London 2012 Festival

In celebration of London hosting the 2012 Olympic Games, there is a huge programme of cultural events taking place in the run up to the actual sporting events - from festivals of literature and art installations to theatre, opera and music concerts.

Here's a little taster of what's happening... 

World Shakespeare Festival

London
23 April-September 2012
Beginning on Shakespeare's birthday, 23 April 2012, the World Shakespeare Festival sees a performance of every one of the Bard's plays. Each one will be presented in a different language and by a different company from around the world.

Lakes Alive: Les Commandos Percu

Lake District
21 June 2012
How does an explosive mix of sound, light and fire on the shores of Lake Windermere in the Lake District sound? This free event will be created by French masters of explosives, percussion and rhythmic drumming, Les Commandos Percus. 

Radio 1 Hackney Weekend

London
23-24 June 2012
Radio 1 will hold the BBC's biggest ever free ticketed live music event, on Hackney Marshes on 23-24 June 2012, as part of the London 2012 Festival - two days, 100,000 people, over six stages. 

Big Dance 2012

UK-wide
7-15 July 2012
Big Dance is the ultimate dance experience. The biennial festival features 9 days of dance in unusual spaces throughout London – shops, parks, galleries, shopping centres and theatres - showcasing the diversity of dance styles in the capital. 

River of Music

London
21-22 July 2012
Climaxing in a weekend of spectacular performances, River of Music is huge musical celebration, representing all 205 Olympic and Paralympic nations, at landmark sites along the River Thames. 

Doctor Dee and the English National Opera

London
Dates TBC
Damon Albarn’s Doctor Dee – The Blur and Gorillaz frontman ponders British ritual and symbolism as he revisits the life of the influential Elizabethan John Dee. Rufus Norris (ENO’s Don Giovanni) directs the London premiere as part of the London 2012 Festival to mark the capital’s hosting of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. 

Anthony McCall: Column

Merseyside
Dates TBC
Imagine a spinning column of cloud vapour spiralling up from the ground reaching upwards of a mile... That's exactly what artist Anthony McCall has in mind for his work 'Coulm', set to take place from the historic dock site Wirral Waters in Merseyside. 

David Hockney: A Bigger Picture

London
Dates 21 January - 9 April 2012
Featuring work spanning his long career, this major exhibition from David Hockney is inspired by the scenery of his native Yorkshire - and explores the range of approaches to his art, from traditional techniques to computer technology. 

English Flower Garden Installation: Paul Cummins

UK-wide
Dates various dates across the country
Fine ceramic artist Paul Cummins will create a quintessentially English flower garden made up of up to 10,000 individual blooms crafted by hand in his visual art installation. Each bloom will be unique but will form part of the larger flower community. 

Hang On A Minute Lads, I've Got A Great Idea: Richard Wilson

Bexhill-on-Sea
Dates TBC
In 2012, the roof of the spectacular modernist De La Warr Pavilion will replicate the final scene of the classic British movie The Italian Job when a life-sized bus will teeter precariously from its roof. What Richard Wilson’s piece means is anyone’s guess but it’s sure to be a head turner and the graceful 1930s lines of the De La Warr Pavilion are well worth seeing at any time.