Whatever you think about the 2012 Olympics, its legacy will be much more significant than a revitalised sporting infrastructure or the regeneration of east London. The true test of its success or failure will depend on how Brand Britannia is repositioned for the future.Cultural activities, therefore, should not be a mere side show to the main event, but an expression of the nation's talents and aspirations. The signs of this happening don't look so good, given the dull, token-istic logic of the recently announced CulturalOlympiad, the diversion of a massive proportion of Lottery arts funding to fund the Games, and the shambles of London's contribution to the Olympic handover ceremony in Beijing, which exposed a real poverty of imagination.Britain remains deeply suspicious of the C word, which is evident in the ODA's tender process to photograph construction of the Olympic Park, which placed quality low on the list of criteria.
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