Artists Taking The Lead London Shortlist

The Cultural Olympiad is a vast and sprawling beast of an idea, attempting to gear up the entire country into a participative cultural and sporting frenzy ahead of 2012. Artists Taking The Lead is one of the Olympiad's major projects, a competition to find 12 new works of public art for the UK, one of which is for London. The shortlist of 59 artists with big ideas was announced this week and includes beehives, crocheted lions, an Arctic island for the south coast and cloud sculptures. But what's in the running for London?

Martin Creed, of Tate sprinting fame, wants a city-wide bell ring (and another James revival?)

Simon Elliott and Auro Foxcroft want to breathe life into 12 of our landmark buildings, with the help of Open House, charging them with the Olympic spirit. Could we end up with an anxious Lloyds building? An empathising Turbine Hall? An animated erotic Gherkin? Alfie Dennen's a step closer to brightening up your top deck commute with his LED plans for your Bus Stop roofs.Fuel want to make your Underground journey a fantasy adventure commissioning theatre makers to create installations in tube carriages.

Nitin Sawhney wants to connect stay at home musicians across the world with the Global Bedroom Orchestra, culminating in an open air performance with a live orchestra playing simultaneously with bedroom broadcasters and decorated with freerunners.

We could immediately whittle the list down to 2 or 3 of our favourites but what do you think? The artists will now receive a development grant to work up their idea to present to the judging panel in late September. The commission is for half a million quid from the regional Arts Councils and London 2012 so this better be good. Vote for your favourite or rip 'em to shreds in the comments.