The Big Smoke

We've all been wondering what the Cultural Olympiad 2012 would consist of, and after attending the launch event this morning at National Theatre, we're still wondering.

Seb Coe and Jude Kelly were on hand to explain the importance of the Cultural Olympiad to 2012, and give us a rundown of the ten core themes, all of which remain as vague and imprecise as the notion of where the money is coming from. These themes include 'Sounds', 'Film Nation', 'Unlimited', 'Stories of the World' and 'Somewhereto' as well as the inevitable World Shakespeare Festival, and are all tied around what will become the 2012 motto – that these are 'everyone's games'. So expect a lot of opportunities for community interaction, the throwing open of events, people and places to young people, and a focus on celebrating London's diversity. It's also unclear who exactly will be approving projects for inclusion in the Olympiad.

Despite this, a huge number of arts bodies have already got involved, but having spoken to a few of their representatives off the record, this is largely so they can get a slice of the funding that was taken away from them to pay for the Olympics in the first place. 'It's there, so we might as well embrace it,' said one.

The Cultural Olympiad launches on Sept 26-28 with a mammoth Open Weekend, of which details can be found here and again consists of a huge number of events already scheduled to take place but now joining up under the 2012 umbrella. One highlight will be Sebastian Coe taking place in Martin Creed's sprint installation at Tate Britain. Another is the 'Sites and Sounds of Edmonton' put on by Enfield Council. Well, they did say it would be all embracing.

One revealing insight into the thought process that will go into the Cultural Olympiad came when Coe was asked about Britain's 'kitsch' display at the handover ceremony in Beijing. 'Well, the people that matter thought it was pretty good,' said Coe, archly. 

Read what Time Out readers have been suggesting