Olympics chief Lord Coe has thanked the people of Lincolnshire for backing a programme of events around the county which have been held as part of the Cultural Olympiad.
 
The Igniting Ambition Lincolnshire Showcase has been running across the county for the past six months and has featured events as diverse as community knitting sessions, the appointment of Lincolnshire's own Poet Laureate, the digital arts festival Frequency and a celebration of all things 'normal'.
 
Lord Coe’s message was relayed to the organisers of the 12 events which made up the showcase at a celebration gathering held at the Holiday Inn Express in Lincoln on Thursday (November 17).
 
It said: “Your support for the Cultural Olympiad through the London 2012 Inspire programme is much appreciated. The London 2012 Games will be a fantastic spectacle but it's about so much more than the Games themselves.

“Projects like those which have taken place in Lincolnshire have helped to inspire people, which is a fundamental aim of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.”
 
 
The team behind the Showcase has been delighted with its success. “This has been an amazing way for people in Lincolnshire to connect with the Olympics and Paralympics,” said David Lambert, director of Lincoln-based cultural solutions, (note to subs – lower case c and s are corr) which managed the Showcase on behalf of the county council and other funders.

“The diverse range of events has included knitting, children’s theatre, literature, street performance, digital art and music.

“All 12 have had one thing in common – they created art that travels through Lincolnshire’s landscape, giving as many people as possible the chance to appreciate it and, more importantly, join in.
 
“We were always mindful of the leaving a significant legacy in the county and the fact that thousands of people took part and many went on to form lasting connections which will result in more events in the future is a great achievement in the run-up to 2012.”

Paul Brookes from Igniting Ambition told the audience the morning he spent hearing about the Lincolnshire projects was one of the most inspirational he’s had in the four years he’s  been  involved with the Cultural Olympiad in the East Midlands.

And Wendy Hutchinson from Lincolnshire County Council added: “Igniting Ambition has really lived up to its title in so many ways for people across the county.”
 
 The programme, which had the theme Connecting Communities, began in April and featured 12 events – Knit2Gether, the Lincolnshire Golden Threads (Poet Laureate and Lincoln Hay Day), The Lyric Lounge in Stamford, Lincoln and Alford, The Trivia of Eccentric England, First Light on Tour, The Charter of the Forest, The Labours Astronomical Dance, Beam! International in Lincoln, soundSPORT, Moving Colour and Games Time at the SO Festival in Skegness, Dark Materials at Tattershall Castle, Sa Fire in North Kesteven and the Frequency digital arts festival in Lincoln.

Igniting Ambition is a programme for the East Midlands funded by Legacy Trust UK, an independent charity set up to create a cultural and sporting legacy from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the European Regional Development Fund and the East Midlands Development Agency, with the support of Arts Council England and many others.