Celebrate the arts in Greenwich, and the four other host boroughs for the London Olympics, at a programme of festivals running up to 2012.
Starting with CREATE08, the festivals will bring together a collection of inspiring events and performances in Greenwich, Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest.
There will be an eclectic mix of entertainment - music, dance, crafts, theatre, carnivals, parades, exhibitions - running from June until the end of September. Many of the events will be free.
What's happening?
Highlights include:
- The Garden of Wonders – an outdoor dance performance theatre at the Old Royal Naval College - Friday 20 to Sunday 22 June.
- Woolwich Great Get Together – one of Greenwich Council’s most popular community events - on Saturday 21 June, with live entertainment, football tournaments, workshops and opportunities for local people to meet and speak with their local councillor.
Find out about the Great Get Together
- Time is like Water Flowing in a Stream – Chinese landscape painting is brought to life on an epic scale in this special production, with martial arts and aerial performances - Thursday 19 June until Sunday 22 June.
On Sunday 24 August there will be celebrations across the host boroughs to mark the moment when the Olympic flag is handed to London - this will include street parties, music and live performance.
CREATE08 reaches its peak with the launch of the Cultural Olympiad at the end of September, placing the arts at the heart of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Creating a legacy for the arts
Councillor John Fahy, Cabinet Member for Culture and Olympics, said:
"Art and culture thrives in the neighbourhoods across the five host boroughs. This is our opportunity to get as many residents and local groups involved in creating a celebration of the arts for London’s Cultural Olympiad over the four years up to 2012, leaving a rich legacy for the arts in our neighbourhoods.
"CREATE brings together the physical energy of sports with the creative energy of the artistic communities across the boroughs, making London’s Games a truly inclusive Olympiad."
Find out more about the 2012 Games.
23 May 2008