London 2012 blog

For the ODA Arts and Cultural Strategy team, the last two weeks have been the most exhausting, exciting and testing time since we arrived in February this year. For me in particular this was an opportunity to get some more hands-on experience of running an arts commission.

After advertising for expressions of interest in July in a variety of networks, websites and the London 2012 Business Network, we invited artists to submit ideas for 12 bridges and up to 5 underpasses in the Olympic Park to provide a lasting memory of the Olympic Games and the history of the Park. My involvement as coordinator of the Arts and Culture Strategy team was to manage the commission process and programme the involvement of an artist into the construction programme of the bridges.

The deadline for expressions of interest was Friday 1 August and in the few days before this, we waited nervously to see what would appear in the ArtCommissions inbox. Slightly concerned that we had only received about 20 or so submissions, our fears were dispelled and our expectations exceeded by the end of 1 August when the inbox showed an overwhelming response of 250 emails. Local, national and international artists, designers, craftspeople and architects flooded into the inbox by 5pm and we were delighted that this commission opportunity had caused so much interest from such diverse areas of the art sector.

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On Thursday we held a consultation event for young people to give their views on the designs for the Handball Arena and the VeloPark. Watch my video blog to find out how the day went and to hear some of their views.

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Well it was inevitable that an event as big as my first true Olympic experience would provoke my first ever blog. So much to say, so little time.

It's been two and a half weeks since I arrived in Beijing to help get our LOCOG Operations Centre up and running and the time has passed all too quickly. Hutongs, hotpots, the great little Korean fast food joint next door, dodging traffic and bicycles, epic journeys on the subway, friendly locals saying hello on the street, long games of charades trying to order food at a local eatery and the fantastic parks; it's all been a blast.

Opening Ceremony

When I got here I had no idea I would get to watch any events, let alone the opening ceremony. I only found out the day before the opening ceremony that I would actually be going. That excitement and the surreal experience of actually being there to watch such a spectacular event is still with me.

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The 8th day of the 8th month in 2008 marked the start of the Beijing Olympic Games – and I was there to see the Opening Ceremony! Well, almost.

I was actually in a 6th floor flat in Hackney, which may not sound quite so glamorous, but the view of the main Olympic Stadium site rapidly taking shape in front of me was just as fascinating as the Opening Ceremony on TV.

A big thank you is therefore due to the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) for inviting myself and my colleagues from other rail operators to tour the Olympic Park in Stratford. It was amazing to see the changes that have taken place over the last year.

The group of rail operators and members of the ODA Transport team who shared this memorable visit to the Olympic Park (I'm just left of centre in the pink shirt!):

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