Written evidence submitted by 14-18 NOW

Lessons from the First World War Centenary 2014 - 2018

Introduction

1. 14-18 NOW is the First World War Centenary cultural programme established by the Government in June 2013 to create a UK-wide arts programme that engaged the widest possible audiences with the First World War centenary.

2. 14-18 NOW worked in partnership with arts and heritage organisations across the UK to commission and present new artworks.

3. 14-18 NOW has been overseen by an independent board whose chairman Vikki Heywood CBE was appointed by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport.  The programme was curated by director Jenny Waldman CBE.  14-18 NOW was hosted by Imperial War Museums.

4. 14-18 NOW’s programme has been independently evaluated by Morris Hargreaves McIntyre (MHM). 

5. This evidence is to brief the Select Committee on the achievements and approach of, and key learnings from, 14-18 NOW.

Executive Summary

6. 14-18 NOW engaged 35 million people across the UK. 

7. Of these, 8 million people were under the age of 25.

8. The programme featured 107 projects producing 269 new artworks in 220 locations across the UK, as well as broadcast and online.

9. Artists were inspired by a range of First World War heritage, especially through the  archives of Imperial War Museums and other heritage organisations.

10. YouGov surveys in 2016 and 2018 evidenced 85% approval of 14-18 NOW’s key projects.

11. Free outdoor events significantly increased the number and diversity of people engaging with the centenary.

12. Working with broadcasters and social media greatly increased 14-18 NOW’s reach.

13. 30% of people who experienced 14-18 NOW’s commissions in 2018 reported that the First World War was now much more relevant, compared with 19% of people who’d marked the centenary in other ways.

14. 580 arts and heritage organisations across the UK worked with 14-18 NOW, from small independent organisations to national institutions.

15. 6,400 volunteers gave 136,000 hours of their time.

16. Major projects such as Peter Jackson’s film ‘They Shall Not Grow Old’ took place simultaneously right across the UK.

17. Other projects took place in 220 locations spread equitably across the UK.

18. 14-18 NOW’s major funders were the National Lottery distributors (£10million from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, £5million from Arts Council England and £0.3million from the National Lottery Community Fund) and the UK government (£14.1 million).  Their funding leveraged a further £25.6million from partners’ contribution and from funds raised by 14-18 NOW from other sources.

19. Contemporary artists have attracted new audiences to heritage and made the First World War more relevant to new generations.

20. The programme has extended understanding of the conflict, exploring hidden histories and contested heritage of the war.

21. 14-18 NOW has offered an alternative to the established commemorative approaches, allowing people to come together and mark the centenary on their own terms.

22. The Poppies tour shared the iconic artwork with communities across the UK and shone a light on regional stories of the First World War.

23. 14-18 NOW offers a valuable model for the future: initiated by the government, established independently and hosted within a major trusted institution.

• How were arts programmes leveraged to engage new audiences who may not otherwise have been aware of, or engaged in, commemorations?

24. 14-18 NOW was established to work with artists to engage new audiences with the centenary. 

25. 14-18 NOW’s programme engaged 35 million people across the UK,

26. Of the 35 million people 8 million were under the age of 25.  Of the 8 million young people, 4.3 million were children aged under 16.

27. All 14-18 NOW’s work was delivered in partnership with arts and heritage organisations from across the UK.  

28. Major projects in the programme included:

a)     ‘LIGHTS OUT’ (August 2014) inviting people to turn out their lights to mark the centenary of the start of the war;

b)     The ghost soldiers of ‘We’re here because we’re here’ (July 2016) marking the Battle of the Somme;

c)      ‘PROCESSIONS’ (June 2018) marking the centenary of women first winning the right to vote;

d)     Peter Jackson’s film ‘They Shall Not Grow Old’ (October 2018) technologically transforming IWM and BBC archive footage;

e)     Danny Boyle’s ‘Pages of the Sea’ (November 2018) on 32 beaches marking the centenary of the Armistice.

29. YouGov omnibus surveys in 2016 and 2018 evidenced wide public approval of 14-18 NOW’s programme.

a)     YouGov tested three projects with the UK public: ‘We’re here because we’re here’, the film ‘They Shall Not Grow Old’ and ‘Pages of the Sea’.  Approval ratings in each case exceeded 85%. 

b)     Even of people who didn’t commemorate the centenary in any way, 84% agreed that the 14-18 NOW programme was an appropriate way to mark the centenary.

30. Free culturally specific projects succeeded in attracting more culturally diverse audiences. 

31. 52 free outdoor events increased the number, and significantly diversified the demographic profile, of people engaging with the centenary, including people who don’t normally attend arts events.

32. Wide reach was greatly enhanced through working with the BBC, other broadcasters and social media, achieving 3 billion social media reach in 2018.

• Was using the arts more effective than a traditional approach to commemoration?

33. In 2014, more than one in three (36%) of the people who engaged with 14-18 NOW’ felt the First World War was more relevant to them, with younger people particularly feeling a greater increased sense of relevance.

The 36% figure compares favourably with 13% for people who had commemorated the First World War in 2014 but not through 14-18 NOW activity.

34. Similar outcomes were observed in in 2016 and 2018; the table below shows  attitudes reported in 2018.

35. A YouGov survey after 11 November 2019 found that 99% of respondents agreed that ‘Pages of the Sea’ was an appropriate way to mark the end of the First World War.

36. 64% of attenders at ‘Pages of the Sea’ reported that they felt that the First World War was now more relevant to them.  61% reported that the experience made them want to find out more about their own family in relation to the First World War.

a)     “It just brings it home to you, how brave all the soldiers were. It’s very nostalgic. It’s quite emotional, as well.” Attender, Pages of the Sea, Roker

b)     “It’s an event that’s drawn people together in a way that a standard cenotaph or church ceremony would not have done.” Attender, Pages of the Sea, Formby

37. ‘LIGHTS OUT’, ‘We’re here because we’re here’, ‘PROCESSIONS’, ‘Pages of the Sea’ and other projects invited people to participate in making the artwork, deepening the impact on participants.

• The Centenary commemorations aimed to reach school children and young people to connect them to the events and legacy of the First World War. To what extent did this happen?

38. 14-18 NOW’s programme reached 4.3 million children aged under 16 and 3.7 million young people aged 16-24.

39. Projects of particular impact with these age groups included ‘LIGHTS OUT’, ‘Letter To An Unknown Soldier’ (2014), the UK-wide Poppies tour to 19 locations (2015 – 2018), ‘Incredible Journeys’ (2016), ‘They Shall Not Grow Old’, ‘Make Art Not War’ (2018) and ‘Pages of the Sea’.

40. ‘They Shall Not Grow Old’: A free DVD of the film with bespoke learning resources was distributed free to every secondary school in the UK.  Teachers surveyed unanimously agreed that ‘The colourised footage made the conflict seem more recent and relevant to students’.

a)     ‘It was eye-opening and made me understand just how horrible it was there. I saw things that I haven’t seen or thought about before.’  Pupil

41. ‘Pages of the Sea’: 27% of almost 100,000 visitors to the beaches were in family groups with children under the age of 16.

42. 1.4 million young people aged between 16 and 24 years old participated in ‘LIGHTS OUT’.

a)     ‘My main reason for coming is my daughter - she saw it from miles away and she insisted, she’s nine years old, and she insisted that she be brought here - she will not forget this for her entire life.’  Attender, LIGHTS OUT, Spectra London

43. ‘Letter To An Unknown Soldier’ engaged with over 500 primary and secondary schools, with school-age children contributing approximately 15,000 of the 21,439 letters written to the Unknown Soldier.

a)     ‘I know in school the opportunities for collective commemoration are limited and it was such a unique opportunity to come together and remember.’  Teacher

44. Poppies tour: 20% of visitors (920,000 people) to the Poppies tour were under the age of 25.

• Did the commemorations inspire new community and volunteer involvement and engagement in the legacy of the First World War?

45. During the centenary 6,400 volunteers helped create and deliver the projects, giving 134,000 hours of their time.  3,600 people were volunteering for the first time.  Many of these volunteers have been retained by partners for future projects. 

46. Organisations reported that the high profile of the Poppies Tour made the recruitment of new volunteers easier than anticipated and strengthened relationships with current volunteers.

a)     ‘The high profile and publicly loved nature of the Poppies helped us bring in new volunteer recruits and encourage greater engagement with the museum or greater time commitment from existing volunteers.’  Poppies Tour presenting organisation

47. The following table gives a breakdown of the engagement of volunteers in the 2018 Poppies Tour.

48. Nearly 2,000 volunteers from 28 areas of the UK helped create ‘We’re here because we’re here’.

49. 100 community groups across the UK worked with artists to create banners for display in ‘PROCESSIONS’.

50. ‘Pages of the Sea’ achieved extensive community engagement through workshops and drop-in sessions, engaging more than 7,000 people across the UK.  Ten of its 18 beach locations in England were in areas with lower than average levels of arts engagement. 

• How effective was the distribution of events across the UK? Were all regions and nations fully able to participate?

51. The largest scale projects took place simultaneously across the UK, often enhanced by television, radio and online broadcast. 

52. The table below shows the geographic spread of 14-18 NOW’s projects.

• The Government and Lottery distributors made £50million available for the Centenary commemorations. Was this money spent effectively?

53. 14-18 NOW received £15.3million from Lottery distributors and £14.1million from UK Government funds. 

54. The funds from Lottery distributors were:

National Lottery Heritage Fund                                          £10million

Arts Council England                                                        £   5million

National Lottery Community Fund                            £0.3million

55. The Lottery and government funding to 14-18 NOW leveraged an additional £25.6million from a range of sources, including trusts, foundations, corporates, philanthropists and our partners’ contributions, to make a programme with the total value of £55million.  

56. Excluding the producing partners’ contributions of £19.69million, 14-18 NOW’s direct expenditure of £35.77million was divided as follows:

Programme                                                                      £28.70million (80.2%)

Marketing and Communications                            £  4.11million (11.5%)

Fundraising                                                                      £  0.99million (   2.8%)

Management and Overheads                                          £  1.97million (   5.5%)

57. This spend:

a)     engaged 35 million people across the UK

b)     created 107 arts projects featuring 269 new artworks, many of which will have a lasting future life

c)      presented events that engaged the whole of the UK, as well as works in 220 locations spread throughout the UK.  81% of projects took place outside London, and 61% were free

d)     achieved 3 billion social media reach and £73million media value for the 2018 season.

How well connected were cultural organisations taking part in the Centenary? How sustainable are the partnerships now that the commemorations have come to an end?

58. 14-18 NOW created its projects in partnerships with arts and heritage organisations.  Establishing productive relationships was essential to 14-18 NOW’s success. 

59. 580 UK and international arts and heritage organisations worked with 14-18 NOW, ranging from small local museums and independent arts companies to large festivals and national institutions. 

60. 14-18 NOW was considered a supportive, collaborative, flexible, transparent and approachable partner. 

61. Working with 14-18 NOW helped partners raised their own profile in the UK and internationally.

62. The financial support provided by 14-18 NOW and association with the brand helped partners secure funding from new sources.

63. Some of the partnerships established through 14-18 NOW will continue. 

a)     The National Theatre has already worked again with some of the theatres that partnered with it for the first time in Jeremy Deller’s ‘We’re here because we’re here’ on 1 July 2016. 

b)     In Cornwall, WildWorks and the Lost Gardens of Heligan worked together in 2014 and again in 2018. 

c)      The National Trust expects to work again with some of the organisations it partnered with for the the first time on ‘Pages of the Sea’.

d)     Tate Liverpool and Liverpool Museums have continued working together since their first collaboration on a 14-18 NOW project in 2014.

64. In the light of their experience during the centenary, IWM - 14-18 NOW’s host - have started working in new ways with contemporary artists to engage audiences with its collections and exhibitions.

• What are the overall lessons that can be learned for using the arts for commemoration, public participation in the arts, and volunteer involvement in local heritage initiatives?

65. Artists have found new ways to connect people with the First World War, attracting new audiences and a broader demographic including young people.

66. Artists have broadened audiences’ understanding of the conflict, often inspired by archives and museum collections. Stories providing new perspectives on the war have been told, including about the roles of colonial soldiers, the contribution of women on the battlefield and the home front, and social influences that still resonate.

67. 14-18 NOW’s artists have interpreted heritage on an individual, human level -  including within very large-scale projects - enabling audiences to connect emotionally and intellectually with the First World War.  

a)     ‘ … the piece was ingenious in giving me the stimuli to enable me to form my own interpretation, make my own mental assumptions and to draw personal associations and conclusions in a non-didactic yet inspirational way.’ Attender, Five Telegrams

68. 14-18 NOW projects have generated powerful models of creative practice to mark national moments, offering an alternative to the ceremonies of the church, state and military, and allowing audiences to discover and experience alternative forms of memorialisation and to mark the centenary on their own terms.

a)     ‘If you are looking for a new way to commemorate I think something like this, something a bit more artistic, for me I think that actually hits home a bit more. Traditional is great, it has its place. We do a lot of it, it shouldn’t change but having something in addition, something like this, is a good thing. ’ Attender, LIGHTS OUT Spectra

69. Artists have created ways for people to remember their personal and national heritage and offered contemporary interpretations of the conflict.  These include temporary and permanent memorials, using participation, targeted interventions, active engagement and social media.

a)     ‘It's so apt and poetic … this way of remembering them and saying goodbye to thank them for their sacrifice was perfect.  Almost like we were sending our thoughts towards their resting places on the other side of the sea.’ Attender, Pages of the Sea

70. Participation in UK-wide projects has created resonant shared moments, bringing people together locally and nationally.

71. 14-18 NOW’s free outdoor art projects have attracted a broader demographic than that of typical arts or heritage audiences, closer to the profile of the UK population.  The table below compares the audience profile for ‘We’re here because we’re here’ with the profiles of the UK population, and those of typical arts and heritage attenders.

72. 8 million young people were engaged with the centenary through their responses to artists’ creative approaches.

73. Over 40% of 14-18 NOW projects shifted the narrative away from a predominantly male, military perspective towards other perspectives, focussing for instance on the role of women on the homefront and on the frontline.

74. New aspects of First World War heritage have been shared with audiences, including technological inventions and developments; the contribution of artists to the war, and the music, literature and art inspired by the war; and the unknown, hidden or forgotten casualties of the war.

75. 14-18 NOW commissions have presented hidden histories and often difficult contested heritage in both literal and metaphorical ways, and shone a light on the global impact of the First World War.

76. The Poppies tour brought one of the iconic artworks of the centenary to communities right round the UK, helping throw a national spotlight on the particular local and regional stories of the First World War: Orkney’s role in the naval war, for example.

77. Projects have drawn extensively from local communities to recruit participants who performed or help present the work in those localities. This created a connection to ‘place’ and helped people feel more positive about their local area.

78. Staff at partner organisations have developed new skills or enhanced existing expertise, particularly about the approaches needed to deliver large-scale, high profile artwork work involving multiple partners.  Organisations developed new ways of working through challenging themselves artistically, working at scale or in non-traditional spaces.  Professionals involved believe there will be a legacy for their professional development, reputation and future careers.

79. The 14-18 NOW model of co-commissioning large-scale works in partnerships around the UK with artists creating new work for new audiences offers a valuable model for future important moments of reflection, regionally, nationally or internationally.

80. Having been initiated by the government, 14-18 NOW benefitted from independent governance and skilled professional artistic leadership enabling it to deliver high quality results and value for money within a tight timeframe.

81. 14-18 NOW’s relationship with IWM was crucial, benefitting from its established authority, extensive archive, respected advice and flexible facilitative support.

82. The excellent creative quality of the artworks was essential to achieving the programme’s success.

March 2019