Arts in the UK Regions > The Cultural Olympiad       2012 Cultural Olympiad. London will host the Olympic Games in the summer of 2012. In keeping with the Olympic and Paralympic values, the Cultural Olympiad has been developed as the creative partner to the games. Comprised of a wide variety of art, film and music events, festivals and workshops, the Cultural Olympiad runs from September 2008 until the opening ceremony of the Games in 2012. The Cultural Olympiad will celebrate and inspire British creative talent and the UK creative industries, whilst developing important international cultural partnerships.           Artists taking the lead is one of the major projects of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad and is being developed by Arts Council England in partnership with London 2012 and the arts councils of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.   Twelve commissions of up to £500,000 will be awarded to create 12 new works of art across the country; one in each of the nine English regions, and in the nations of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.