a different way to experience London so, beyond the celebration of British cultural icons - from Shakespeare to Hitchcock - the programme includes a range of surprising activities in unexpected places to showcase a 'hidden London'.THE CULTURAL LEGACY OF LONDON 2012The London 2012 Cultural Olympiad has aimed to advance the Olympic cultural agenda and prove that it is possible to expand the Games experience nation-wide and coordinate activity with diverse stakeholders. By the beginning of 2012, most of these promises have been met and could become a blueprint for future cultural programming. Conversations have already started with representatives from Rio 2016, which is the first Games to respond to a bidding proposition where culture is not treated as a separate chapter, but an integral part of the Olympic experience. The commitment towards extensive and varied research, observation programmes and evaluations of its immediate impact and legacy offers a strong indication that this will be possible. It is also an excellent reference for future Cultural Olympiad hosts, helping to ensure that this important dimension of the Games experience gains the visibility and recognition it deserves. ?Dr Beatriz García is Head of Research at the Institute of Cultural Capital and Senior Research Fellow in Sociology at the University of Liverpool. She has led research on the Olympic Games since 1999, undertaking data collection at eight Games to date. She has been involved as academic advisor on Culture and Education to the London 2012 team since the bid stage. Dr García is a member of the IOC Postgraduate Research Grant Selection Committee and has been appointed by London 2012 to conduct its Cultural Olympiad Evaluation. OLYMPIC REVIEW 65OLYMPIC RESEARCH CORNER

STAYING FOCUSEDOLYMPIC REVIEW SPEAKS TO THREE ATHLETES WHOSE OLYMPIC SOLIDARITY SCHOLARSHIPS ARE HELPING THEM REALISE A DREAM BY COMPETING IN THE LONDON 2012 OLYMPIC GAMES66 OLYMPIC REVIEW OLYMPIC SOLIDARITY