Discovering Places where you Live

Tags: events | London | Olympics | youth activity

Discovering Places Weekend 1st - 3rd May 2010 is an opportunity to show off projects which involve young people in exploring the places where they live.

Discovering places are looking for activities across the UK which will drive their campaign forward by encouraging people to explore places across the country they have never been to before.

The event is intended to demonstrate the goals of the campaign, which is looking for activities that target new audiences.

Projects could take the form of partnerships between local organisations, working to display their favourite corners in their homes and communities.

The Weekend encourages people to show off their flagship projects, and all participants in the weekend will be recognised on the 2012 website and promoted through London 2012 newsletter database.

After the event, opportunities will be given to showcase activities and share people's stories of their experience on London 2012 new media channels.

They are looking for existing activity-organisers looking to take their project further to promote London to the potential tourists.

Organisations and groups will help to inspire people to uncover the potential of the natural environment in the United Kingdom, or to discover the contemporary built or historical environment.

The idea is to take the Games beyond London and encourage everyone, especially young people, to feel part of the experience.

Examples of the projects Discovering Places are looking for are:

• a local authority working with its cathedral and pulling in arts and countryside teams to deliver an integrated series of activities across the three days
• A young person leading a walk to their favourite unexpected places in their neighbourhood.

Discovering Places is a three year campaign by Heritage Link and part of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad.

It's designed to give people the opportunity to discover and be inspired by historic and contemporary buildings, public spaces and natural spaces.

This means starting projects or using existing ones to bring people together, to benefit from showing off the hidden beauty of historic and contemporary buildings, public spaces and natural places such as parks and unrecognised landmarks in and around the cities, towns and villages.

The project is about breaking with tradition to excite new audiences, and finding for people and groups in the UK to communicate, and therefore Heritage Link is particularly keen to involve young people with fresh ideas and enthusiasm.

To qualify as a Discovering Places event, it must be free at point of access, must meet the simple aims of attracting new people, especially young people, and must be designed particularly to surprise local people and to increase accessibility.

To apply simply complete the registration form, including the following information:

• What your idea is
• When it would take place
• Who you want to attend

Email your completed form to c.bull@heritagelink.org.uk before 29 January, with a view to starting the programme on the May weekend.

To find out more about the Discovering Places weekend or any of their other projects visit the Heritage Link website.