Cultural Olympiad

What is it again?

Basically, the Cultural Olympiad is a showcase for Britain's art and culture. It's been designed to involve and inspire people at home and abroad and create a lasting legacy. The scheme was a key factor in London winning the bid to host the Olympics.

And this weekend...?

Friday 26 - Sunday 28 September 2008 sees the launch of the Olympiad with hundreds of events across London and around the UK under the umbrella title of Open Weekend.

What kind of events?

London's programme for instance will feature the first taster sessions by the newly formed Youth Music Voices, as they begin the development of Sounds, one of the Cultural Olympiad's ten major ongoing projects.

Tate Modern will be opened up

Greenwich will be hosting a spectacular night-time trail and outdoor performance at the Old Royal Naval College in its role as one of the Olympic Host Boroughs.

Elsewhere, the capital's great museums, including the V&A, the Imperial War Museum, Tate Britain and Tate Modern, will be opened up for glimpses into their stores and special workshops.

BBC London will be working out of our studio at Rich Mix in Shoreditch, offering live video, music shows and discussion events.

There will also be free walking tours around the Olympic Park area - and much more.

And is Open Rehearsal the same thing?

Part of the whole, yes. Open Weekend has teamed up with the Mayor's Open Rehearsal festival to showcase London's cultural riches with free behind-the-scenes visits, workshops, rehearsals, backstage tours and special performances in all 33 boroughs of the capital.

So what can I look forward to?

YOUTH MUSIC VOICES
Date: Friday 26 and Saturday 27 September
Friday 12.30pm - 1.00pm, Saturday 12.00pm & 1.00pm
Venues: Friday - Southbank Centre Front Room, Southbank Centre, SE1
Saturday - Artsdepot, 5 Nether Street, Tally Ho Corner, North Finchley, N12
Booking: Not necessary

The first taste of Sounds, one of the ten major projects being staged by London 2012 Cultural Olympiad, will be on show in Youth Music Voices, a new ensemble of young singers from across the country performing songs from around the world.

Take a look inside a London theatre

BEHIND THE SCENES IN LONDON THEATRES
Date: Friday 26 - Sunday 28 September
Venues: The Old Vic, Garrick Theatre, Lyric Theatre, St Martin's Theatre, Prince of Wales Theatre, Prince Edward Theatre, Savoy Theatre.
Booking: Recommended

Explore behind the scenes in some of London's most famous and historic theatres.

FREE WALKING TOURS AROUND THE OLYMPIC PARK AREA
Date: Friday 26 - Sunday 28 September
Every hour from 11am – 3pm
Venues: Lower Lea Valley
Booking: Essential

London Blue Badge Tourist Guides offer free walking tours around the Olympic Park area and Lower Lea Valley to celebrate the launch of the Cultural Olympiad. Walks start from Bromley-by-Bow underground station.

THROUGH THE ARCH OF EXPERIENCE
Date: Friday 26 September
1.45 - 2.30pm
Venue: Bishop's Square, Spitalfields, E1
Booking: Not necessary

A dramatic free outdoor performance involving a 4-metre tall East London Pearly Queen, a decorated arch and over 100 young people from across Tower Hamlets. A Kinetika and Theatre Venture project, part of the wider Inspire programme which has sport at its heart and London at its centre.

Billy Bragg outside the Festival Hall

BILLY BRAGG OPEN AIR BUSKING
Date: Saturday 27 September
3pm and 5pm
Venue: Southbank Centre, SE1
Booking: Not necessary

A chance to join songwriting legend Billy Bragg in a mass guitar busk, along the same lines to the event that marked the Royal Festival Hall's refurbishment last year, celebrating some of the country's most well known vocal anthems.

TATE STORES TOUR
Date: Saturday 27 September
10am - 2pm
Venue: Tate Store, Southwark, SE1
Booking: Essential

Special tours of Tate Store in Southwark, where the Tate Collection is housed when not on display. Housing paintings, sculpture and multi-media works in specifically-designed facilities, the tours will give an insight into how Tate cares for and manages the National Collection of British and International Modern and Contemporary Art.

COME DANCING OPEN REHEARSAL
Date: Saturday 27 September
10am - 1pm
Venue: Theatre Royal Stratford East, Gerry Raffles Square, E15
Booking: Essential

An Open Rehearsal workshop event inspired by Stratford East's latest production Come Dancing, the new musical by Ray Davies. The workshop will provide a creative space for writers, musicians, story-tellers and performers to develop their own musical theatre piece.

Open ballet classes are on offer

FREE BALLET CLASSES FOR ADULTS WITH THE ENGLISH NATIONAL BALLET
Date: Sunday 28 September
Introduction to ballet 12.00pm. Improvers Ballet 1.45pm
Venue: Markova House, 39 Jay Mews, SW7

English National Ballet holds an open day at its Kensington headquarters with Introduction to ballet workshops and open ballet classes.

DIG FOR VICTORY HARVEST FAIR
Date: Sunday 28 September
11.00am - 4.00pm
Venue: Allotment garden in St James's Park
Booking: Not necessary

The Mall Galleries, Churchill Museum and Cabinet War Rooms and St James's Park's Harvest Fair features cooking demonstrations from the allotment's own produce and harvest craft activities, such as potato printing, collage and model making. A petting zoo and The Royal Parks Heavy horses complete the fun for all ages.

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