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London 2012: Bells to ring in arts festival | |
(40 minutes later) | |
A mass bell-ringing will be held to mark the launch of the Olympics as part of the London 2012 Festival, a UK-wide programme of cultural events. | |
Masterminded by artist Martin Creed, the three-minute nationwide bell-ringing will start at 0800 on 27 July. | |
Stonehenge, The Giant's Causeway and other iconic heritage sites will be transformed by art installations as part of the 12-week festival. | |
The arts celebration will cost £52.4m and include 1,000 events. | |
The full programme of the London 2012 Festival - the culmination of the four-year Cultural Olympiad - was unveiled in central London on Friday. | |
Music, theatre, dance, visual arts, literature, fashion and film will all be included in the festival that will run concurrently with the Olympic and Paralympic Games. | |
Speaking to the BBC News website on Thursday, Cultural Olympiad chair Tony Hall said the London 2012 Festival would be "the country's biggest ever cultural celebration". | |
"In a time of economic crisis I think we need art and culture even more than when the times are good," he continued. | |
'Wonderful idea' | |
According to Turner Prize-winner Creed, the nationwide chorus - entitled Work No 1197 - will be "a massive signal that something is happening". | |
Ruth Mackenzie, director of the Cultural Olympiad and London 2012 festival, said Creed's "wonderful idea" would get "everyone involved in the opening day of the Games". | Ruth Mackenzie, director of the Cultural Olympiad and London 2012 festival, said Creed's "wonderful idea" would get "everyone involved in the opening day of the Games". |
The bell-ringing is a new addition to the festival programme with many events already announced. | |
Other new commissions include the major art installations that will "encourage audiences to look at and experience iconic locations in a different way". | |
One, created by the Manhattan artist collective YesYesNo, will span the 86-mile length of the remains of Hadrian's Wall. | |
Another, fashioned by French street art group La Compagnie Carabosse, will transform Stonehenge into "a glowing fairy-tale environment". | |
In Northern Ireland, The Giant's Causeway will be transformed with a light installation by the German artist Hans Peter Kuhn. | |
In Edinburgh, meanwhile, runners wearing specially designed light suits will illuminate Arthur's Seat as part of the Speed of Light installation. |