The mayor of London has urged that disabled artists and performers are given a higher profile in 2012.

Following the Liberty festival in Trafalgar Square on 5 September, Boris Johnson said he wants to ensure deaf and disabled people have a central role in the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Johnson said: ”The extraordinary variety of things going on at Liberty shows how important deaf and disabled artists are to London's cultural life and its creativity.

“It's about bringing the work of talented people to a wider audience – we will be working with 2012 to ensure the work of deaf and disabled people is properly showcased in three years time.”