Dance South West

The South West will be hosting the sailing events for the London 2012 Olympics in Weymouth & Portland against the stunning backdrop of our World Heritage coast, so the Cultural Olympiad holds exciting possibilities for us. Dance South West has been involved in the planning process from the outset, at regional and local county level.

As well as engaging with the regional strategy, each county in the region is producing its own plan for the Cultural Olympiad and this will create many new opportunities at a local level for dance companies and practitioners.

What is the Cultural Olympiad?

The London 2012 Games are not just about sport. They will also celebrate cultures, people and languages – in London, the UK and around the world.  

The four-year Cultural Olympiad kicked off on September 26-28 with a huge range of inspirational programmes.   New opportunities are being created to inspire young people and encourage participation from communities across the UK and around the world.  Our Partnership Director, Sarah Cobley recently wrote an article on the opportunities for the South West for the Foundation for Community Dance’s Animated which can be download on the right.

Major and bid projects

A number of major cultural projects featured in the London 2012 bid. The world-class cultural events form the initial backbone of the Cultural Olympiad:

The projects will form the center piece of the Cultural Olympiad. These major projects will be phased over the coming four years.

• Artists Taking the Lead - bringing artists together with local communities to create a major piece of artwork in each nation and region of the UK.
• Discovering Places - introducing a new generation to the hidden places and spaces of the UK. 
• Somewhereto - empowering young people to find ways to access the spaces they need for sport, dance, music, making art or films.
• Stories of the World - celebrating the collections in museums around the UK and displaying them in new ways and in unexpected venues. 
• Film Nation - helping more young people make and deliver stories digitally. 
• Unlimited - a world celebration of disability arts, culture and sport. 
• World Shakespeare Festival - including major collaborations between leading UK and international theatre companies as well as non-professional theatres in the UK
• Sounds - This major music programme will showcase and celebrate the sounds of the UK in 2012

Dance South West Celebrates Cultural Olympiad Launch

Hundreds of people shared in a specially commissioned intergenerational community dance performance in Weymouth, Plymouth and Bodmin on Saturday 27 September, to celebrate the launch of the Cultural Olympiad. Choreographed by Louise Katerega, Pulse FX was a regional project conceived by Dance South West and performed by youth dance groups and older dancers from across the South West.  Footage of the performance in Plymouth coming soon...