A cultural Olympics?
Here’s a confession for you: I’ve never really bought into the idea of the Olympics. Although I’ve consistently failed to understand the point of competitive sport throughout my life, it probably all started in 1984 when I realised that Misha, the cute mascot bear of the Russian Games in 1980, hadn’t made it to LA.
Since then it’s been steadily downhill for me and the Olympics, but as a former resident of Sydney (leading up to the 2000 Games) and current rate-payer in London, I’ve adapted and learnt to live with my Olympic friend who keeps following me around. I know that most people disagree with my opinions and I’ve learnt to keep my mouth shut and not use the phrases ‘Olympic games’, ‘obscene waste of money’ and ‘we’ll still be paying for this in 50 years’ together if I want an easy life.
However, I think I’m actually beginning to feel sorry for the Olympics. To use market research speak, if the Olympics was a person he, Mr Olympics, would probably be one of the good guys. He just wants people from around the world to get together and play some sport. He’s even willing to let people who do synchronised swimming and beach volleyball pretend that they’re playing a real sport.
In fact, Mr Olympics is so nice that everyone wants a piece of him. He’s become the kind of corporate brand that everyone wants in on - even other fundamentally ‘good’ concepts like the arts, culture, regeneration, sustainability and social inclusion are trying to elbow their way in under his umbrella. And that’s why I’m starting to feel some empathy.
The Olympics in London is going to be very busy. When its not transforming and ‘regenerating’ East London it will, through the guise of the Cultural Olympiad, be showcasing Britain’s artistic talent. The Cultural Olympiad is, according to the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, a ‘four-year period of cultural activity designed to celebrate the Olympic spirit throughout the UK’ and will ‘inspire people around the country to participate in a range of cultural activities, which will reflect and celebrate the diverse communities which make up London and the UK.‘ All very laudable, but why? How can what is essentially a glorified sports day possibly deliver anything for the arts? And why should it?
I suspect that since the government and organising committee, LOCOG, have so far failed to put aside any actual money for the Cultural Olympiad that someone somewhere has already decided. It can’t work and if it does, well it’s not a priority. And they’re right, the arts shouldn’t be a priority in the Olympics, the Games are about sport - that is the core brand, nothing else. Just don’t expect me to get excited about it.
February 22nd, 2008 at 8:19 am
As I stand on a underground station on a Saturday evening, having spent 10 minutes standing outside to allow the platform below to clear of people to a safe level, admiring the tiles missing, the exposed metalwork and wires which chart all the attempts to smarten up the Tube it occurs to me that we haven’t got a hope of getting the infrastructure up to scratch ahead of the Olympics let alone the cultural side.
Where are the large contributions to the city (and the UK) which will last sustainably for years to come and which will attract people to the city ?
Building an Olympic ghetto (necessary I guess for security) doesn’t seem to add a lot back to the people of London. It all seems that it will end in last minute rush to finish and long term cost to pay it off. But then we are good at that - remember the Dome ?
February 22nd, 2008 at 5:04 pm
Hello Mark, I couldn’t agree with you more. I resisted dragging in the ailing London infrastructure and the whether it will all be completed on time, but you are right. I guess it will be completed though (however poorly) simply because it has to be if we’re not to lose face!
Good point about the Olympic ghetto. I think that this is what has happened in Sydney - what does become of a former Olympic site out in the suburbs when the jamboree has moved on?
February 23rd, 2008 at 12:23 am
Look, as long as it’s tax payers money being spent on useless shite, then I’m happy and all for it. Bring on the pointless sports, that’s what I say!
Anyway, think yrselves lucky, Glasgow got the 2014 ‘Shit Olympics’. You won’t believe how puffed up our tin-pot despotic council leaders are feeling just now.
February 23rd, 2008 at 12:46 pm
What are you talking about Ill Man?! ‘As long as it’s tax payers money being spent…’ !! That’s precisely the problem. I’m a tax payer and I, along with all of Britan’s other tax payers, are forking out for an expensive Olympic ghetto (as so aptly described by Mark). And aren’t you, even if you have fallen of the radar!?
February 24th, 2008 at 4:57 pm
I’m now on the radar again. I was being very flippant. It’s a bad habit of mine, but one everyone has to live with. Sorry……….