A new arts initiative will be launched on 24 March in north west England in a bid to establish a lasting cultural legacy from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

WE PLAY, which is funded by Legacy Trust UK, will be led by Arts Council England (ACE), North West on behalf of newly-created regional partnerships incorporating education, culture and sport. The scheme will incorporate a series of innovative programmes across the north west region, combining digital, physical and virtual media over a four-year period between April 2009 and December 2012.

WE PLAY will include events such as Abandon Normal Devices, a regional festival of new cinema and digital culture, delivered in partnership with the Foundation for Art and Creative Technology (FACT), Liverpool; Cornerhouse, Manchester; and Folly, Lancaster. Other events include Lakes Alive, a scheme delivered by Kendal Arts International and Manchester International Arts to promote outdoor events in Cumbria, and New Cultural Journeys, a youth-led culture and sport participation project involving Lancashire City Council, Blackpool Borough Council and Creative Lancashire.

Aileen McEvoy, interim executive director of ACE North West, said: "For the north west, there are great opportunities for arts and culture to engage with new audiences, build community involvement and develop new partnerships through the focus on London 2012. "WE PLAY will work as a catalyst to drive a step change in the region’s creative and cultural sectors with an exciting programme of new cross sector cultural activity for the region that will serve as a content driver for the Cultural Olympiad and create a legacy beyond 2012."

Dugald Mackie, Legacy Trust UK chair, added: "The Games are about more than sport. They are a once in a lifetime opportunity to showcase the north west to millions of people across the world. "We believe that these projects will inspire and encourage people throughout the north west to get involved and will help leave a lasting legacy for the region."