London 2012 appoints Culture, Ceremonies and Education Director for Olympic Games and Paralympic Games

The Chief Executive of the London 2012 organising committee, Paul Deighton, described the appointment as a significant development in the organising committee's plans to host the best ever Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.

"The Olympic Games is the world's biggest and most important sporting and cultural event, and Bill's appointment is a major step forward in our plans to welcome the world to the London 2012 Games with the biggest and most inclusive cultural celebration ever seen in the UK," Mr Deighton said.

Mr Morris, 47, currently Project Director of Live Events for the BBC, said today he was looking forward to joining the London 2012 team and developing the cultural, ceremonial and education programmes for the 2012 Games.

"The Games represent a unique opportunity to showcase the cultural treasures and creative talents of contemporary United Kingdom to global audiences on the world's biggest stage at the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.

"It's a very special opportunity to invest in lasting benefits to our national life," Mr Morris said.

The Olympic culture festival, which includes the high profile Opening and Closing ceremonies, is a cornerstone of the vision of the founder of the modern Olympic movement, Pierre de Coubertin, to bring sport and culture together to make a difference and features prominently in the staging of the Olympic Games.

"The culture programme for the London Games will celebrate the artists as well as the athletes, people, places and cultures of London, the UK and the world," Mr Morris said.

Mr Morris has helped to organise and produce some of the UK's biggest cultural events, including Her Majesty the Queen's Golden Jubilee Celebrations particularly The Queen's Concerts at Buckingham Palace and music events all around the UK including last year's Live 8 concert.

Mr Morris was also project director for the 2004 Olympic Torch Relay Concert in London's Mall and the VE Day 60 Concert in Trafalgar Square.

He has worked as a radio and TV Producer and BBC Executive in charge of production departments, specialising in major national events.

"Bill's major events experience spans the diverse arts, culture and creative industries and will help to bring the UK's world acclaimed artists, designers, creative producers, performers, institutions and organisations together to produce a spectacular cultural programme for the London 2012 Games," Deighton said.

Morris said the culture programme would reflect the vision of the London 2012 Games to inspire young people: "As the world's greatest celebration of life and humanity, the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games is uniquely positioned to inspire young people."

London's creative and cultural diversity and integrated disabled arts networks would provide the foundations for the Olympic and Paralympic festivals, he said.

"Young people from every faith, religion, country and background live in London. This diversity provides the opportunity to celebrate and bring the Olympic and Paralympic values of cultural tolerance and understanding to a new generation of young people worldwide through the London Games."

Mr Morris said he was looking forward to building on the cultural vision and plans developed by chair of the London 2012 Culture, Ceremonies and Education Advisory Committee, Jude Kelly, and her team during and after the Bid.

"Leaving a cultural legacy from the London Games for future generations will remain at the heart of plans for the Games," he said.

Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell said: "The cultural festival and the cultural legacy are integral to the Olympics and just as with sport, we must ensure a sustainable legacy, not just in London but throughout the UK.

"I am sure Bill Morris, with his outstanding record of achievement in the arts will make sure that the talent, energy and opportunity is harnessed to the benefit of towns, cities and villages across the whole of the UK."

London Mayor Ken Livingstone said: "Bill has an excellent track record in bringing together many disparate elements to create programmes and events that reflect issues of the day and the diversity of our society, whilst being entertaining.

"Bill's expertise, energy and enthusiasm will be important in the development of a cultural programme for the Games that engages people from all walks of life and young people in particular."

Jude Kelly, Chair of the London 2012 Culture, Ceremonies & Education Advisory Committee, said: "Bill's breadth of knowledge about UK cultural life plus his commitment to joining communities together across the world through technology and broadcasting allows us to develop and showcase all that is best in UK and world culture."

- Ends -

For further information please contact the London 2012 Press Office on +44 (0)203 2012 100

Click here to download a photo of Bill Morris


NOTES TO EDITORS:

• The Closing Ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games will mark the start of a 4 year Olympic and Paralympic cultural celebration in the UK, heralding the London 2012 Games.
• The Cultural Olympiad for the London 2012 Games will start with the handover segment in the Closing Ceremony of the Beijing Games and end with the Closing Ceremony for the London Games.
• Embracing all art forms across the UK, the programme for the Olympiad will have four main themes: connecting the world, celebrating youth and diversity, creating cultural and community legacy and developing sustainable relationships between the arts, education and sport.
• In Britain today 200 different ethnic communities speak a total of 300 languages. This makes London the most culturally diverse and exciting city in the world. The Games are an opportunity to celebrate this diversity by developing new creative cultural collaborations and relationships that will last beyond the Games.
• In addition to inspiring young people and celebrating our cultural diversity, we want our cultural programme to reflect the Olympic and Paralympic values.
• The Olympic and Paralympic ideals challenge people to strive to do their very best and to do so in a spirit of fairness and friendliness and without prejudice.

Bill Morris career highlights:

Current Position (since 1998): Project Director, Live Events, BBC

• Responsible for the creation and management of many major live events, cultural festivals and other pan-BBC projects. Many feature live music and include the annual "BBC Proms in the Park" and the "BBC Music Live" festivals. In 2002 BBC Music Live was integrated with The Queen's Golden Jubilee celebrations resulting in hundreds of live music events around the UK, and two major concerts in the grounds of Buckingham Palace. The festival also included a free world music event for half a million people in London's Hyde Park. Awarded LVO in Queen's Jubilee Honours list.

Major Event Responsibilities included:

• Project Direction for BBC Proms in the Park as it was extended around the whole of the UK.
• "Live 8" (all radio coverage and creation of a network of 15 giant screens around the UK)
• Event Project Direction for "The Olympic Torch Relay Concert" in The Mall in summer 2004 and VE Day Concert in Trafalgar Square (May 2005)
• Community events programme and athlete's entertainment package for Manchester's Commonwealth Games in 2002.
• Helped to design a major new BBC initiative for music education called "Music for All."
• Head of Production, BBC Radio 2 (1994-96); Led in-house programme makers working for BBC Radio 2
• Senior Producer, BBC Radio 4 Factual Programmes. Programme credits including "You and Yours" and "Woman's Hour":
  Jenny Abramsky - Director of BBC Radio and Music, said: "This is a brilliant opportunity for Bill. It is a really important job and we are delighted that someone from BBC Radio will be contributing to helping the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games organisation to be the success we all want it to be."

External Roles:

• Chair of The Radio Academy the professional body for the UK Radio industry
• Sony Radio Awards Management Committee and Awards Judge
• European Broadcasting Union project and management committee member, creating a pan-European festival of radio
• School Governor for Holtspur School in Buckinghamshire
• Served on Skillset Industry Training Board, and RAJAR, Radio Industry Research Organisation Committees.