Cultural Olympiad
Background
The Cultural Olympiad will be a festival celebrating the UK’s diversity and rich cultural heritage and run for 4 years from the end of the Beijing Games until the closing ceremony of the Paralympic Games in London.
Culture East Midlands are taking the lead on this theme working closely with all stakeholders from culture and the arts.
This will be a collaborative project working to ensure the East Midlands hosts a truly wide range of cultural experiences.
What Can I Do Now?
London 2012 have launched a new culture e-newsletter in order to keep the cultural sector up to date with current planning for the Cultural Olympiad. To sign up for the newsletter visit www.london2012.com/create.
What Is Happening Now?
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) have announced that each of the eight English Regions outside London will have its own ‘Creative Programmer’ responsible for:
- Encouraging and enabling arts and cultural bodies to get involved with the Games, and create opportunities for ordinary people to take part
- Establishing a dynamic link between the regions and London 2012
- Assessing whether local projects meet the criteria to become part of the Cultural Olympiad
- Ensuring that each region’s heritage is as well represented as its 21st century technology.
In the East Midlands the Creative Programmer, Paul Brookes, is employed by Culture East Midlands. Paul is working closely with the Regional Coordinator within the East Midlands Development Agency to develop a memorable array of events to mark the East Midlands’ contribution to the Cultural Olympiad.
East Midlands Strategy
We have recently completed a consultation exercise to develop a region wide strategy for maximising the benefits of the Games. We have thoroughly reviewed the comprehensive feedback received and this forms the basis of the East Midlands Strategy for the 2012 Games.
To request a hard copy of the document or to find out how you can get involved in helping deliver any aspect of the strategy please email regionalcoordinator@emd.org.uk
Useful Websites
Culture East Midlands
www.culture-em.org.uk
London 2012 Culture pages
www.london2012.com/plans/culture/index.php
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
www.culture.gov.uk
Useful Contacts
Paul Brookes
East Midlands Creative Programmer for the 2012 Games
Culture East Midlands
paulbrookes@emd.org.uk
0115 988 8577
