With the country revelling in the success of the Olympic Games and as anticipation builds ahead of the Paralympics, the Mayor's programme of free events is continuing across the capital. Working with outstanding international artists and world-class cultural organisations, as well as London 2012 Festival the Mayor has commissioned an unprecedented variety of free events, entertainment and cultural treats which have so far been enjoyed by millions, and there are still many more surprises to come!
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: “Our cultural celebrations have been another fantastic success story of the Games, with millions of Londoners and tourists enjoying an unparalleled variety of world-class artists and events for free. These festivities have added to the city's already unbeatable offering and it's not all over yet! There's plenty more coming up over the next four weeks. From our Showtime festival with its eclectic cocktail of artists visiting every borough, to the joys of pop-up Shakespeare, there really is something for everyone. And after the Games we have a wealth of relationships with hundreds of organisations, artists and private sponsors enabling us to build even further upon London's rich cultural heritage."
To date over 1,000 different cultural events have taken place in London and all of the events that the Mayor has supported have been free to access. Phenomenally successful with audiences, The Owl and the Pussycat opera, by ex-Monty Python Terry Jones, was watched by 13,800 people in 6 different locations and Sacrilege, by Turner Prize winning artist Jeremy Deller has hosted over 30,000 bouncers thus far as it has toured around London.
The Mayor of London Presents programme, which includes events featured as part of London 2012 Festival, kicked off in June and runs until the 9th September. The London 2012 Festival brings together leading artists across the world with the very best from the UK.
There are still over 250 events and surprises to come including:
Surprises: What You Will: Pop-Up Shakespeare', which is produced in partnership with the London 2012 Festival, has been created by award-winning actor Mark Rylance, and will see Shakespearean characters, initially indistinguishable from the crowd, suddenly emerging at London's cultural hot-spots will take place during the first week of the London 2012 Paralympic Games from Tuesday 28 August – Sunday 2 September.
Secrets: Northala, which is presented with the London 2012 Festival, will see the natural landscape of Northala Fields transformed with a series of stunning natural greenwood towers. Northala has been built by environmental arts group, Red Earth in partnership with producers ArtsAgenda. Each tower is inspired by world architecture, including the minarets of Ghazni and Jam in Afghanistan, to represent a global gathering of cultures and connection with the four corners of the earth. The sculptures will be on display on top of Northala Field’s conical hills from 8th-27th August for the public to visit. A magical dusk performance will take place on 24th August, promising an eclectic mix of sound and fire lit from the Paralympic Flame and music performed by Dirk Campbell and Mark Anderson.
The Liberty Festival, taking place on the 1st-3rd September, will feature top deaf and disabled artists from the UK and overseas. Taking place at different venues, including Trafalgar Square and along the Southbank, this year marks the tenth anniversary of Liberty, which celebrates the contribution of deaf and disabled people to London’s culture.
The Mayor's Thames Festival, one of Europe's most spectacular free festivals, will take place on 8-9 September, the closing weekend of the London 2012 Games, with music, dance, interactive art, performances, river races, the iconic illuminated Night Carnival and traditional river-based fireworks finale.
The Mayor is also backing BT London Live in Trafalgar Square, which will run alongside the Paralympic Games from 29 August to 9 September. The free event will open every day of the Paralympics from 11am-10pm, with the chance to watch Channel 4's coverage of the Games live on a giant screen. There will also be live entertainment each day from 1pm-1:30pm and 7pm-7:45pm, including live music from the likes of Geno Washington & the Ram Jam Band, Musical Youth and The Beat.
Ruth Mackenzie, Director, London 2012 Festival, said “London and the UK's creative industries are world beating and the London 2012 Festival is showing them off to the world. We are delighted that so many people across London have taken part and have enjoyed London 2012 Festival events in such huge numbers. With millions of further free tickets and opportunities to take part, Londoners and tourists are having a summer like no other, thanks to the partnership between the Mayor's office and the London 2012 Festival.”
For more information about the unprecedented series of events taking place through the Games, go to www.molpresents.com and www.london2012.com/festival.
Notes to editors
- The Mayor of London is supporting a huge programme of free events and cultural activities to add to the excitement of 2012. Working with outstanding international artists and world-class cultural organisations this unprecedented Mayor of London Presents programme is taking place in every corner of the capital to add to and complement the London 2012 Festival. It includes Secrets: Hidden London, with artists and performers transforming hidden and lesser known locations; Showtime, the largest outdoor arts festival ever seen in the capital, with dozens of electrifying artists from the UK and abroad coming to every borough, in high streets, parks and town centres; BT London Live, bringing live action from the Games, as well as sporting activities and entertainment to Hyde Park, Victoria Park and Trafalgar Square; and Surprises bringing pop-up performances and once in a lifetime experiences to locations familiar and unusual, above your heads and atop landmark buildings. To be the first to know about what's happening in this Summer Like No Other, sign up or follow us at www.molpresents.com / www.facebook.com/mayoroflondonpresents / www.twitter.com/molpresents
- The London 2012 Cultural Olympiad is the largest cultural celebration in the history of the modern Olympic and Paralympic Movements. Spread over four years, it is designed to give everyone in the UK a chance to be part of London 2012 and inspire creativity across all forms of culture, especially among young people. The culmination of the Cultural Olympiad will be the London 2012 Festival, the spectacular 12-week nationwide celebration bringing together leading artists from across the world with the very best from the UK, from Midsummer's Day on 21 June and running until the final day of the Paralympic Games on 9 September 2012.The London 2012 Festival will celebrate the huge range, quality and accessibility of the UK’s world-class culture including dance, music, theatre, the visual arts, fashion, film and digital innovation, giving the opportunity for people across the UK to celebrate the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Principal funders of the Cultural Olympiad and London 2012 Festival are Arts Council England, Legacy Trust UK and the Olympic Lottery Distributor. BP and BT are Premier Partners of the Cultural Olympiad and the London 2012 Festival. For more details on the programme, to download the London 2012 Festival official guide and to sign up for information visit www.london2012.com/festival.