Culture

The London 2012 Cultural Olympiad and its finale, the London 2012 Festival, formed the largest celebration of arts and culture that the UK has ever seen.

Unforgettable memories

From 2008 to 2012 a pioneering programme of world-class performances, outdoor spectaculars and community events took place in the West Midlands, encompassing 964 projects with over 10,000 activities and events.

The London 2012 Festival, a 12 week spectacular in which world- leading artists congregated in the West Midlands, formed the climax. The World Shakespeare Festival led the way, with other highlights including Motionhouse’s The Voyage, the world- premiere of Stockhausen’s Mittwoch aus Licht (Wednesday from Light) and the first UK performance of Jonathan Harvey’s Weltethos.

Other significant programmes included Dancing for the Games, which enabled thousands of people to take part in dance, Community Games, which helped nearly 600 communities to stage their own events, and Godiva Awakes, a spectacular piece of public art.

Watch some of the highlights of this amazing programme here...

Download the Cultural Olympiad impact and reach summary here.

Download Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands: An evaluation of the impact of the programme (2008 – 2012)

Download The Cultural Olympiad and London 2012 Festival in the West Midlands: A Record - cover

Download The Cultural Olympiad and London 2012 Festival in the West Midlands: A Record - inner pages

Many of our cultural programmes have a future beyond 2012 including Community Games and Dancing for the Games. Use the preceding links for more information and to find out how you can continue your Olympic and Paralympic cultural journey.

The Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands was funded by Legacy Trust UK, an independent charity set up to help build a lasting cultural and sporting legacy from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, as well as Arts Council England and Advantage West Midlands.