This text explores the cultural politics and poetics of the London Olympics. It begins by looking at the growth of ‘feel good’ art in the context of the economic recession. It goes on to discuss the contemporary role of poetry in public culture , and the relationship b between the aesthetics of sport and literature. It concluded with a detailed reading of the poetry commissioned for the Olympic Park.
The first version of the text was published in the poetry magazine Agenda in its Spring Issue 2012. Parts of it were also reproduced in Soundings 50 and on line by the History Workshop Journal.
View the full document here: The Cultural Olympiad: Carrying the Torch for Art?