But this grand plan comes at a price. Most of the cultural activities will be dependent on the smaller grassroots organisations, which, ironically, will be the hardest hit by the diverting of funds.
The lottery money, which would otherwise be given to them, will instead be handed over to the 2012 Olympics committee.
The Report
A report by the London Assembly’s culture and sport committee revealed, “Arts organisations and sports groups in London are to suffer from a £440 million loss in funding due to the diversion of Lottery money to the 2012 Olympics.”
The document also claims, “There is not enough money available for smaller arts organizations to put on work as part of the Cultural Olympiad.”
It calls on Mayor Ken Livingstone to create a funding policy by August this year, which focuses on investment in smaller arts projects.
The Benefits
Liberal Democrat MP Dee Doocey who chairs the committee, said: “We are not denying that the capital will reap huge benefits as host city of the 2012 Games. However, our investigation shows that opportunities Londoners were promised are at risk because the funding diversion effectively ham-strings the organizations needed to deliver them.”
The report predicts that the proposal to use Lottery money to fund the Games “threatens to leave London with a cultural landscape that is less rich than it might have been,” as smaller cultural organizations will suffer the most.
There is an overly optimistic concern about “the value of the Olympic land and that proceeds from the sale of that land will not be enough to reimburse the Lottery as planned,” the report warns.
So what can be done? The organizers cannot take the small arts organisations for granted. Their contribution is vital too, and they are the ones who make this city a vibrant, global village.
