£10m for arts commissions to commemorate First World War centenary

A programme of cultural activity will be launched early next year as part of the First World War centenary commemorations. Working under the title ‘14-18 NOW’, the programme will be launched in early 2014 and centre around three key moments: 4 August 2014, the Anniversary of the Declaration of War; July 2016, the start of the Battle of the Somme; and November 2018, the centenary of the Armistice. As perceptions of the First World War have been shaped by the poets, writers, painters, photographers, composers and film-makers of the time, contemporary artists from the UK and around the world have been invited to look afresh at the First World War and the wider social, political, scientific and technological developments of the period. Artists working across all artforms will aim to engage communities across the UK with a particular focus on young people, both as audiences and as participants. Jointly funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and Arts Council England, with each contributing £5m from their Lottery funds, 14-18 NOW will work in partnership with cultural organisations including the Royal Opera House, Tate Liverpool and Liverpool Biennial, Welsh National Opera and National Theatre Scotland to deliver the commissions. The programme will be directed by Jenny Waldman, who was Creative Producer for the London 2012 Festival. An associated programme of cultural activities by Imperial War Museums (IWM) will include the opening of new First World War Galleries at IWM London, a new major exhibition at IWM North and the launch of a digital platform ‘Lives of the First World War’. 700 digital resources about the First World War will be created for the centenary including digitised collections, virtual exhibitions, games, podcasts, films and videos and nearly 100 mobile apps relating to the First World War.