London 2012 blog

A glittering event in the British Museum’s Great Court one day, and twenty four hours later London 2012 is the magnet for a run-down warehouse in a slightly shabby industrial park in Woolwich. Six or seven miles down the road in one great city, or worlds apart in the cultural firmament?

Thursday morning saw the welcome announcement that BP are joining us as a major commercial partner. The most elegant and articulate of launch events took its place a few yards from the Elgin Marbles and from the gallery where until recently the Terracotta Warriors Exhibition was such a big hit. The British Museum was an ideal choice. Not only is BP a long term supporter, but its inspirational Director Neil McGregor (and thanks from us all, Neil, for not being lured off to New York’s Met) is one of the powerhouse figures behind the 2012 Cultural Olympiad.

Incidentally, for the sad few who still think of the BM as a moribund home of dusty glass cases and ignored artefacts, it was announced this week that the Museum has topped the charts for the UK’s most visited tourist attraction. Not only hugely popular, but the museum continues to challenge, to interpret and to uses its unique collections to tell world stories – and much more of that to come when the Cultural Olympiad starts in the autumn.

The BP event gracefully elided youth sports demonstrations in fencing, archery and gymnastics with images from the museum’s collections showing how sport and art have been constant bed fellows over centuries – even millennia.



BP have supported a range of major exhibitions, lectures and education materials for the museum over many years and now looks to join our partnership with Neil and his team as we move towards 2012. BP have powerful relationships with many major cultural bodies including the Royal Opera House (especially on its ground breaking relays to big screens), Tate Britain, the National Portrait Gallery and the Science Museum – all of which are brewing plans for the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad. Working with these bodies, BP is hoping to make a major contribution to our programme and we welcome them to the London 2012 family.

An even bigger welcome was on offer the following day – a welcome to the whole world. More than 450 children from 19 schools gathered in a vast warehouse space in Woolwich to mark the climax of 'Welcoming the World'. Funded by Creative Partnerships (and helping to mark their 'Shine' festival of creativity in schools) and led by London 2012’s Education team, 'Welcoming the World' has enabled kids all around the five London Host Boroughs (those nearest to the Olympic Park site) prepare for the Handover Celebrations and the four years in which London hosts the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.

Photographers, film-makers and musicians have worked in the schools over the last six months or so to create the most astonishing and thought-provoking collection of images and sounds that record East London life as seen by thousands of its own children.

Just one of the pictures, taken by a Year 4 pupil in Greenwich:



Many of the schools have also forged links with schools around the world sharing stories, perceptions cultures and friendships as they ready themselves for the 2012 spotlight and the next stage of the 2012 Education Programme, which launches in September alongside the Handover Ceremony for the Paralympic Games.

The environment might not have been so grand, the catering a little less manicured, but even BP would be proud of the energy levels pumping inside the warehouse. As one teacher told me, for this group of children, the games have already arrived. The Olympic Games and Paralympic Games already means inspiration, creativity and doing things you never thought you could, she explained.

In just a month's time, London receives the Olympic Flag and soon after, the Paralympic Flag – bring it on!