ARTS - archive september 2007
Visa Olympics of the Imagination
The Visa Olympics of the Imagination is an international art competition open to 10 to 14 year olds from all over the world. The current competition is based on the Beijing 2008 Games’ theme of “One World, One Dream”, so Visa are looking for young artists to think about how the Olympic Games help to unite cultures from all over the world, and then to turn that thinking into a drawing.
That drawing can be created in any way, including on your computer, but must be original and two dimensional. Entries must be submitted by 29th February 2008, with full details available at www.visavoi.com. If you are the winning entry for the South East region of England you will win £1000 for your school to spend on art or sport supplies. If you go on to be the British overall winner, you and one parent or guardian will be on your way to Beijing in China for a five day six night trip to the Olympic Games!
What is the Cultural Olympiad and what are our plans for Kent?
The U.K. will host a four year Cultural Olympiad, defined below, as an integral part of the London 2012 Games. Every community across Kent will have an opportunity to be part of this, if they wish. The launch of the Cultural Olympiad will take place in August 2008, directly after the end of the Beijing 2008 Games.
The Cultural Olympiad will be a celebration of culture in its widest sense encompasing: architecture, photography, carnival and street theatre, libraries, historic environment, visual arts, fashion, opera, science, archives, literature, museums and galleries, gaming, heritage, music, dance, theatre, poetry, film and video, gardens, crafts, food and design.
The British Cultural Olympiad will encompass three tiers. Mandatory ceremonies, including the 2012 Games’ Opening and Closing ceremonies, and the Torch Relay. Major national projects include: A UK-wide Cultural Festival, 2012 Sounds! Artists Taking the Lead, Celebration of Disability Arts & Sports, World Festival of Youth Culture, Film and Video Nation Olympic Carnival, World Cultural Festival, International Exhibitions Programme, International Shakespeare Festival, Live Sites
For more information visit www.london2012.com/plans/culture
The UK-wide Cultural Festival
This will be staged by communities across the country, and its shape will be left open to interpretation by individuals, organisations and informal groups. The UK-wide Cultural Festival will be an opportunity for Kent to bring the magic of the Games into the heart of the County. There will be opportunities for local cultural events to be badged as ‘formally’ part of the Cultural Olympiad, or simply for events to be part of a nation-wide celebration of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics – ‘A Games for Britain, hosted by London’
Kent’s elements of the UK Cultural Festival will include
Kent Youth Theatre, International Community of Young Storytellers, Action Research Model, Off the Couch, Kent School Games, Cultural Olympiad Launch – 24th August 2008, Cultural Olympiad Launch for Schools – 17th September 2008, Cultural Olympiad Youth Programme (working title only), Dover Torch Campaign, International Youth Camps, Supporting the next generation of Artists, Upskilling Creative Businesses, Sense of Place/Public Realm, Creation centre, Big Day Out, Event Volunteering and Cultural Tourism. More information can be viewed on this website.
See Kent's plans for the Cultural Olympiad (pdf)
South East region's Creative Programmer appointed
Caterina Lorrigio has been appointed as the South East's Creative Programmer, a position jointly funded by national and regional agencies, to coordinate our region's contribution to the national four-year Cultural Olympiad. Similar appointments are being made right across the country.
Caterina has experience of working in Kent, as Festival Manager of Fuse in Medway, and has particular experience in street theatre, large festivals, and one-off events that she has programmed for a variety of national and international clients. She takes up her role in October. Any contact before then must be through the South East Coordinator for the 2012 Games, Paddy Herlihy padraigherlihy@seeda.co.uk
screen premier of Olympics short stories
Three groups of young people from across Kent - predominantly from Channel School in Folkestone, Canterbury High School and the Kent Youth County Council - now have a date for the premier of their films on the big screen, with particular thanks to Cineworld Ashford and Screen South. 13 November will see our budding film makers, their friends, family and school mates, as well as a number of Kent 'VIPs' celebrate the young people's productions, which will go on to be featured online and will support our Kent youngsters to then join an International Community of Young Storytellers. This project was funded by Kent County Council and Screen South, through the Kent Campaign's Arts sectoral task group.
