Rings on the River, A Summer like No Other

Plans announced for Showtime - biggest festival of outdoor arts ever seen in the capital with free cultural events in every borough

--- Royal Opera House, English National Ballet, Mira Calix and Red Earth transform canals, lidos and other locations for Secrets: Hidden London

--- Monty Python star Terry Jones and composer Anne Dudley bring floating opera inspired by Owl and the Pussycat to city's canals

--- Jeremy Deller's new large-scale interactive public artwork appears at locations across the capital

--- CREATE brings Frieze art projects to east London

--- Top fashion designers team up with leading artists for Britain Creates 2012

--- Big Dance and Channel 4 in association with BAFTA announce Big Dance Shorts

--- London Pleasure Gardens to open at Pontoon Dock, east London

The Mayor of London Boris Johnson today launched giant Olympic rings measuring 11 metres high by 25 metres wide onto the River Thames, as he announced that the city will host a specially commissioned programme of FREE cultural events to celebrate the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and create a summer like no other.

From 21 July through to the 9 September, in every borough across the capital, live music and performance, outdoor arts, spectacular and 'pop up' events will take place in high streets, town centres, parks and other surprise locations throughout the city. These will complement the BT London Live programmes already announced in Hyde Park, Victoria Park and Trafalgar Square. Newly curated cultural trails will help people navigate the plethora of activities and encourage them to explore different parts of the capital and a number of one-off surprises are planned. Specially designed for all Londoners that live and work in the capital, as well as the one million extra visitors expected each day, these projects and events will provide an extra layer of cultural activities as part of the London 2012 Festival, underpinning London's international reputation for creativity and the quality and the breadth of its arts and culture.

The Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: '2012 is one of the most thrilling years in our city's history and as we welcome the world we have an unprecedented opportunity to showcase and strengthen London's outstanding culture and creativity, which are a hugely important part of our economy.

'From museums to theatre, and music to design, we have a reputation that is second to none and London's finest artists and organisations are producing an exceptional range of brand new cultural events that will add to the excitement of hosting the Games. We're creating the biggest festival of outdoor arts ever to be seen in the capital, as well as fantastic new work that will throw new light on some of our city's lesser known landmarks and hidden gems. Wherever you are you will feel a part of the 2012 celebrations and experience a summer like no other in one of the most exciting cities on earth.'

The Mayor has commissioned a series of free events called Secrets: Hidden London, as part of the London 2012 Festival, to help Londoners and visitors alike experience the city in a new way. It includes for the first time, London's canals will be brought to life by a floating opera staged by the Royal Opera House. Writer and Monty Python star Terry Jones and Oscar winning (Full Monty) composer Anne Dudley will create a new opera inspired by Edward Lear's much loved poem The Owl and the Pussy Cat,

Award winning composer and artist Mira Calix will create Nothing is Set in Stone, an interactive musical sculpture made of gneiss stones at Fairlop Water in Redbridge, which has been commissioned by the Mayor and Oxford Contemporary Music, in conjunction with the Natural History Museum and other partners.

Across town in the London Borough of Ealing, Red Earth, an artist led environmental arts group, will install stunning natural wood sculptures to stand on Northala Fields, four conical hills created out of waste from the build of the new Wembley Stadium. This installation will culminate in a spectacular performance on and around the hills over the bank holiday weekend to celebrate London 2012 Paralympic Torch Relay.

English National Ballet will create an exquisite site-specific event, Like a Fish out of Water, blending live performance and film to capture and present the nostalgia of three of London's much loved lidos, through a fusion of ballet, film and fashion.

In order to bring some of the Host City Celebrations to all Londoners, the Mayor with support from Arts Council England, has also created Showtime London's biggest ever outdoor arts festival. Also featured as part of the London 2012 Festival, 25 leading UK and international companies will tour to local town centres, high streets and parks plus the BT London Live Sites, bringing the best of outdoor performance, from the UK and other parts of the world, to every borough. The wide-ranging line up of artists will include the acclaimed choreographer Mark Brew; a showcase of ten years of disabled arts festival Liberty; Arcadia presenting Lords of Lightning, a show that sees two gladiators wrestle four million vaults of electricity; Avanti Display present The Spurting Man a classic and hilarious British street arts show when man becomes fountain; and Close Act: Saurus, which will see the biggest beasts that ever walked the earth return to the twenty first century, charge through the crowds, with a deafening roar, looking for their next feed.

Showtime is being curated by five leading festival producers, who have worked on festivals such as Glastonbury, Bestival and Brighton Festival, the Lord Mayor's Parade, Paradise Gardens, Camden Crawl, Liberty and a host of others. Working alongside them are the Mayor's Culture Squad apprentices who are employed by each of Barbican, ENB, Roundhouse, Waterman's Arts Centre and The Albany to support Showtime.

As well as the Culture Squad programme, other young Londoners are being given the opportunity to perform in front of thousands with Gigs - the capital's biggest ever street music competition. Over 500 of London's most talented 11-25 year olds will be selected to entertain crowds at prestigious locations around the capital this summer. There will be hundreds of free live performances filling the capital with great live music of every style. The public will be able to vote for their favourite acts, who will compete in the Gigs grand final in September.

This exceptional FREE programme will sit alongside a host of other cultural events that the Mayor is supporting and co-promoting with the London 2012 Festival and other partners, including Big Dance, CREATE, West End Live and Britain Creates 2012.

They include Sacrilege, a new large scale interactive public artwork by Turner Prize-winning artist Jeremy Deller, a co-commission between the Glasgow International Festival of Visual Art and the Mayor of London for the London 2012 Festival. Sacrilege will appear at different locations around the city, including the Host Boroughs as part of CREATE's 2012 summer programme.

Elsewhere London 2012 Festival and CREATE will be working with Frieze Foundation who will curate and produce four new public art projects across east London. Outstanding artists will produce work for unique sites; from Anthea Hamilton and Nicholas Byrne's giant inflatables, which will give new life to Poplar Baths, to Sarnath Banerjee's graphic novel that will play out across the billboards of east London. All are free and commence from 25 June. Frieze Projects East is one of a number of participatory arts events that will be presented as part of the London 2012 festival.

Ruth Mackenzie, Director, London 2012 Festival said: 'London and the UK's creative industries are world beating and the London 2012 Festival will show them off to the world. With millions of free tickets and opportunities to take part, Londoners and tourists will truly have a summer like no other, thanks to the partnership between the Mayor's office and London 2012 Festival.'

Moira Sinclair, Executive Director London of Arts Council England, who are supporting Showtime as well as other London 2012 projects, said: '2012 is an unparalleled opportunity for Londoners and those visiting the capital to be part of and witness some of the finest arts and culture in the world. Programmes like Showtime and Create will present our Cultural Olympians. New exciting commissions will enthral audiences young and old across city. The Arts Council’s exists to support great art for everyone and we are proud to be in partnership with the Mayor to create what will, no doubt, be memorable Olympic moments.'

Tony Hall, Chair of London 2012 Festival and Chief Executive of the Royal Opera House, commented:: 'One of the most exciting things about this Olympic year is the huge number of arts and cultural activities that will be running alongside the sporting events. As well as the London 2012 Festival, the Mayor of London’s programme of free cultural events across the whole of London gives every Londoner the opportunity to share in these celebrations wherever they live. I’m particularly intrigued by Secrets: Hidden London and hope many people will take advantage of discovering new places in this wonderful city. It's going to be great.'

Other pop-up experiences will include award-winning actor Mark Rylance's To Be or Not To Be: Shakespeare Encountered, which will bring Shakespeare's sonnets and speeches to central London, intriguing as well as delighting the public in a project presented in partnership between London 2012 Festival and the Mayor of London.

Adding a further dramatic intervention into city life will be One Extraordinary Day, a one-off creation by Brooklyn's visionary choreographer Elizabeth Streb, pioneer of 'extreme action' dance, which will suddenly appear on the landscape. Commissioned by the Mayor of London and London 2012 Festival, this unique event is being staged by LIFT (London International Festival of Theatre).

The British Fashion Council/Bazaar Fashion Arts Foundation has confirmed eight fashion designer and artist collaborations for the hotly anticipated Britain Creates 2012. A who's who of leading British names in art and fashion will see Hussein Chalayan working with Gavin Turk; Giles Deacon with Jeremy Deller; Stephen Jones with Cerith Wyn Evans; Mary Katrantzou with Mark Titchner; Nicolas Kirkwood with Simon Periton; Peter Pilotto with Francis Upritchard; Jonathan Saunders with Jess Flood Paddock; Paul Smith with Charming Baker; and Matthew Williamson with Mat Collishaw. More names are expected to join this outstanding roll call of British creative talent, with their unique collaborative projects set to be unveiled at a gala event at the Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich before going on display at the V&A from 6 to the 29 July.

Big Dance and Channel 4 in association with BAFTA have announced Big Dance Shorts, five commissions for short films to choreographers and filmmakers to be broadcast on Channel 4 this summer and screened to live audiences across the country during Big Dance Week 2012, which will run from 7-15 July 2012. Among the five Big Dance Shorts commissions, Kate Prince, founder of ZooNation and creator of the West End hit Some Like it Hip Hop, will be making her film directorial debut in a short film co-directed with hotly tipped London Film School graduate Felix Harrison. All five short films go into production this spring, with the full support of experienced industry experts, providing an exciting new platform for choreographic and directorial talent on screen. Other films commissioned include: DOUBLE TAKE (Director: Sam Hodges, Choreographer: Ben Duke), ON THE OTHERSIDE (Directors: Felix Harrison and Kate Prince, Choreographer: Kate Prince), SWIM (Director: The Brothers McLeod, Choreographer Struan Leslie), THE CLICK (Director Heather Eddington, Choreographers: Pete Shenton and Tom Roden of New Art Club), VIDA LONGA (Director: Bertie, Choreographer: Ponciano Almeida).

There are also plans to bring back the London Pleasure Gardens, which will see Pontoon Dock in the Royal Docks transformed into a major new pop-up entertainment district and cultural hub. Created by the team behind Shangri-La at Glastonbury, 1948 Hoxton Street Party, Liverpool Biennial, Cordy House and Mutate Britain, London's Pleasure Gardens will showcase the finest of innovative and independent producers and artists, offering a range of entertainments and delights, including music, walkabout performers and artistic installations. Information about how to get free tickets will be available at www.londonpleasuregardens.com.

Thirty London' bus shelters across twenty London boroughs will house black LED screens for a collaborative public art installation Bus-Tops, creating a new exhibition space for the public to make their own contributions to. Alfie Dennen and Paula Le Dieu is one of 12 commissions across the UK forming part of Artists Taking The Lead, a programme funded by Arts Council England and supported by the Mayor for the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad.

Anyone wanting to sample London's great theatre is also reminded that there will be performances from top shows for free at West End Live on 23 and 24 June in Trafalgar Square and those with children can take them to see a show for free during Kids Week in the West End, which this year will be running for an entire month from 1-31 August. Visitors and Londoners alike will also be able take advantage of early bird offers and pick up the latest information at www.Theatre2012.co.uk.

Jeremy Deller, artist:

'I am going to make a festive sacrilegious sculpture for the public's delectation!'

Mark Rylance, actor:

The idea is to take the beautiful language of Shakespeare and put it in a real situation. It could be in the middle of the street or stepping into a Tube carriage. Some might be confrontative, some might be intimate, but it will be out in the street and for free which is the wonderful thing about this.'

Mark Titchner, artist:

Artists never work in isolation, my practice is dependent on what I see, hear and read everyday. For the Britain Creates project I have privilege of working with one of Britain's finest and most energetic young designers, exploring the similarities and differences in our processes and enjoying the simple, inspiring pleasure of seeing just where that might lead us.'

Kate Prince, Artistic Director of ZooNation Dance Company:

'Big Dance is a great initiative for everyone who loves dance. And the chance to have hands-on involvement in directing my work for the camera is tremendously exciting.'

Michael Dixon, Managing Director, English National Ballet:

'English National Ballet is thrilled to be working with the GLA as part of Hidden London. We'll be working with students, who will work alongside industry professionals, including our own dancers to create Like a Fish out of Water a unique opportunity for ballet, fashion and film to blend from on screen to live performance in a series of site specific performances celebrating the much loved London Lidos.'

Marcus Davey, Chief Executive and Artistic Director, Roundhouse:

'Truly great art has and should always be something that everyone can respond to and enjoy. At the Roundhouse we are particularly delighted that the Mayor of London is investing in Culture Squad apprentices to help deliver the 2012 outdoor arts events but also to be an investment for the future. I am sure that in the mysterious and wondrous hidden areas of London great life enhancing art will capture the imagination of all that seek out or stumble across them. There is so much of London we never see, so let's explore and be amazed.'

Gavin Barlow, Director, The Albany:

The Albany is delighted to be a partner with the Mayor of London, helping to deliver inspirational outdoor projects as part of the celebrations for London 2012. With our new Culture Squad apprentice producer on board, we are looking forward to working with communities across south London to make this an amazing summer we'll never forget.'

Louise Jeffreys, Director of Programming, Barbican:

'At the Barbican, we are proud to be involved in the Culture Squad programme. Our Apprentice has already brought bright new ideas to our programming discussions and we hope to learn as much from her as she will from us. This initiative gives a superb opportunity to develop our own outdoor programme and to present work in a more collaborative framework to the benefit of outdoor arts practitioners and audiences alike.'

Mayor Jules Pipe, chair of London Councils:

'People in every part of London can enjoy a feast of free fun, arts and entertainment this summer celebrating the capital's rich cultural diversity. London's councils and their communities are playing their part in helping the city put on a great show during the Games - Londoners and visitors from all over the world will see what a colourful and vibrant city this is.'

Cllr Bambos Charalambous, Cabinet Member for Leisure, Culture, Youth, the Olympics and Paralympics, LB Enfield:

'The 'Showtime' outdoor arts festival to celebrate the Games is a fantastic opportunity for boroughs to join in the buzz and the fun of London 2012, and bringing the benefits to local level. I particularly want to see young people taking a lead and fully participating because this will be a year to remember.'

Cllr Del Goddard Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Neighbourhood Improvement, LB Enfield; and Chair, North London Arts Partnership:

'Leisure and Culture are a vital catalyst for Regeneration locally, and sub-regionally. Enfield and North London boroughs are working together with the GLA to make sure there is a lasting positive legacy out of difficult times. The 'Showtime' outdoor arts festival gives us the opportunity to maximise the regeneration of our towns and urban villages bringing our diverse communities together through the arts.'

Anna Strongman, Project Director, Argent (Showtime advisory group):

'We are completely behind Showtime. The programme promises to bring great outdoor art to London’s streets and squares, encouraging people to celebrate and value their part of the city. This will help to highlight that ambitious works are perfectly possible and that hosting such events can have all sorts of positive benefits ranging from more spending on the high street to greater civic pride.'

Helen Cadwallader, Director, ISAN – Developing Outdoor Arts

'As the leading UK organisation for those working in outdoor arts, ISAN wholeheartedly endorses Showtime as an amazing programme of work. There will be great opportunities for audiences who would not normally engage with art and culture to participate directly with world class arts presented on the streets and in the places where they live. The streets of London, places where people live and work, will be reanimated and re-imagined as an exciting and dynamic showcase for art and culture.'

Tabitha Jackson, Arts Commissioning Editor, Channel 4

'As Partners of Big Dance, we are delighted to be able to continue Channel 4’s longstanding commitment to finding extraordinary talent and new ways of bringing dance to the screen.'

Hadrian Garrard, Director of CREATE and London 2012 Creative Programmer for the 2012 Host Boroughs:

CREATE is excited to be working with the Mayor's office this summer to deliver some extraordinary arts projects in east London. Whether you have a ticket for the games or not, east London will be an amazing place to be this summer. Frieze Projects East and Jeremy Deller's Sacrilege will bring artists' out of galleries and into unusual and surprising areas and these are just two of the many projects CREATE is producing that will encourage Londoners and visitors to explore east London and sample its cultural delights in the run up to the Olympics.

Sarah McCrory, curator of Frieze Projects East:

'Frieze Projects East will be Frieze Foundation’s first programme of newly commissioned works outside Frieze Art Fair. Employing the same values as the projects at the fair, Frieze Projects East will incorporate outstanding artists and challenging works across a number of unique sites. By attracting both the visitors coming to London during the summer of 2012, and the local communities, we hope to expose exciting contemporary art to new audiences.

Deborah Armstrong, Creative Director, London Pleasure Gardens

'London's 21st Century Pleasure Gardens is a three year initiative aimed to kick start regeneration by bringing vitality, animation, opportunities and audiences to the Royal Docks in London. No pop-up of this type and scale has ever been seen before in London and we're working hard with artists and communities to make this shimmering, ephemeral waterside destination something that everyone can enjoy, from picnicking through the sculpture gardens, exploring the design trail, enjoying the delights of the floating cocktail lounge, catching a show or dancing the night away.'

UPDATES

• More details on events backed by the Mayor will be released over the coming weeks and months and the public is encouraged to sign up for updates at the website www.molpresents.com.
• Information can also be found at www.london.gov.uk and www.london2012.com/festival.

'A SUMMER LIKE NO OTHER'

• SHOWTIME - Entertainment Everywhere. London's biggest ever outdoor arts festival. Also featured as part of the London 2012 Festival, 25 leading UK and international companies will tour to local town centres, high streets and parks plus the BT London Live Sites, bringing the best of outdoor performance, from the UK and other parts of the world, to every borough. Part of London 2012 Festival.
• SURPRISES- Pop-up Performances. Surprising and delighting, these secret performances will be London’s ‘wow’ moments of 2012. These extraordinary one-off events around the city centre will pop-up without warning, taking over and transforming some of London’s most iconic landmarks.
• SNAPS – Iconic Sights. Cameras at the ready as some of London’s most iconic sights including Tower Bridge host stunning installations of the Olympic rings and Paralympic agitos. There’ll also be special projections onto some very famous buildings, so prepare for some serious snapping. For a sneak preview, see the Olympic rings at St Pancras Station.
• SECRETS - Hidden London. Londoners and visitors alike will experience the city in a new way. Discover some of London’s amazing hidden nooks and crannies as leading artists transform the capital’s lesser-known landscapes including canals, lidos and cemeteries. Part of London 2012 Festival.
• DAZZLE – Bridge illumination. From Hungerford Bridge in the west to Tower Bridge in the east, London‘s famous bridges will be lighting up in a dazzling display of colour during the evenings of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. At Tower Bridge the lights will be used to bring to life the giant Olympic rings and agitos installations.
• STROLL- Discovery Trails. With so much great stuff going on this summer, we’ve created five cultural trails covering the north, south, east, west and central areas of London, where you can discover the best of the capital’s culture from huge 2012 events to hidden gems.
• COLOUR– City decorations. With the eyes of the world upon us, London’s going to get a gorgeous new look this summer as the city dresses up for the 2012 Games with bunting, banners and more.
• PARADE– Our greatest team. Team GB and Paralympics GB Athletes Parade ‘Our Greatest Team’ through the streets of London.
• GIGS – Big Busk - We’re looking for London’s best young musicians for this year’s supersized busking competition and the chance to perform in town centres, parks, Olympic venues, live sites and transport hubs across the city.
• Potters Fields Park – Plan to screen highlights from the Olympic and Paralympic Games on a big screen, plus free entertainment and More London’s ‘Free Festival’ taking place in the adjacent Scoop.

Notes editors

1. The Mayor of London is hosting a huge programme of free events and celebrations to add to the excitement of 2012, including ones especially commissioned for a citywide programme of free events that will add to and complement the London 2012 Festival. They include Secrets Hidden London, with artists and performers transforming hidden and lesser known locations; Showtime, an outdoor arts festival in high streets, parks and open spaces around the capital; and BT LONDON LIVE, bringing live action from the Games, as well as sporting activities and entertainment to Hyde Park, Victoria Park and Trafalgar Square. News and information about the programme will appear on the website www.molpresents.com. This will also feature events and happenings in the build up to a summer like no other, including the St George's Day and St Patrick's Day celebrations and the Russian Maslenitsa festival. To be the first to know what's happening, sign up or follow us at www.molpresents.com / www.facebook.com/mayoroflondonpresents / www.twitter.com/moLpresents.
2. For further information about the London 2012 Festival please contact Paul Woodmansey in the London 2012 Press Office on 0203 2012 100, [email protected], or visit the website at www.london2012.com. Find out the latest from London 2012 HQ at www.london2012.com/blog, or via Twitter on www.twitter.com/london2012.
3. Arts Council England champions, develops and invests in artistic and cultural experiences that enrich people’s lives. It supports a range of activities across the arts, museums and libraries – from theatre to digital art, reading to dance, music to literature, and crafts to collections. Great art and culture inspires us, brings us together and teaches us about ourselves and the world around us. In short, it makes life better. Between 2011 and 2015, it will invest £1.4 billion of public money from government and an estimated £0.85 billion from the National Lottery to help create these experiences for as many people as possible across the country.
4. The Arts Council has been closely involved in the development of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad programme since the bid stage. Its significant investment in a nationwide programme of events aims to increase participation in the arts; profile our artists on an international stage and showcase the UK as a world-leading cultural destination; as well as creating the lasting legacy of a strengthened cultural sector. With its unparalleled offer of national, regional and local projects across a range of art forms, the Cultural Olympiad and London 2012 Festival programme will be a global event with enormous potential to help deliver Arts Council England’s mission of great art for everyone. For more information Mathew Hanratty, Media Relations Officer, London, Arts Council England: 020 7973 5233.
5. The Greater London Authority acknowledges the support and investment from many partners, including: Arts Council England - Department for Culture Media and Sport - Design for London, London Councils, London Events Forum, The Association of Town Centre Managers, London & Partners, Transport for London, ISAN, LB Southwark, Argent, Open City, London's 33 Local Authorities, London's Business Districts, London's Cultural Quarters, A New Direction, The National Skills Academy Creative and Cultural, Locog and the London 2012 Festival; ROH2, British Waterways, Watermans, Fusion Leisure,, Joule Events, , Emergency Exit Arts, English National Ballet, Seven Sisters Group, Marangoni Institute, V&A Museum, Zap Arts, Oxford Contemporary Music, Mira Calix, Vision Redbridge Culture,, Natural History Museum, Exhibition Road Cultural Group, Overcraft, ArtsAgenda, Red Earth and Northolt Greenford Countryside Park Society & LB Ealing, LB Richmond, LB Lambeth, LB Hillingdon, LB Redbridge, LB Hounslow, LB Kensington & Chelsea, LB Westminster, LB Camden, LB Hackney.
6. Big Dance in London has been funded by Legacy Trust UK, creating a lasting impact from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games by funding ideas and local talent to inspire creativity across the UK. The programme is delivered by the Mayor of London and Arts Council England in partnership with a network of Big Dance Hubs: East London Dance, English National Ballet, Greenwich Dance, Sadler’s Wells and Siobhan Davies Dance. www.bigdance2012.com. Legacy Trust UK is an independent charity set up to create a lasting cultural and sporting legacy from London 2012 in communities across the UK.The Trust is funded by a £40 million endowment from the Big Lottery Fund (£29m), Department for Culture Media and Sport (£6m) and Arts Council England (£5m), and is a Principal Funder of the Cultural Olympiad and London 2012 Festival. www.legacytrustuk.org
7. Design for London. The excellence of London’s local places is crucial to sustaining a decent quality of life for all, retaining and attracting good people and businesses, and drawing in visitors and investment. Improvements to public space are being delivered, by many organisations across London, supported by the Mayor’s investment. London's Great Outdoors is an umbrella programme under which sit these many projects, all creating a better public realm for London. Since 2009, these projects have been improving places across the capital. By February 2012, £130 million had been invested in forty-nine public spaces, and by summer 2012, more than £310 million will have been invested, and scores of spaces transformed. We already have over 60 projects confirmed to go forward beyond summer 2012. In cash-strapped times, this is a remarkable achievement. Approximately 10% of the current Outer London Fund will support the cultural and creative sector. www.london.gov.uk/designforlondon

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