The Cultural Olympiad was a series of events across the UK which showcased arts and culture.  Together with its culmination, Festival 2012, it was the largest cultural celebration in the history of the modern Olympic and Paralympic Games. 

The Olympic Lottery Distributor granted £16.5m of National Lottery funding to the Cultural Olympiad supporting a number of its major projects and events.  Specifically, National Lottery funds have supported elements of: 

• Discovering Places
• Film Nation
• Outdoor Commissions
• River of Music
• World Shakespeare Festival
• Unlimited

As part of the Cultural Olympiad and Festival 2012, the OLD has also funded a programme of outdoor arts projects.