlds, leading to innovativefunding collaborations and alternative forms ofOlympic and Paralympic related branding.

Throughout these programmes, a wide diversity ofexpressions are apparent, from presentinginternationally renowned talent to promotingemerging artists, while exploring new territories inthe interface between the arts and sports fields.This work has given each UK nation and region avoice within the journey towards the Games and aplatform for live community participation with thisdocument providing a snap-shot of what hasbeen achieved to date.

Beyond London 2012, other Games hosts mayutilise these achievements as a blueprint to informfuture Olympic and Paralympic culturalprogramming, though there is also a lot that canbe learned about how to build greater culturalcollaboration across the UK. Accompanied by on-going research-based impact data, these culturalprogrammes could be seen as a particularlypowerful framework to create Olympic andParalympic memories for the majority of theBritish population, thus expanding a one-offglobal media event into a locally rooted and moresustainable festival experience.

By 2012, it will be precisely 100 years since the first officialcommitment to presenting cultural and artistic activity alongside sportas a core dimension of the Olympic hosting process. This centenaryprovides a useful moment to reflect on what culture has brought to theOlympic and Paralympic Games. In particular, the UK has attemptedto overcome past challenges by supporting a cultural programme thatmakes the most of the build-up towards 27 days of world-class sportin 2012, so that the four years of an Olympiad are not only aboutconstructing venues, but also constructing a creative dialogue withcommunities throughout the country.


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The following pages offer a glimpse of the manyactivities that have taken place throughout the UKso far. Each of the Creative Programmersintroduces the core vision for their respectiveregions and presents a selection of highlights,covering urban as well as rural areas, and a widearray of thematic explorations, from a fresh lookinto disability, to a fusion between art, science,ethics and sport.

The Cultural Legacy of London 2012 With the establishment of a Cultural Olympiad,there is an opportunity to expand the legacy of theGames and demonstrate that the Olympics andParalympics provide a platform for far more thanjust the advancement of elite sport or economicregeneration.

When historians look back at these Games, theywill see the most extensive commitment tonationalise an event that is often considered city-based. This may have been the most importantway in which London 2012 has contributed tokeeping the Olympic movement ‘moving’, asclaimed in its original bid vision for the CulturalOlympiad. The work has committed to developinga common vision that is informed by localpopulations and thus relevant to a specificcommunity at a specific time, while connectingwith the universal and timeless aspirations of aworld class event embedded in a genuinelyinternational network and over 120 years of history.

Director, Impacts 08 – European Capitalof Culture Research ProgrammeUniversity of Liverpool & Liverpool JohnMoores Universitywww.impacts08.net

Editor, Culture @ the Olympics – Issues,Trends and Perspectiveswww.culturalolympics.org.uk

In closing, it is salient to note that, in a time of cutsacross all public sector departments within theUK, the contribution of art and culture to widereconomic and social agendas could still beoverlooked or misunderstood. In part this isbecause understanding the broader culturaleconomy that underpins Britain’s brand as aworld-class creative nation should be consideredbeyond simple economic indicators. With thisreport, there can be no question that the CulturalOlympiad has provided a platform for culture andarts programming while advancing complexcross-sector and UK-wide collaborations. Theimpact of such interactions will be felt for years tocome.

Dr Beatriz Garciawww.beatrizgarcia.net


http://www.beatrizgarcia.net

http://www.impacts08.net

http://www.culturalolympics.org.uk

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Foot in Hand’s One Night Only

Foot in Hand’s One Night Only was the Creative Programmer’sfirst commission of new work as part of the region’s festivalshowcases. Led by Director Louise Katerega, Foot in Hand’sintegrated dance company of nine dancers (incorporatingdisabled dancers, both physical and special needs, with non-disabled performers) came together to create a new piece toaccompany the staging of the GB Special Olympics in Leicesterin July 2009.

One Night Only re-sets the famous classical music suiteCarnival of the Animals in a nightclub. The well-known score,traditionally representing exotic creatures, follows the highsand lows of the all too human cast during a night out on thetown. The evening’s premiere also included a reworking of aprevious piece choreographed by Katerega, A State ofBecoming, which had been a 2006 semi-finalist for thenational choreographic competition, The Place Prize, a first forwork featuring disabled dancers. The company performed toan enthusiastic audience at the Peepul Centre, Leicester beforetouring to the Dance Exchange, Birmingham and to Rich Mix,London.

Principal funders have been the Legacy Trust UK IgnitingAmbition programme, Arts Council England and the ERDF.

‘The East Midlands has developed a series of five annual showcaseprogrammes for the Cultural Olympiad which focus on engagingaudiences and leaving lasting legacies, through building the capacityand profile of some key festivals and raising the quality and impact ofoutdoor arts and community celebrations.

We have prioritised the commissioning of new work from emerging artists ofculturally diverse backgrounds and fostering international connections, inparticular with South Africa, China, India and Latin America. We have also builton the emerging strengths of the visual arts in the region with new facilities suchas Nottingham Contemporary and New Art Exchange in Nottingham, New WalkMuseum in Leicester, The Collection in Lincoln and the Derby Quad.’

Paul BrookesCreative Programmer,East Midlands

Leicester, Birmingham and LondonJuly – September 2009

UK Young Artists

UK Young Artists (UKYA) is a new organisationworking nationally and internationally toshowcase young, creative practitioners betweenthe ages of 18 – 30 whose work spans across all art forms; from visualarts to music, performance to literature. The organisation providesimportant networking opportunities and artistic development throughintercultural dialogue and exhibitions and performances showcasingoutstanding art.

The first UKYA event took place in Derby from Thursday 21 until Sunday24 October. From the 75 artists represented this year, a select numberhas been chosen to represent the UK in 2011 at the InternationalBiennale of Young Artists of Europe and the Mediterranean in Morocco.The selection panel was led by the internationally renownedperformance artist Akram Khan.

This event is the forerunner for a World Event for Young Artists whichwill be held in Nottingham in September 2012 as a closing event of theCultural Olympiad in the East Midlands.

The principal partners are Nottingham Trent University, De MontfortUniversity, Loughborough University, University of Derby, Arts CouncilEngland and the Legacy Trust UK Igniting Ambition programme.

Derby21 - 24 October 2010

Project Strand Open Weekend, Inspire and Legacy Trust UKProject Strand Inspire

www.ukyoungartists.co.ukwww.footinhand.co.uk

For more information see http://emda.org.uk/cultural-olympiad

Photograph: Katie Green


http://www.ukyoungartists.co.uk

http://www.footinhand.co.uk

http://emda.org.uk/cultural-olympiad

EAST MIDLANDS

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Derby Feste

For three days each year, the Derby Festebrings the whole city out on the streets forfantastical events and extraordinaryperformances. Nearly all events are free tothe public and the first three years havefeatured a diverse range of outstandinginternational artists. Each year the audiencesare growing: in 2010 over 30,000 peopleattended the festival.

The success of Derby Feste grew out of aone-off event organised in 2007 to launchthe opening of the new Westfield shopping

centre. With encouragement from theCreative Programmer, partners were broughttogether to try and establish an annualoutdoor arts event for the five summers ofthe Cultural Olympiad, with the first onemarking the official opening of the Quadvisual arts and film centre and the launchweekend of the Cultural Olympiad inSeptember 2008. Activities centre aroundthe central market place, where the BBC BigScreen, Quad and the Assembly Rooms arelocated, and in nearby locations. Artists haveincluded Transe Express, Compagnie des

Quidams, Les Commandos Percu, Architectsof Air, Transport Exceptionnels, Sarruga,Seeper, The Dream Engine, Denis Tricot andmany more.

Derby Feste is becoming established as thekey annual festival of outdoor arts in the EastMidlands and has been supported each yearby the Legacy Trust UK’s regional IgnitingAmbition programme, Arts Council England,Derby City Council, Deda, Quad and DerbyLive.

Derby City Centre26 – 28 September 2008 4 - 6 September 2009 24 – 26 September 2010

Photograph: Close Act, Rebels

Project Strand Open Weekend, Inspire and Legacy Trust UK www.deda.uk.com/derby-feste-10


http://www.deda.uk.com/derby-feste-10

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‘From small-scale events and workshops to large spectaculars, theEast of England has created opportunities for people to take part in,experience and witness exceptional cultural projects. In particular theprogramme is helping young people gain skills and is buildingcapacity and scale for our cultural organisations through the LegacyTrust UK funded programme Eastern Rising.

From the time the UK was preparing its bid to host the Games we have beenclear that there will be opportunities for the cultural sector in the East ofEngland and we are beginning to see evidence of delivery against thispromise. Building on this we have further music, carnival, film and art projectsplanned to ensure that the Cultural Olympiad will leave a powerful legacy.’

Liz HughesCreative Programmer,East of England

Striking Together for Bronze

Striking Together for Bronze brought together young percussionists anddrum kit players from across Cambridgeshire to work with a professionalteam of performers and teachers. The project encourages and trainsyoung percussionists of all skill levels to work together in rehearsingand performing a specifically written piece of music ‘Striking Together’.Working in groups that are larger than those possible in schools,students developed their musical potential and experiencedcontemporary percussion music-making.

The groups worked with new arrangements by composer Mark Aldous,specifically written for such an ensemble of young percussion players.Following intensive days of rehearsals and workshops the projectculminated in two performances at the Birmingham Conservatoire andat the Cambridge Corn Exchange. Nearly 100 students participated inperformances with professional percussionists. The performances wereseen by about 1,000 people who will all remember the Striking Togetherversion of ‘Wipeout’.

In 2010 Cambridgeshire Music ran Striking Together for Bronze acrossCambridgeshire, with Silver and Gold projects to follow over the nexttwo years.

CambridgeshireJanuary 2010 – 2012

Photograph: Cambridgeshire County Council

www.cambridgeshiremusic.org/awards-and-opportunities/striking-together.html

For more information see www.risingtothechallengeeast.co.uk

Project Strand Inspire


http://www.risingtothechallengeeast.co.uk

http://www.cambridgeshiremusic.org/awards-and-opportunities/striking-together.html

EAST OF ENGLAND

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www.commissioneast.org.uk

Light Up East

Commissions East developed two new piecesof public art to mark the launch of the CulturalOlympiad in September 2008. Internationalartists Shezad Dawood and Mukul Deoracreated ‘The Body Electric’, which bathedNorwich Castle in music and the movingimage. Artist Simon Tegala transformed andanimated St George’s Square in Luton usinglight, music and performance, working with acast and band of young people.

Alongside the development of this new publicart, both projects worked with young peopleto add their own contribution. Locally, youngpeople worked with venue The Garage inNorwich, creating a striking performanceinstallation which combined physical theatre,animation, dance and film projection. In Lutonthe UK Centre for Carnival Arts worked withlocal carnival groups designed and createdcostumes and the Luton Youth Orchestraperformed a new composition.

Norwich Castle, Norwich and St George’s Square, LutonSeptember 2008

Synergy encourages people to get active by promoting sportingand cultural activities, developing skills in young peoplethrough accompanying volunteer programmes andencouraging cultural tourism by investing in key events.

It was inspired by the launch of the Cultural Olympiad, withNorfolk County Council creating the first Synergy event in 2008.Bringing together sport and art they created a large outdoorevent for people to try activities including sports and arts tastersessions. The event has developed over the last two years andin 2010 Synergy worked with the Out There Festival of streettheatre and circus in Great Yarmouth attracting 60,000 peopleover the weekend. A key highlight was a promenadeperformance of ‘Bivouac’ by Générik Vapeur, which took overthe streets and seafront of Great Yarmouth in extraordinary andunexpected ways.

SynergyWhitlingham, Norwich 2008Hunstanton, Norfolk 2009Great Yarmouth, Norfolk 2010

www.outtherefestival.com

Simon Tegala’s Halo, Photograph: Martin Figura



Photograph: Norfolk County Council


http://www.commissioneast.org.uk

http://www.outtherefestival.com

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‘Over the last two years London has sought to inspire excellencethroughout the Cultural Olympiad with a focus on encouraging localparticipation and especially developing young leaders, exploring theinternational social fabric of the city, animating the ever-changinglandscapes and continually driving innovation throughout theprogramme to reveal the Capital’s diverse creativity. The excitementand anticipation for 2012 is now palpable as we hit the home strait!’

Chenine BhathenaCreative Programmer,London

‘As Host City, there is a special emphasis on the Cultural Olympiad inthe five Host Boroughs for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.In partnership with many of the leading arts and creative organisationswe are working to develop a programme of significant newopportunities for the creative sector and for local people. We hope toconnect the 1.5m local residents to the experience of the Games,which is happening on their doorstep, through involving them in newworld class arts activity. The Cultural Olympiad is how many peopleliving locally will experience the 2012 Games and we are working tomake sure that these experiences benefit and inspire local people.’

Hadrian GarrardCreative Programmer,Host Boroughs,London For more information see www.createlondon.org

For more information see www.london.gov.uk/priorities/art-culture/culture-2012

CREATE has been running for three years andoriginated as part of the Host Boroughs’contribution to the Olympic bid process in2004. So far it has seen more than 300 eventsand opportunities for over 1.5 million localresidents and visitors to take part in artactivities in east and south east London.Taking place each July, CREATE promotes theunique cultural offer in the area, presenting aseries of new work and commissions fromlocal artists and creative organisations withsupporting participation programmes. As wellas attracting new visitors to the area, CREATE

aims to inspire and enable local residents toget involved in world class arts and culture.

CREATE continues to grow and has nowestablished itself firmly as a key part ofLondon’s cultural calendar. It will remain as amajor annual London festival after 2012. It isalso supported by the CREATE Programmers -a group of inspirational young people from theHost Boroughs. Aged 15-25, the Programmershave the collective aim of gaining knowledge,developing their skills and confidence in eventprogramming and profiling the talents of theirpeers.

CREATEThroughout the five Host Boroughs2009 onwards

Photograph: Fruit Machine

Project Strand Cultural Olympiad


http://www.london.gov.uk/priorities/art-culture/culture-2012

http://www.createlondon.org

LONDON

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Big Dance 2010 offered Londoners theultimate dance experience by presentingdance of all types in unusual spacesthroughout the city. Working inpartnership with the 33 London boroughs,five Big Dance Hubs produced inspiring,complementary programmes acrossLondon.

The Hubs are: East London Dance, EnglishNational Ballet, Greenwich Dance, Sadler’sWells and Siobhan Davies Dance.1.2million people of all ages and abilitieswere involved to increase fitness levelsand create a legacy for dance in thecapital.

The Big Dance Bus and Big Dance Bubbletravelled all over showcasing local talentand presenting specially commissioneddance pieces, workshops andperformances. 150,000 young people

from across the world took part in a recordbreaking attempt for the largest danceclass with the British Council and createdby Hakeem Onibudo.

Dancing stAGE, involving 150 olderdancers performing at Southbank Centrein a piece produced by East London Danceand choreographed by Natasha Gilmore,was inspired by the theme of love.

The Big World Dance involved thousandsof dancers travelling from SouthbankCentre to Trafalgar Square to perform thechoreography by Luca Silvestrini to markthe finale moment of Big Dance 2010.

Big Dance is London’s Legacy Trust UKProgramme led by the Greater LondonAuthority in partnership with Arts CouncilEngland.

Stories of the World: London is a major projectwithin the Cultural Olympiad. Over 1,000young volunteers are working creatively withmuseum collections across London. Throughthis work, young people are gaining new skillsconfidence that they can use throughout theirlives and the museums are being transformedby their energy. Their work will culminate infour landmark exhibitions that will be seen byover one million people in 2012.

Inspired by the museum collections, youngpeople have been creating artworks, films,performances, music, poetry, fashion showsand podcasts. One event that took place as aresult of this work was a gladiatorial poetryslam, hosted by the Museum of London’syouth panel, Junction. The event saw some ofthe city’s most exciting young slam poets,aged 14 – 24, sparring in the foyer at theMuseum of London. It was a spectacularevening of poetry performance includingreadings from competition winners, who weregiven the challenge of exploring the influenceof Latin on English and its use today.

Big Dance Stories of theWorld: London

Various Locations throughout London3-11 July 2010

Gladiatorial Poetry Slam,Museum of London2009 - onwards

www.bigdance2010.com http://www.facebook.com/storiesoftheworldlondon

Photograph: Kois Miah

Photograph: John Chase

Project Strand Cultural Olympiad

Project Strand Legacy Trust UK


http://www.bigdance2010.com

http://www.facebook.com/storiesofthe

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‘The North East programme ensures that people are able to makethe most of opportunities provided by London 2012, creating alegacy of culturally aware, active communities and individualscontributing to regional life.

North East projects have included bringing together culture and sportthrough Seconds Out: a programme combining boxing and dance led byTheatre Royal Newcastle and NE-Generation, the region’s Legacy Trust UKprogramme which encourages children and young people to be decisionmakers and drivers of culture in partnership with the cultural sector.

As we move towards 2012, the region will be big and bold and create culturalconnections which will join the public together in experiences and projectswhich make the ordinary extraordinary: epic stories seek epic forms.’

Lorna FultonCreative Programmer,North East

For more information see www.london2012.com/culture

This exhibition brought together a visualhistory of the Olympic movement andcombined the highest standards of ambitiousgraphic design with a concrete representationof the global reach of the four-yearly event.

To ensure the exhibition was enjoyed by awide audience a number of events took placeincluding: Shipley Lates: Graphic design andillustration, where well-known graphicdesigners were invited to speak and visitorswere able to view the exhibition out of hoursin a relaxing environment.

Alongside the exhibition, workshops wereheld at the gallery for children from Key Stage1 to A-level, where participants explored theexhibition and designed a poster for the 2010

UK School Games in Gateshead. Fun familyactivities were held during the summerholidays, encouraging children to be creative

and active, and events based around theexhibition were part of the Cultural OlympiadOpen Weekend.

A Century of Olympic Posters Shipley Art Gallery, GatesheadJune – August 2009

www.twmuseums.org.uk/shipleyProject Strand Inspire and Open Weekend

Photograph: V&A Museum


http://www.london2012.com/culture

http://www.twmuseums.org.uk/shipley

NORTH EAST

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Welcome to the North East Gateshead International Stadium UK School Games (UKSG) venuesThursday 2 – Sunday 5 September 2010

TornadoGateshead, Tyne & Wear, North East23 July – 21 September 2010

www.newcastlegateshead.com

Tornado was a new temporary public artworkby Turner Prize nominee Fiona Banner whichwas co-commissioned by a new partnershipbetween Great North Run Culture and Locus+.Banner transformed a decommissioned RAFTornado plane ZE728 into a large singlebell which could be rung by all whoencountered it.

Bells are powerful social instrumentsembedded in many of our most importantrituals; from the celebratory, as markers oftime, as a warning, a clarion call to action, tothe sound of mourning. Whether chiming orsilent, Tornado is a metaphor for thepossibilities and understanding of change.This interactive artwork was open to the publicfor six weeks and also involved an educationproject with Thomas Hepburn CommunitySchool in Gateshead.

This project was made possible by the CulturalOlympiad and brings together culture andsport in an innovative collaboration, workingwith young people to devise elements of theproject.

‘Welcome to the North East’ was inspired bythe London 2012 Cultural Olympiad and itsrelationship to the London 2012 OlympicGames, and gave young elite athletescompeting at the UK School Games anexperience of competing in a high-levelmulti-sport competition, complemented byan innovative and creative culturalprogramme.

Commissions and projects included: DanceBites, a series of ten short dance works byyoung people from ten Gateshead schools,inspired by the ten sports of the UK SchoolGames and choreographed by Dora FrankelDance Company; an interactive andresponsive installation by Mehmet Akten; a

high-energy breakdance performance byNewcastle and Gateshead B-Boys Bad TasteCru; Cheer Challenge, a voice-based gamecreated by CultureLab artists which pittedthe athletes, their families and the watchingaudience against each other to see whocould deliver the loudest scream; andRollapaluza, a revival of the sport of roller-racing.

United Visual Artists were also commissionedto create a highlight piece to be shown as afinale of the UK School Games OpeningCeremony. The piece included video imageryand a stadium-wide lighting schemeprogrammed to a musical score, created byMira Calix.

www.greatnorthrunculture.org

Project Strand Inspire and Open Weekend


Photograph: Bad Taste Cru, Peter AtkinsonPhotograph: Colin Davison


http://www.newcastlegateshead.com

http://www.greatnorthrunculture.org

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‘The programme in the North West features major new festivals andcommissions, a region-wide events programme, world class internationaland local artists and innovative community projects. In particular, ourprogramme celebrates the creativity, excellence and innovation in theNorth West that supports key regional strengths.

At its centre and hub are the annual programmes of Abandon Normal Devices,Blaze and Lakes Alive which form part of the regional programme WE PLAY. Thesecommissioned programmes bring a regional distinctiveness to our CulturalOlympiad activity, with a paricular emphasis on digital culture and street arts.

New and inspiring activities across the region - from the spectacular to theexperimental – are ensuring that, for many people in the North West, theirexperience of London 2012 is through cultural participation.’

Debbi LanderCreative Programmer,North West

For more information see www.nwbeinspired.com

Lakes Alive Cumbria23 May 2008 – 5 September 2010

DaDaVisions Liverpool and UK 17 November 2009 –February 2010

www.lakesalive.org www.dadahello.com

Photograph: Keith Pattison

DaDaVisions was commissioned to mark the1,000 days to the Paralympic Gamescelebrations in the North West. Premieringin Liverpool on 17 November 2009, this artistfilm and video programme consisted of fourcommissions created by deaf and disabledartists or looking specifically at disabilityissues: Alison Jones: Portrait of the Artist byProxy, Caroline Parker: The Rose, So ManyExcuses: I Know My Place and GinaCzarnecki: Pixie Dust.

The programme looks at representations ofthe body and how physical and mentalagility is used to define worth and value andjudged against likelihood to succeed. Thisproject also formed part of a wider regionalLive Sites programme with three specificcommissions for the BBC Big Screens.

Lakes Alive is a Cumbria-wide outdooranimation programme that aims toposition Cumbria as the national centre ofexcellence for street arts. Featuring thebest international artists, the programmeanimates public spaces in Cumbria acrossspring and summer each year, culminatingwith Mintfest, its flagship street artsfestival.

Lakes Alive launched on 23 May 2009 withReach for the Sky – a series of sixinternational aerial spectacles acrossCumbria. Its programme continued intothe summer with a season of Cumbria-wide events. A highlight of the 2010season was Welcoming the Light, a majorevent which saw a line of light from coastto coast along the entire length ofHadrian’s Wall, the commissioned sitespecific performance Sufi:Zen by acclaimed

South Asian dance company Akademi andthe We Built this City family participatoryevent, which involved children andfamilies.

Project Strand Inspire and Legacy Trust UK



http://www.nwbeinspired.com

http://www.lakesalive.org

http://www.dadahello.com

NORTH WEST

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Abandon Normal Devices (AND) is a newannual festival in the North West building onthe region’s strengths in cinema and digitialculture. It runs over four years with aparticular emphasis on ideas around theconcept of ‘normality’. The festival takes placein autumn each year, alternating betweenLiverpool and Manchester, with an extendedprogramme across the region.

It is a festival for ‘anarchists of theimagination’ and experiments with thefestival format whilst drawing on thepowerful mediums of film and new media toinstigate a critique of the Body and Economy.It uses this theme to inspire debate, researchand collaboration across the fields of art,sport, new media, science, bio technology,health and disability for London 2012.

The extensive programme is part of theregion’s major programme WE PLAY and hasinvolved major international artistsApichatpong Weerasethakul, KMA, KrzysztofWodiczko, Phil Collins and Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, the Hand from Above installation byChris O Shea for the BBC Big Screen Liverpool.

Abandon Normal Devices Festival Liverpool/Manchester and North West16 April 2009 – 7 October 2010

www.andfestival.org.uk

Shrink by Lawrence Malstaf, Photograph: Dirk Pauwels



http://www.andfestival.org.uk

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‘In the South East we have focussed our Cultural Olympiad work onfour priority areas; working with Deaf and disabled people, outdoorarts, universities and sports heritage. We have encouragedconnections across these priorities resulting in some innovative work,such as five universities commissioning Deaf and disabled artists inresidence programmes, the production of a number of toolkits aimedat improving inclusive practice in both the street arts and carnivalsector, and a ‘Celebratory and Outdoor Performance OnlineResource’ developed by the University of Kent.

Our work with Deaf and disabled people through Legacy Trust UKprogramme Accentuate is inspired by the Paralympic legacy of the region. Wework closely with Stoke Mandeville, Birthplace of the Paralympic Movementand their collections to inspire young people across the region and arecurrently developing the first ever Paralympic digital archive in The Guttmann

Caterina LoriggioCreative Programmer,South East

For more information see www.southeastpartnership.co.uk

www.creativebucks.org.uk

Driving Inspiration is a collaboration between disabled artists,Paralympians and disabled and non-disabled young people. It is abouttelling the story of the birth of the Paralympic movement at StokeMandeville, using part of their archive collection as well as theindividual stories of Paralympians. Through assemblies, interviews andworkshops, creative work of all kinds is produced and showcased locallyand regionally at other Cultural Olympiad activities, local celebrationsand at Paralympic and disability sporting events.

During 2009/10 the project took place across Buckinghamshire in fivefocus schools: The Beaconsfield School, Cressex Community School,Heritage House School, Buckingham Primary and Mandeville School.These schools were identified for their inclusive policies and learningneeds status. Four of the five schools involved have integrated policies.The fifth school, Heritage House, is for young people with severelearning disabilities. The project will continue in new schools next yearand a toolkit will be available nationally. The project develops disabilityarts practice and encourages young people to develop their personalskills whilst inspiring them to identify and fulfil their own dreams.


Driving InspirationBuckinghamshireOngoing since March 2008

Photograph: Bucks 2012 Partnership & Rebekka Pearce


http://www.southeastpartnership.co.uk

http://www.creativebucks.org.uk

SOUTH EAST

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Blue TouchPaper Carnival

Blue Touch Paper Carnival is about disabled and non-disabled people coming together to plan, share skills andmake top quality Carnival in an accessible way so thateveryone can take part. For many disabled people, theirfamily and carers, even something as ‘open’ as carnivalmight not really work for them.

The more we understand about each other and what stopspeople taking part, the easier it is to remove the barriers.Blue Touch Paper Carnival is run by the Blue Hub BubbleTeam who aim to make the fun of carnival accessible to

everyone by providing online resources and ultimately taking carnival from theweb page to the big parade in projects that pool the ideas of hundreds of localdisabled people.

Creative Campus Initiative

Creative Campus Initiative 09/10 aimed toopen up and share the cultural resources ofcampuses in the UK to provide access toworld leading, practice-based research inthe arts; engage leading artists tocollaborate with students, academics andlocal communities; create and present highquality new artworks and cultural events

inspired by the Olympic and ParalympicGames and raise the aspirations, skills andeconomic potential of young people byexploring relationships between sport andthe arts in innovative ways.

The institutions commissioned new artworks, research-based creative responses,

Bucks New University University of Brighton Christ Church Canterbury University of Creative Arts Kent University Oxford Brookes University Royal Holloway, University of London Solent University University of SouthamptonUniversity of Portsmouth University of Sussex Thames Valley University University of WinchesterOngoing since June 2009

West Sussex and the Isle of WightOngoing since Open Weekend 2009

www.btpcarnival.co.uk

www.creativecampusinitiative.org.uk

critical debate and learning andcommunity projects which took bothdirect and tangential inspiration fromdifferent Olympic and Paralympic sports.Over one hundred projects were created,with audience numbers exceeding550,000.

Project Strand Inspire and Open Weekend

Project Strand Inspire, Open Weekend and Legacy Trust UK

Photograph: Sophie Wade Smith


http://www.btpcarnival.co.uk

http://www.creativecampusinitiative.org.uk

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‘The South West’s remarkable landscapes and heritage are playing acentral role in the cultural programme for the region. Our activitieskicked-off by marking the handover of the Olympic flag to the UK withTwo Minutes Noise on 24 August 2008. Bells rang, canons roared andwe cheered as we began our journey toward the sailing andwindsurfing events in Weymouth and Portland in 2012.

It’s been a period marked by the new partnerships created like the OutsideCelebratory Arts Network; the opportunities offered to young people, such asyoung Morris sides dancing as part of Dinosaurs Not Allowed, and the TeenageRampage apprentices, who have worked at Glastonbury, Brisfest and the 5,000Morris event on London’s South Bank; and Quest journeys that have set off toexplore the landscapes and heritage of the region. In addition, RELAYS, LegacyTrust UK’s programme in the South West is delivering cultural and sportingopportunities to children and young people across the region..

So two years down with two to go and the enthusiasm keeps growing!’

Richard CroweCreative Programmer,South West

For more information see www.teamsouthwest.co.uk/culture

The Village Screen provided an opportunity to betterunderstand the potential of the Live Sites programmeand provided training and skills for young gamesdevelopers and events managers. It was delivered by aunique partnership and provided a playground toexperiment with programming big screens in advanceof Summer 2012.

Over the two years of the project two 25 square-metrescreens, positioned back-to-back, showed a mixedprogramme of films made by young people, interactivegames, live feeds from music stages, live sport, BBCfestival highlights, a tribute to Michael Jackson (whodied while we were on site in 2009) and a rollingprogramme of local news and information 17 hours aday over five days.

The screen entertained crowds of 14,000+ to groups of only a dozen or so earlyrisers in all weathers and all conditions, tested 20 applications and showed inexcess of 5,000 short films.

http://villagescreen2010.wordpress.com

Game & Photograph: Brendan Oliver

Project Strand Inspire and Live Sites

Village ScreenGlastonbury Festival25-28 June 2009 22-27 June 2010


http://www.teamsouthwest.co.uk/culture

http://villagescreen2010.wordpress.com

SOUTH WEST

19

Inside Out, a partnership of DorsetTheatre promoters led by Activate, helpedlaunch the Cultural Olympiad in theregion in September 2008. It kicked offwith a spectacular performance of Velese Vents by Spain’s Xarxe Teatre onBowleaze Cliffs, overlooking WeymouthBay and the 2012 sailing course.

Designed as a series of “extraordinaryevents in extraordinary places” andpresented by the best outsideperformance companies from acrossEurope, Inside Out returned in 2010. The10 day festival transformed Dorset’surban and coastal settings into a series ofmagical worlds, attracting attendances ofover 25,000 people.

However, the programme is about morethan simply experiencing fantasticperformances. Throughout the festivallocal people were encouraged to getinvolved through workshops, talks andprofessional development opportunities.In all, 400 people participated, manygoing on to perform with NoFit StateCircus in their fantastic presentation ofParklife in Maumbury Rings, a Neolithichenge. 150 volunteering opportunities,from leafleting to stewarding, were alsocreated and taken up by local people.Inside Out is now a biennial festival forDorset and will return in 2012.

www.insideoutdorset.co.uk

Photograph: Roy Riley



QuestSouth West England2008 - 2010

Inside OutDorset (various locations)10 -19 September 2010

Boldly going where no one has gone before... Quest is a series ofjourneys through the unique landscapes of the South West insearch of its heritage and identity. It is hoped that every county inthe region will have completed a Quest journey by summer 2012.

Gloucestershire is leading the way with two journeys to date, oneup a stretch of the River Severn and As I Walked Out, described as“an eight week epic journey with four donkeys, chickens, carts,children, young people and, of course, artists walking across the

six districts of Gloucestershire”. This is an archetypal Quest: physicaljourneys through the landscape made by a mix of people by anymeans other than a petrol driven motor!

The Quest programme will culminate in Weymouth and Portlandin summer 2012 when questors from across the region will worktogether to ensure there is a fair wind for successful sailing andwindsurfing events...

www.asiwalkedout.com


http://www.insideoutdorset.co.uk

http://www.asiwalkedout.com

20

‘In the West Midlands we have designed the Moving Together programmeto celebrate our unique cultural heritage while bringing the inspiration of theLondon 2012 Games into our local communities. Dance is playing a key rolein that and Dancing for the Games is a three year programme that aims toget as many people as possible inspired to dance themselves between nowand 2012.

The West Midlands also holds a special place in the history of the Olympic Games. Itwas in Shropshire that Baron Pierre de Coubertin took inspiration from the WenlockOlympian Games to create the Modern Olympic Games. Our Community Gamesprogramme takes the inspiration of the Wenlock Olympian Games to encouragelocal people to put together their own sporting and cultural celebrations. We have over 40 cultural projects that have been recognised as part of the CulturalOlympiad. The West Midlands is also the home of national projects such as theWorld Shakespeare Festival and Film Nation Shorts.’

Paul KaynesCreative Programmer,West Midlands

For more information see www.wmfor2012.com/culture

Community Games Various locations across the WestMidlandsOngoing

Community Games draws on the inspiration of Dr WilliamPenny Brookes’ original concept for the Wenlock OlympianGames. Held annually in Much Wenlock in Shropshire since1850, these Games included cultural activities such asarchitecture, writing, music and poetry alongside the mainsporting activities and inspired Pierre de Coubertin to embedculture into the founding principles of the Modern OlympicMovement.

The Community Games programme provides practicalguidance and support to enable communities to stage theirown Community Games, featuring both sporting andcultural activity. The programme aims to bring communitiestogether, giving them the confidence and skills to organiseactivities, continuing after 2012. Since the programmebegan, some 16,370 people across the West Midlandshave taken part in a Community Games event andaround 2,500 people have also downloaded thetoolkit from the dedicated Community Games website,www.community-games.org.uk

Project Strand Inspire and Legacy Trust UK Project Strand Open Weekend

www.walkingasone.net

Walking As One Centenary Square, Birmingham24 July 2010 and 1 August 2010

Photograph: Tommy Zuliani

As part of this year’s London 2012 Open Weekend, Adam Magyar, aHungarian artist, teamed up with West Midlands-based DevelopmentAgency for photographic artists, Rhubarb Rhubarb, to create Walking As One.

The project involved Magyar photographing members of the public as they‘walked for the camera’. 160 people registered in Birmingham and had theirpicture taken by Magyar using the same technologies as that used on theOlympic Finish Line, which captures 13,000 slices of data a second. All theimages together created a single large image installation which became ametaphor for people coming together to create a sense of solidarity. Thefinal composite image was unveiled on Sunday 1 August on the hoardingsof Birmingham’s flagship New Library, which is currently under construction.


http://www.wmfor2012.com/culture

http://www.community-games.org.uk

http://www.walkingasone.net

WEST MIDLANDS

21

Bollywood Steps

Over 10,000 people flocked to Birmingham’sVictoria Square for three free performances ofnutkhut’s Bollywood Steps by Simmy Gupta -an outdoor dance spectacular featuringdazzling dance numbers, fireworks, watereffects and the stunning architectural lightingof Town Hall Birmingham. nutkhut’s cast wasjoined by specially recruited dancers and dhol

drummers who performed from between thecolumns, high up on the side of Town Hall, andover 700 young people who had attended aseries of workshops in the weeks leading up tothe event.

Part of the West Midlands’ Dancing for theGames programme, the show also formed the

centrepiece of the 175th anniversarycelebrations for Town Hall Birmingham, one ofthe oldest purpose-built concert halls in theworld. The performance included lighting,fireworks and water effects specially designedto showcase the stunning architecture of therecently renovated Town Hall.

Victoria Square, Birmingham City CentreFriday 9 and Saturday 10 October 2009

www.wmfor2012.com/dancingforthegamesProject Strand Inspire and Legacy Trust UK

Photograph: Adrian Burrows


http://www.wmfor2012.com/dancingforthegames

22

‘The Cultural Olympiad in Yorkshire is all about getting people on themove and physical activity. Our signature activity imove is aiming totransform our relationship with our moving bodies through physical andcreative experiences as the Cultural Olympiad provides a uniqueopportunity to create the ‘marriage’ of art and sport envisioned by thefounder of the modern Olympics.

There has already been an extraordinary range of encounters offered to the publicin every part of the region - from an autumn projected art project in a square inYork to outdoor theatre in the Pennines against the typical summer mixture ofsunshine and rain; a moving digital installation in a national museum; massparticipation dance events, a dynamic archive project and a sports science andart collaboration.

This is Yorkshire doing what it does best – inventive and entertaining culturalevents which combine our established flagship institutions with smaller quirkygroups and artists, our recognisable heritage with sharp edged innovation increative technology.’

Tessa GordziejkoCreative Programmer,Yorkshire

For more information see www.culturalolympiadinyorkshire.com

Last winter, visitors to the popular National Railway Museumwere astounded to find a huge bridge suspended over the trainturntable in the Museum’s Great Hall. This bridge, made up of12 semi-transparent screens, was the work of media artist KitMonkman of KMA, and represented a departure for themuseum, as the first project in a developing arts programme.

Intrigued visitors were drawn to the screens, only to find theirown image there, accompanied by a time, a counter and thename of a distant city. When the counter finally reached zero,the visitor’s image embarked on a digital journey, moving overthe bridge to join with the image of whoever was standing atthe other side. This playful and participatory installationencouraged visitors to the museum to think about their ownbodies and the wide range of movements they are capable of,as well as to join in and have fun!

Step up Bradford/Yorkshire’s 2,012

The weekend of the 24th and 25th July 2009 saw Bradford’sCentenary Square taken over in a riot of colour, movement andlaughter. Step up Bradford was energising the city and there wassomething for everyone, any age or ability, from an open-air teadance to stunning performances culminating in ‘The Spheres’ byAustralian company Strange Fruit.

One of the high points of the weekend was when Yorkshire Dance, inassociation with DEP Arts Ltd, presented ‘Yorkshire’s 2,012’, a fun andinclusive event that aimed to bring together 2,012 dancers of allshapes, sizes, ages and abilities to perform a dance routine especiallycommissioned from leading choreographer Luca Sylvestrini and madeavailable for participants to see and learn online. Based onmovements found in Olympic Sports it was easy to learn, goteverybody moving together and was successfully performed inCentenary Square and on the BBC Big Screen on 25th July.

www.bradford.gov.uk

Brief Encounters

Project Strand Inspire, Open Weekend and Legacy Trust UK

www.nrm.org.uk


National Railway Museum26 November 2009 – 3 January 2010

Centenary Square, Bradford24 and 25 July 2009


http://www.culturalolympiadinyorkshire.com

http://www.bradford.gov.uk

http://www.nrm.org.uk

YORKSHIRE

23

Extraordinary Moves

When the Extraordinary Pod touched downin Halifax’s Piece Hall this summer, nobodypresent could help but be curious about thebright orange, inflatable dome with itscrown of waggling appendages. Very quicklya crowd formed and when the inhabitants ofthe Pod appeared in their crazy steam-punkoutfits, touting their bizarre biomechanics,people were drawn in to spin the ‘wheel offortune’ and to be part of a short piece ofstreet theatre – entertaining, knockaboutyet touching on serious and thoughtprovoking themes.

The Extraordinary Pod, appearing at publicevents from 2010 to 2012, is just one partof Extraordinary Moves, a series ofcollaborations led by Sheffield HallamUniversity’s Centre for Sport and ExerciseScience and a major project of the imoveprogramme. Working in partnership withthe Huddersfield-based Chol Theatre andindependent artists Paul Floyd Blake andJason Minsky, Extraordinary Moves consistsof six interrelated, cross artform elementsthat create space and stimulus for people tothink about disability in relation tocompetitive and expressive movement.

The project is working with young people,communities and artists in cutting-edgecollaborations inspired by the Olympic andParalympic Games. Activities so far haveincluded a series of public debates on thecontentious areas of disability sports and theExtraordinary Pod. Elements planned in 2011include Movement: Capture dance programmethat brings together disabled and non-disabled artists, scientists and sportspeople inSheffield Hallam University’s motion capturelab and a darkly humorous theatre productionexploring the ethics and implications ofhuman enhancement technology.

www.imoveand.com/extraordinary-moves/Project Strand Inspire and Legacy Trust UK

Various locationsOngoing to 2012

Photograph: Paul Floyd Blake


http://www.imoveand.com/extraordinary-moves

24

‘The main priorities for the Cultural Olympiad in Northern Ireland arerecognising excellence in the arts and providing opportunities for thepublic to participate in London 2012. Using the Games’ inspirationthrough the Legacy Trust UK Connections Programme, to motivate thisparticipation has been core to recognising excellent work by artsorganisations within communities.

In particular, the natural fit between Olympic Truce, internationalism andshowcasing the arts in Northern Ireland as a centre of excellence for cross-community work has offered a unique opportunity to showcase our broaddiversity and creativity.

Our major commissions have also provided a platform for brilliant local talent tolead us into some spectacular moments in 2012, putting Northern Ireland in anew light for many people outside of the country, and recognising the work ofour cultural champions.’

Cian SmythCreative Programmer,Northern Ireland

For more information see www.artscouncil-ni.org/olympiad


Various locations throughout Northern IrelandJanuary 2010 - September 2012

Luminous Soul Dance

Unlike the rest of the UK, Northern Ireland hasno professional dance choreographers orfacilitators with a disability. This project isuniquely facilitated by disabled professionalsfor disabled participants. This programme willidentify and train disabled people who havereal potential to dance in a professionalcompany or to be dance professionals.Facilitated in partnership with Candoco DanceCompany and other disabled danceprofessionals like Marc Drew, internationallyacclaimed contemporary dancer andchoreographer with Scottish Dance Theatreprofessional mentors are supporting dancedevelopment workshops throughout NorthernIreland. Luminous Soul’s first residential coursetook place in October 2010 where 15 successfulparticipants chosen from the DanceDevelopment Days participated in an intensivetraining programme.


http://www.artscouncil-ni.org/olympiad

NORTHERN IRELAND

25


www.beamcreativenetwork.com

BEAM Creative Network has been workingwith local youth sports clubs in thesurrounding areas of Dungannon, Co. Tyrone,to involve young athletes in the performingarts. Forty young participants aged between13-16 were drawn from various sporting clubsincluding gaelic football, soccer, sailing, rugby,basketball and more.

The project has encouraged these ‘sporting’teenagers to take a leap in a very differentdirection, mentored by the likes of GeorgeSampson (Britain’s Got Talent), Louis Walsh (XFactor), Shane Lynch (Boyzone) and JohnPartridge (Eastenders, Over the Rainbow). For

most of them this was their very first time onstage and they have already caught the actingbug. The project celebrated ImagineAction intwo spectacular performances – song anddance (2009) and musical theatre (2010). Theproject has garnered much national attentionand is overpowered with interest by otheryouth clubs and schools as they work towardsa Theatre Champions Festival in 2011/12.

The impact of the project is summed upsuccinctly by 14 years old James Lowe, one ofits participants - “It makes me feel like asuperstar. It just makes me feel so happy!”

Dungannon, Co Tyrone and surrounding areasNovember 2009 to April 2012

ImagineAction

The ScreamingSilence of theWind Maurice OrrVarious locations inNorthern IrelandMarch 2010 - September 2012

Maurice Orr’s fine art project TheScreaming Silence of the Wind wasselected as part of Unlimited,London 2012’s major project for deafand disabled artists. Through hiscommission Maurice will create foursensory installation pieces on 7’ x 5’canvases inspired by the raw, barrenlandscapes of his native NorthernIreland and Iceland.

Maurice, a well-regarded painter fromBallycastle in Northern Ireland, hasnever delivered work on this scalebefore. He has set himself a challengeto use the inspiration of London 2012to work on a larger scale. Withmaterials taken from the environmentthat inspired him, (fish leathers fromIceland), he will showcase the work asa tactile form of visual art for thevisually impaired and anyone who everfelt the urge to touch art in a galleryspace.

Visitors to the exhibition will beencouraged to touch the surfaces, lookat the landscapes and listen to thesounds that have inspired him.Galleries across Northern Ireland willtour the exhibition in celebration of theParalympic Games.

Project Strand Unlimited

www.mauriceorr.co.uk


http://www.beamcreativenetwork.com

http://www.mauriceorr.co.uk

26

‘Creative Scotland has a lead role in the cultural planning for London2012 and Glasgow 2014 in Scotland, by thinking and preparing forboth events simultaneously we are ensuring that both London 2012and Glasgow 2014 are used to maximise the benefit to communities,audiences and the cultural sector. The profile, proximity and vision ofthese events present opportunities for cultural engagement at adramatic scale. The Scottish Project is Legacy Trust UK’s programmein Scotland.’

Leonie BellCreative Programmer,Scotland

For more information see www.creativescotland.com

www.scotlandandmedicinehumanrace.com

Human Race: inside the science of sportsmedicine is an exciting, cross disciplinaryproject that is investigating the relationshipbetween the culture of sport and the scienceof sport and exercise medicine. Through ayear-long, Scotland wide touring exhibitionand associated programme of events HumanRace will use Scottish collections and newlycommissioned artworks to explore andcelebrate the global impact of Scotland on thehistory, culture and science of sport.

Throughout the project Human Race will invitethe people of Scotland to connect with London2012 and with the core values of the OlympicMovement: excellence, friendship and respect,through exhibitions, events, talks, workshops,films and discussions. There is a largeinteractive element to the project, aimed atyoung people in particular, and it will also besupported by a series of art commissionsacross a number of art forms.

Human Race Royal College of SurgeonsEdinburgh and variouslocations throughout the UK2009 - 2012

You Are Here 2010 was a speciallycommissioned performance and film thatused the abstract physicality of moderndance to frame film footage of pastlegendary happenings which took place inEdinburgh in the 1970s. It included footageof Beuys’ seminal performance ‘Action onRannoch Moor’ on 13 August 1970, a workwhich marked Edinburgh’s emergence as acity known for avant-garde performanceand which arguably led to the birth of theEdinburgh Fringe Festival

The performance was conceived for theLive Site in Festival Square in Edinburghand was created by artist Tessa Lynch. Itenabled us to push the boundaries of theuses of the Live Site space and create newcontexts in which the public can experiencecontemporary art.

You Are Here was part of The All SidedGames, a programme of screenings curatedby Collective Gallery, featuring Mounira AlSolh, Jordan Baseman, Cyprien Gaillard,Henna-Riikka Halonen and Jesse Jones.

www.collectivegallery.net/past.html

You Are Here 2010 Live Site, Festival Square, Edinburgh25 July 2010


Film and performance, Tessa Lynch

Project Strand Open Weekend and Inspire


http://www.creativescotland.com

http://www.scotlandandmedicinehumanrace.com

http://www.collectivegallery.net/past.html

SCOTLAND

27

www.artiststakingthelead.org.uk/scotland/craig-coulthard-forest-pitch

Forest Pitch by Edinburgh based artist CraigCoulthard is Scotland’s Artists Taking the Leadproject. The artist will create a football pitchhidden deep within a forest. The artist and histeam are working with the local communityand a local college on projects that linkthematically with the artwork, and ondelivering the work itself.

The culmination of the project will be twofootball matches played on one day in 2012,the teams will be made up of recentlynaturalised Scots – two male teams and twofemale teams. Once the match has takenplace, the pitch will be left to be taken over bynature again, to become a living relic. The

work deals with themes of nationalidentity, sustainability, memory and thelegacy of major sporting events such asthe Olympic Games.

Forest Pitch Scottish Borders2009 - 2012

Forest Pitch by Craig Coulthard

Project Strand Artists Taking the Lead


http://www.artiststakingthelead.org.uk/scotland/craig-coulthard-forest-pitch

28

“Until this project I had no idea about the Cultural Olympiad andknowing that this is to do with the Olympic Games is fantastic – I’m kindof with it!” ‘This was a comment I had from a 16 year old pupil from StMartin’s Comprehensive School in Caerphilly speaking about theproject she and 300 other young people from the Valleys took part in aspart of the Wales-wide Cauldrons and Furnaces project for Power ofthe Flame which is the Legacy Trust UK project in Wales for 2012.

This is exactly that sort of reaction we want from our activity in Wales on thisfour-year long journey. Our programme is focusing on the creation of artcentred on participation and excellence, getting young people involved in tellingstories about our heritage and using music as a way of getting people involved.Our aspiration is that it will leave an enormous legacy in the landscapes ofWales and in the minds of our children.’

Gwyn L WilliamsCreative Programmer,Wales

For more information seewww.artswales.org.uk/what-we-do/funding/what-we-fund-in-wales/cultural-olympiad

The aim of Criw Cymru is to develop the urban arts skillsand knowledge of the young people of Wales.Participants are taught about maintaining their healththrough dance and discuss other fundamental benefitssuch as good nutrition. The project was developed byWales Millennium Centre in partnership with othervenues and organisations throughout Wales and sinceJune 2009 it has been giving hip hop workshops acrossWales for young people aged 11-18. These workshopshave helped young people to develop dance skills,promote health and nutrition and build their selfesteem. By giving them access to some of the best hiphop tutors in the UK today, and even arranging for themto meet former Olympians, we hope to inspire childrenfrom far-reaching Welsh communities to aim high andto be the very best they can.

Criw Cymru Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff withTheatr Brycheiniog, Brecon Galeri, Caernarfon Eisteddfod yr Urdd Ceredigion, AberaeronSwansea Dance Days: Taliesin, Swansea June 2009 - present

www.breakinconvention.com


Photograph: Jon Ashelford


http://www.artswales.org.uk/what-we-do/funding/what-we-fund-in-wales/cultural-olympiad

http://www.breakinconvention.com

WALES

29

www.international-eisteddfod.co.uk

Cauldrons and Furnaces saw 300 children aged 8-18 retelling the earlyturbulent years of Welsh history alongside an extraordinary son etlumière in the magnificent setting of Caerphilly castle. The childrendevised and recreated battles, sieges and rebellions using the entirecastle as their stage. Working with a director, percussionists and circuspractitioners they created a powerful piece of physical theatre.

“When I was told that there was going to be audition in the school forthe "Illuminata" event that was going to be held in Caerphilly castle, Iknew it was something I had to be involved in. On the day of theauditions when we were told about the event, what we were going tobe part of and what we would be recreating, I felt overwhelmed that Ihad this fantastic opportunity to create a part of my local history in the

castle, and then to be given the parts of flag bearer and Roger Mortimerwas brilliant. This really is a once in a lifetime opportunity.” 17 year oldstudent, St Martins Secondary School.

The legacy impact of this activity is succinctly captured by anotherparticipant:

“I think that this taught me as an individual to open my mind to try newthings. It's such a brilliant thing to be part of: I think it's something thatwe can look back on and feel proud. Thank you so much once again -and I hope that we can all do another project soon!” year 11 studentSt Martins School Caerphilly.

Caerphilly Castle, WalesSeptember 26 - October 8 2010

Illuminata (part of Cauldronsand Furnaces)

One Smile was an exciting musical projectculminating in a live performance of aspecially-composed song at the LlangollenInternational Musical Eisteddfod week. Groupsfrom North Wales Young Carers, Rhyl Kids FunClub, Dynamic, the Filipino Community, andRhosymedre School represented children and

young people who have faced challenges dueto health, bullying, abuse, social and economicdeprivation, or disability in North Wales.Composed by Mervyn Cousins, ‘The Smile’expressed one of the Olympic and Eisteddfod’saims – to inspire others. The children andyoung people performed the song on the main

Pavilion stage in front of an audience of 2,000people, and received a standing ovation. Theproject has now been developed with fivemore groups, and plans are now beingunderway for All the World, One Smile, All theWay to 2012.

All the World, One Smile at Llangollen Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod from 2009 and on going


www.cadwevents.co.uk Project Strand Inspire and Legacy Trust UK

Photograph: Cadw copyright


http://www.cadwevents.co.uk

http://www.international-eisteddfod.co.uk

30

The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games offer anunprecedented opportunity to reinforce the UK’s reputationas a world leader in culture. Since the earliest days ofLondon’s bid for the Games, Arts Council England hasbeen working with a wide range of partners to ensure thatthe Cultural Olympiad creates new cultural opportunitiesaround the UK, reflects and develops local talent andcreativity, and increases the wider business and tourismpotential of the Games.

We work in close association with London 2012 andLegacy Trust UK, and host the network of English CreativeProgrammers within our regional offices. Collectively theyhave developed and curated a cultural Inspire programme,built a strong network of delivery partners and workedclosely with Arts Council colleagues on the development ofour flagship projects for 2012; Artists Taking the Lead andUnlimited Commissions.

The projects described in this document represent culturein its broadest sense and involve a network of stakeholdersextending far beyond the arts. This is not only a uniqueapproach to Olympic cultural delivery, but also a valuablemodel of working for the future.

I am looking forward to working with our partners to buildthis celebration of imagination and creativity across thenation as we head towards 2012 when the eyes of theworld will be on the UK, its sport and its rich cultural life.

Alan DaveyChief ExecutiveArts Council England

Alan Davey photograph by Piers Allardyce


31

On behalf of Legacy Trust UK, I am extremely proud thatmany of the projects taking place within our UK wideprogrammes, have also been part of the first two years ofthe London 2012 Cultural Olympiad. Legacy Trust UK hasa unique partnership with LOCOG and the Arts Councils,and supports the strong alignment with the Games andtheir associated cultural programmes which the CreativeProgrammer network has built.

Our programmes aim to leave a positive and lastinglegacy from the London 2012 Olympic and ParalympicGames in communities across the UK, and culture is adominant theme in many of the programmes the Trust isfunding. As I travel around the UK I have been able to seefirsthand the many ways that people are inspired toparticipate at a local level. The range and scope of theprojects detailed in this booklet tell a story ofempowerment and change which I believe will growtowards 2012 and beyond.

Moira SwinbankChief Executive, Legacy Trust UK


32

Ruth MackenzieDirector, Cultural Olympiad

Photograph: Hugo Glendinning, Credit: LOCOG


33

Just like the athletes honing their skills inpreparation for Olympic and Paralympic glory in2012, the cultural world is preparing for when ‘thegreatest show on earth’ arrives in the UK, and theeyes of the world are on us.

Everyone in the country will get a chance to bepart of London 2012 with events happening rightacross the UK. This is our chance to showcasethe best creative talent from the UK and across theworld. Working with partners in the nations andregions and around the world we aim to inspirecreativity across all forms of culture, especiallyamongst young people. The aim is to make a realimpact, which will leave a lasting legacy for thecreative industries and for tourism well beyond2012.

Thanks to the network of Creative Programmers,working in each nation and region of the UK, over11 million people have participated in the CulturalOlympiad so far. Over 67,000 people haveattended 6,500 workshops across topics such asfilm making, singing and even museum curationand thousands more have enjoyed over 6,000

public performances and programmes inspired by2012 and funded by our principal funders andsponsors. Our premier partners BT and BP haveenabled inspiring programmes such as BT Road to2012 and Tate Movie and Open Weekendsupported by BP. Panasonic have also supportedFilm Nation Shorts and our funders the OlympicLottery Distributor, Legacy Trust and Arts Councilsin all the nations have made the Cultural Olympiadprogramme possible.

The Cultural Olympiad will culminate in the London2012 Festival. From June 21st – September 9th2012 leading artists from all over the world willcome together in the UK’s biggest ever festival– achance for everyone to celebrate London 2012.There will be events for the whole family andunique opportunities to have a once-in-a-lifetimeexperience. From pop concerts and dance, musicand theatre, to the visual arts, film and digitalinnovation, there is something for everyone. Withover 1 million free tickets, and over 3 million ticketsin total on sale, this is going to be big.

We have already announced a few of our firstcommissions but there is lots more to come – pop,comedy, fashion, partnerships with major festivalslike Edinburgh and the Proms to name but a few.Our website goes live in Summer 2011 with sometickets available from October 2011 and then theexcitement really begins. 2012 is going to be anamazing year which will leave a lasting legacy forthe whole of the UK.

The London 2012 Cultural Olympiad was launched in Beijing in September

2008 and will run to the last day of the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

Spanning the four years of the Olympiad, it is the largest cultural celebration

in the history of the modern Olympic and Paralympic Games.

www.london2012.com/culture

Credit: LOCOG


http://www.london2012.com/culture

34

EAST MIDLANDS

EAST OF ENGLAND

LONDON

NORTH EAST

Funders and partners of The Cultural Olympiad

Funders of the Creative Programmer network

Supporters and funders of projects referenced in this publication

Principal funders of the Cultural Olympiad and London 2012 Festival are Arts Council England, Legacy Trust UKand the Olympic Lottery Distributor. BP and BT are Premier Partners of the Cultural Olympiad and the London2012 Festival. The British Council will support the international development of London 2012 Cultural Olympiadprojects and Panasonic are the presenting partner of Film Nation: Shorts.

English regions: Arts Council England, DCMS, English Heritage, MLA, London 2012 Organising Committeeand UK Film Council; London: GLA and five Host Boroughs; Northern Ireland: Arts Council Northern Irelandand DCAL; Scotland: Creative Scotland and the Scottish Government; Wales: Arts Council Wales and theWelsh Assembly.


35

SOUTH EAST

SOUTH WEST

NORTH WEST

WEST MIDLANDS

YORKSHIRE

WALES

NORTHERN IRELAND

SCOTLAND

Publication Jodie Daber, Arts Council England www.artscouncil.org.ukAlison Edbury and Morag Wood, &Co www.andco.uk.comSteve Kerner, Curious Road www.curiousroad.com

The Village Screen project was supported by the nations and regions of the UK and particularly the following: Abandon Normal Devices, Arts Council Northern Ireland,BBC, Championing the East Midlands, Creative Scotland, Igniting Ambition, Natural England, Northern Film, RELAYS, SEEDA, Skillset Screen Academy Wales.


http://www.artscouncil.org.uk

http://www.andco.uk.com

http://www.curiousroad.com


Documents

The Cultural Olympiad -The UK-wide picture