Giant British Arts Fest to Run alongside Olympics

Cultural events will take over Scottish castles, ancient English monuments and every corner of London as part of a giant arts festival running in conjunction with the 2012 Olympics.

The lineup for the 12-week London 2012 Festival, announced by organizers Friday, ranges from pop-up William Shakespeare to vintage Alfred Hitchcock, and includes artists, musicians, writers and performers from Britain and around the world.

The festival opens June 21, 2012 — Midsummer's Day — with a series of concerts across the country, and runs to Sept. 9.

Britain's most famous cultural export, Shakespeare, plays a big part, with international festivals of the playwright's work staged by the Royal Shakespeare Company and Shakespeare's Globe theater.