Bread and Games, bread and games – the motif extends beyond Hunger Games into the world of politics. We have been reminded of its Roman origins by the television series Spartacus, and the recent film adaptation of Shakespeare’s Coriolanus. As avid ‘Sword and Sandal’ film fans (and of course, classicists) will know, in the Roman Republic consuls and tribunes encouraged the favour of their electorate through the provision of bread and games. 

The current coalition government faces the challenge of trying to recreate this popular enjoyment of bread and games – a challenge which, as last week’s council elections have shown, they have lost. Having declined to provide bread (the last budget maintained austerity measures) they now have the opportunity to compensate via the Games.

Yet the Olympics have already provoked distaste. The question of expense repeatedly arose during the preparation years when 2005 predictions estimated that they would cost £2.37 billion. The figure has now shot up to £12 billion, with a Sky Sports investigation revealing that this number could double by the end of the Games. As it is Londoners are displeased by the hassle that the hoards of visitors will engender. Transport for London has already put up posters asking commuters to consider travelling at earlier hours during the sporting events.

The organisation of the sports themselves have a formal, inflexible structure meaning that if the Olympics are to be rescued and somehow converted into political capital, this will have to be done via other means: the Olympic cultural calendar, through which the government has sought to communicate its message. 

Unknown to many, the founder of the Olympics (Baron Pierre de Coubertin) planned a competition that would simultaneously include sports and the arts. The ‘Pentathlon of Muses’ initially comprised contests in literature, architecture, painting, sculpture and music. This new addition to the Games was widened and pursued until the London Olympics of 1948, after which the concept of cultural competition was replaced by one of cultural festival. A host city is now required to organise one although the vague defining criteria of ‘a cultural festival’ give the host government the scope to theme it as they so desire. 

The 2012 London team came up with the motto ‘Inspire a Generation’, which offers an optimistic message to Britain’s youth in response, perhaps, to the increasing number of 16-24 year olds not in employment, education or training (1.04 million at the end of 2011). Added to this reality is the trauma of last summer’s London riots, which has been promptly buried in the Olympics’ ultra-positive vision of the city.

The first part of the London 2012 cultural celebrations was a four-year programme known as the Cultural Olympiad, Eighteen million participants and performers have taken part in its dance, music, cinema, literature, theatre and art events. However, it was relatively low-key in its public promotion. Participants saw its affiliation with the Olympic Games as circumstantial, rather than constitutive. 

Greater media attention has been given to the London 2012 Inspire Festival, which will span the months prior to and following the sporting competitions. There are 12,000 events planned, which will cost £100 million in total. Tellingly, the organisers have been quick to announce that the money will not come out of taxpayers’ pockets, but from the Olympic lottery fund.

The Government Olympic Executive, a unit within the Department of Media, Culture and Sport, has sought to highlight what is quintessential and most exportable of British culture: for instance, the London 2012 Inspire Festival has arranged an onslaught of Shakespeare for the stage and BBC. (including a production of A Winter’s Tale for two to four year olds). The World Shakespeare Festival has organised productions of thirty-seven of his plays in almost as many languages in Globe to Globe which is happening, unsurprisingly, at the Globe. These types of events target an international audience, potential buyers of the British brand.

Some obvious cultural highlights are more localised: Stephen Fry is doing a show tour, and a large Anish Kapoor sculpture (which the artist has compared to the Eiffel Tower) has been built in the Olympic Park. A lights and music show has been planned for the Lake District. By virtue of spreading their events across the country, the organisers have attempted to achieve wider, more democratic participation. Their ‘Discovering Places’ campaign encourages residents to visit the natural and historical landmarks in their neighbourhood.

Yet the majority of the publicity is given to the highbrow, sponsored shows, most of which will take place in London or other well-known tourist sites. The government is perhaps trying to encourage national pride by showing off Britain’s cultural heritage to visitors.  However, so far they have mainly succeeded in drawing attention to the costs and annoyance of the Olympics, with the reality of London’s economic difficulties clashing with the marketed portrayal of the city. Chances are their effort will be translated into prestige abroad, rather than votes.