Holy Biscuit wins cultural approval from Olympic organisers

The London 2012 Organising Committee has given the go-ahead fora community arts project linked to the Methodist Church to featureas part of the Cultural Olympiad.

LOCOG awarded an Inspire Mark- its official seal of approval - to the Outside/In project, whichwill see young people and adults from different parts of Newcastletelling stories about themselves, their history, culture andcommunities through art. The artists' work will feature as fourexhibitions at TheHoly Biscuit from March through to July 2012. The Holy Biscuit(formerly Shieldfield Methodist Church) is a community arts spacepartnered with The Methodist Church and The Biscuit Factory - anindependent art gallery in Newcastle upon Tyne.

Ish Lennox, Olympic and Paralympic Games Coordinator for theMethodist Church, said: "It's fantastic that a Methodist projecthas won an Inspire Mark. We are completely committed to engagingwith the Cultural Olympiad. Methodist Christian Discipleship islife-long and whole life. Arts and culture is a vibrant andessential part of that wholeness. Being awarded an Inspire Markfrom LOCOG is a great achievement."

The Outside/In project will showcase as four exhibitions: The StJames Drama Project; Images of our Newcastle; Togetherness andPlaytoon. The overall goal of the project is to widen socialintegration and personal development, as well as provide space fora legacy of community engagement with the arts.