14-18 NOW

A five-year programme of extraordinary arts experiences connecting people with the First World War.

14-18 NOW - The Story So Far14-18 NOW

Lights Out (2014) by 14-18 NOW14-18 NOW

Perceptions of the war have been shaped by the artists of the time, including poets, painters, photographers and film-makers – many of whom served and who reflected on the war and its effects. One hundred years later, today’s artists are opening up new perspectives on the present as well as the past.

Poppies: Weeping Window, Liverpool (2015) by Mark McNulty14-18 NOW

Working with arts and heritage partners all across the UK, we commission new artworks from leading contemporary artists, musicians, designers and performers, inspired by the period 1914-18.

They Shall Not Grow Old (1918) by Imperial War Museum14-18 NOW

Since the start of the First World War centenary in 2014, 14-18 NOW has commissioned over 325 artworks, which have been seen by more than 30 million people.

Lights Out (2014) by 14-18 NOW14-18 NOW

Lights Out

Bedwyr Williams, Bob and Roberta Smith, Nalini Malain, Ryoji Ikeda and Jeremy Deller

War Horse joins LIGHTS OUT14-18 NOW

Lights Out (2014) by 14-18 NOW14-18 NOW

On 4 August 2014, the people of the United Kingdom were invited to participate in Lights Out by turning off their lights from 10:00-11:00 p.m., leaving on a single light or candle for a shared moment of reflection.

Lights Out (2014) by 14-18 NOW14-18 NOW

Over 1,000 local authorities; iconic buildings; national organisations, including the BBC and the Royal British Legion; parish councils; and places of worship extinguished all but one of their lights to mark the occasion.

Lights Out (2014) by 14-18 NOW14-18 NOW

"The lamps are going out all over Europe; we shall not see them lit again in our lifetime"

Sir Edward Grey, British Foreign Secretary, 4 August 1914

Ryoji Ikeda, Will Eckersley, 2014, From the collection of: 14-18 NOW
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Taking Sir Edward Grey's statement as inspiration, 14-18 NOW commissioned four international artists to create public artworks in Cardiff, Belfast, Edinburgh and London that responded to the idea of a single light continuing to shine through darkness.

Ryoji Ikeda, Will Eckersley, 2014, From the collection of: 14-18 NOW
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Ryoji Ikeda, Will Eckersley, 2014, From the collection of: 14-18 NOW
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Bob and Roberta Smith, Artes Mundi, 2014, From the collection of: 14-18 NOW
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Bedwyr Williams, 14-18 NOW, 2014, From the collection of: 14-18 NOW
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Nalini Malani, 14-18 NOW, 2014, From the collection of: 14-18 NOW
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Nalini Malani, 14-18 NOW, 2014, From the collection of: 14-18 NOW
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LIGHTS OUT - Nalini Malani - In Search of Vanished Blood, From the collection of: 14-18 NOW
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Letter to an Unknown Soldier (2014) by Dom Agius14-18 NOW

Letter to an Unknown Soldier

Kate Pullinger and Neil Bartlett

LETTER TO AN UNKNOWN SOLDIER14-18 NOW

Letter to an Unknown Soldier (2014) by Dom Agius14-18 NOW

If you could say what you wanted to say about that war, with all we’ve learned since 1914, with all your own experience of life and death to hand, what would you say?

If you were able to send a personal message to this soldier, a man who served and was killed during World War One, what would you write?

Letter to an Unknown Soldier (2014) by Dom Agius14-18 NOW

The response to this project was extraordinary. By the project’s close 21,439 people had written to the soldier.

HOW DID THAT LETTER GET TO HIM ?14-18 NOW

Letter to an Unknown Soldier, Dom Agius, 2014, From the collection of: 14-18 NOW
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Letters arrived from all over the United Kingdom and beyond, and many well-known writers and personalities contributed.

Malorie Blackman reads her LETTER TO AN UNKNOWN SOLDIER, From the collection of: 14-18 NOW
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Letter to an Unknown Soldier, Dom Agius, 2014, From the collection of: 14-18 NOW
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Poppies: Wave at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park (2015) by Getty14-18 NOW

Poppies: Wave and Weeping Window

By Paul Cummins Artist & Tom Piper Designer

Stunning drone footage of Poppies: Wave and Weeping Window14-18 NOW

Poppies: Weeping Window, Liverpool (2015) by Mark McNulty14-18 NOW

The sculptures were initially conceived for the installation "Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red" at the Tower of London in the summer and autumn of 2014.

Imperial War Museum (1915) by 14-18 NOW14-18 NOW

On completion, it was agreed that the works of art at the heart should be preserved for the nation.

Imperial War Museum (1915) by 14-18 NOW14-18 NOW

The presentation of these sculptures to new audiences across the UK aims to prompt a new, nationwide dialogue around the legacy of the First World War.

Poppies: Wave at Imperial War Museum North (2018) by Anthony Devlin14-18 NOW

Poppies: Weeping Window, Liverpool (2015) by Mark McNulty14-18 NOW

2015

St George's Hall, Liverpool

Poppies: Weeping Window, Liverpool (2015) by Mark McNulty14-18 NOW

Poppies: Weeping Window at Woodhorn Museum (2015) by Colin Davison14-18 NOW

Woodhorn Museum

Poppies: Wave at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park (2015) by Getty14-18 NOW

Yorkshire Sculpture Park

Poppies: Weeping Window at St Magnus Cathedral, Orkney (2016) by Michael Bowles14-18 NOW

2016

St Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall

Poppies: Wave at Lincoln Castle (2016) by Stuart Wilde14-18 NOW

Lincoln Castle

Poppies: Wave in Lincoln14-18 NOW

Poppies: Weeping Window at Black Watch museum (2016) by Lisa Ferguson14-18 NOW

The Black Watch Museum, Perth

Poppies: Weeping Window is coming to Perth, Scotland14-18 NOW

Poppies: Weeping Window at Caernarfon Castle - Drone Video14-18 NOW

Caenarfon Castle

Poppies: Weeping Window at Hull Maritime Museum (2017) by 14-18 NOW14-18 NOW

2017

Hull Maritime Museum

Poppies Tour: The role of Hull fishermen in WW114-18 NOW

Poppies: Wave at Barge Pier, Shoeburyness, Southend-on-Sea (2017) by Getty14-18 NOW

Barge Pier, Shoeburyness, Southend-on-Sea

Poppies: Wave in Shoeburyness, Southend-on-Sea14-18 NOW

Poppies: Weeping Window at The Silk Mill, Derby (2017) by 14-18 NOW14-18 NOW

The Silk Mill, Derby

Poppies: Weeping Window at The Silk Mill, Derby, Richard Stonehouse, 2017, From the collection of: 14-18 NOW
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Poppies: Weeping Window at the Silk Mill in Derby, From the collection of: 14-18 NOW
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Poppies: Weeping Window at Y Senedd The National Assembly for Wales (2017) by Geoff Caddick14-18 NOW

Y Senedd, The National Assembly for Wales

Poppies: Wave at CWGC Plymouth Naval Memorial (2017) by Gideon Mendel14-18 NOW

CWGC Plymouth Naval Memorial

Poppies Tour in Plymouth: Interview Highlights14-18 NOW

Poppies: Wave in at the CWGC Plymouth Naval Memorial14-18 NOW

Poppies: Weeping Window at Ulster Museum, Belfast (2017) by Darren Kidd14-18 NOW

Ulster Museum, Belfast

Poppies: Weeping Window at Ulster Museum, Belfast – Drone Footage14-18 NOW

Poppies: Weeping Window at Ulster Museum, Belfast14-18 NOW

Poppies: Weeping Window, Hereford Cathedral (2018) by Gideon Mendel14-18 NOW

2018

Hereford Cathedral

Poppies: Weeping Window at Hereford Cathedral14-18 NOW

Poppies: Weeping Window, Hereford Cathedral, Gideon Mendel, 2018, From the collection of: 14-18 NOW
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Poppies: Weeping Window at Hereford Cathedral in the snow, From the collection of: 14-18 NOW
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Poppies: Weeping Window Hereford Cathedral - Interview with Professor Kate Williams, From the collection of: 14-18 NOW
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Poppies: Wave, Fort Nelson (2018) by Tabatha Fireman14-18 NOW

Royal Armouries, Fort Nelson

Poppies: Wave at Royal Armouries, Fort Nelson14-18 NOW

Poppies: Weeping Window, Carlisle (2018) by Gideon Mendel14-18 NOW

Carlisle Castle

Poppies: Weeping Window at Carlisle Castle - Timelapse Footage14-18 NOW

Poppies: Weeping Window at Carlisle Castle14-18 NOW

Poppies: Weeping Window at Middleport Pottery, Stoke-on-Trent (2018) by Jeff Spicer14-18 NOW

Middleport Pottery, Stoke-on-Trent

Poppies: Weeping Window at Middleport Pottery, Stoke-on-Trent14-18 NOW

Poppies: Weeping Window at Middleport Pottery14-18 NOW

Poppies: Weeping Window at Imperial War Museum, London (2018) by Stuart Wilson14-18 NOW

Imperial War Museum, London

Poppies: Weeping Window at Imperial War Museum, London, Stuart Wilson, 2018, From the collection of: 14-18 NOW
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Poppies: Weeping Window at IWM London, From the collection of: 14-18 NOW
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Poppies: Wave at Imperial War Museum North (2018) by Anthony Devlin14-18 NOW

Imperial War Museum, North

Poppies: Wave at IWM North, Manchester14-18 NOW

Fashion & Freedom (2016) by 14-18 NOW14-18 NOW

Fashion & Freedom

Vivienne Westwood, Holly Fulton, Roksanda, J JS Lee, Emilia Wickstead, Sadie Williams, Showstudio, Luke Snellin

Fashion & Freedom14-18 NOW

Fashion & Freedom, Layla Sailor, 2016, From the collection of: 14-18 NOW
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Leading female designers created contemporary pieces inspired by the profound changes in women’s dress that occurred during the First World War.

charlotte malyon, 14-18 NOW, 2016, From the collection of: 14-18 NOW
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The exclusive designs were presented in an exhibition alongside historic wartime selections drawn from Manchester Art Gallery’s renowned costume collection.

Emilia Wickstead, Jez Tozer, 2016, From the collection of: 14-18 NOW
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Fashion & Freedom also showcased the next generation of fashion talent through contributions from students at five British fashion colleges.

The new designs, a series of specially commissioned original short films complementing the garments on display and the students’ contributions combined to bring a modern-day sensibility to the fashions of this landmark era in women’s history.

Holly Fulton, Jez Tozer, 2016, From the collection of: 14-18 NOW
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Holly Fulton, sketch, Holly Fulton, 2016, From the collection of: 14-18 NOW
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"The tailored suit, jumpsuit, shorter hemlines, short hairstyle and trousers are all part of everyday wear in the 21st century, but their life began through the First World War."

Darrell Vydelingum, Creative Director, Fashion & Freedom

J JS Lee, Jez Tozer, 2016, From the collection of: 14-18 NOW
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J JS Lee, sketch, J JS Lee, 2016, From the collection of: 14-18 NOW
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Fashion & Freedom by Manchester Art Gallery14-18 NOW

Memories of August 1914 (2014) by Ant Clausen14-18 NOW

Memories of August 1914

Royal de Luxe

Memories of August 1914 (2014) by Ant Clausen14-18 NOW

Liverpool hosted one of the most astonishing events of the 2014 centenary when it welcomed the Giants onto its streets in a city-wide spectacular stretching across five uninterrupted days.

Memories of August 1914 (2014) by Ant Clausen14-18 NOW

The Royal de Luxe retold the story of the famous Liverpool Pals Battalions, the young men who volunteered alongside their next-door neighbours, family members and friends to fight for Britain on the battlefields of Europe.

Memories of August 191414-18 NOW

Memories of August 1914 (2014) by Ant Clausen14-18 NOW

Memories of August 1914 (2014) by Ant Clausen14-18 NOW

"There aren’t many entities that can leave Liverpool audiences dumbstruck. But that’s precisely what Royal De Luxe achieved…"

British Theatre Guide

They Shall Not Grow Old (1918) by Imperial War Museum14-18 NOW

They Shall Not Grow Old

Peter Jackson

They Shall Not Grow Old (1918) by Imperial War Museum14-18 NOW

Peter Jackson has created a new film using original footage from Imperial War Museums’ extensive archive.

They Shall Not Grow Old (1918) by Imperial War Museum14-18 NOW

WW1 proved to be a landmark in cinema history - the first time that the horrors of war could be caught on camera.

They Shall Not Grow Old (1918) by Imperial War Museum14-18 NOW

Many hours of dramatic footage were filmed on the battlefields, capturing the realities of the conflict in remarkable detail.

They Shall Not Grow Old (1918) by Imperial War Museum14-18 NOW

They Shall Not Grow Old (1918) by Imperial War Museum14-18 NOW

They Shall Not Grow Old (1918) by Imperial War Museum14-18 NOW

They Shall Not Grow Old (1918) by Imperial War Museum14-18 NOW

They Shall Not Grow Old (1918) by Imperial War Museum14-18 NOW

Kermode Uncut: They Shall Not Grow Old14-18 NOW

World Premiere - Peter Jackson's They Shall Not Grow Old (2018)14-18 NOW

Five Telegrams (2018) by Justin Sutcliffe14-18 NOW

Five Telegrams

Anna Meredith & 59 Productions

Anna Meredith 'Five Telegrams' - Trailer14-18 NOW

Five Telegrams (2018) by Ryan Buchanan14-18 NOW

Five Telegrams was presented at the Royal Albert Hall for the opening night of BBC Proms on 13 July and was part of the Standard Life Opening Event at the Edinburgh International Festival on the 3 August.

Five Telegrams (2018) by Ryan Buchanan14-18 NOW

BBC Proms - Anna Meredith: Five Telegrams (excerpt)14-18 NOW

Five Telegrams, Justin Sutcliffe, 2018, From the collection of: 14-18 NOW
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A separate virtual reality project came in two iterations: The first was Nothing to be Written, a seven-minute immersive experience inspired by one of the First World War’s primary communication modes, the ‘field postcard’. The second: a 25-minute experience from ‘within’ the Royal Albert Hall featuring Five Telegrams.

Five Telegrams, 14-18 NOW, 2018, From the collection of: 14-18 NOW
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Five Telegrams, 14-18 NOW, 2018, From the collection of: 14-18 NOW
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Five Telegrams, Justin Sutcliffe, 2018, From the collection of: 14-18 NOW
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BBC Proms: Anna Meredith: Five Telegrams - Sender & Receiver14-18 NOW

Five Telegrams (2018) by Justin Sutcliffe14-18 NOW

Five Telegrams - Richard Slaney of 59 productions14-18 NOW

Fly By Night (2018) by David Levene14-18 NOW

Fly By Night

Duke Riley

Fly By Night at GDIF 201814-18 NOW

Fly By Night (2018) by Victor Frankowski14-18 NOW

Fly By Night paid homage to the military pigeons that played crucial roles delivering messages between distant personnel.

1500 LED-lit pigeons soared into the skies above the River Thames in a glorious spectacle of unprecedented scale and beauty.

Fly By Night by Duke Riley, LIFT 201814-18 NOW

Fly By Night (2018) by David Levene14-18 NOW

Fly By Night (2018) by David Levene14-18 NOW

Fly By Night (2018) by Victor Frankowski14-18 NOW

Credits: Story

14-18 NOW is a five-year programme of extraordinary arts experiences connecting people with the First World War. Working with arts and heritage partners all across the UK, we commission new artworks from leading contemporary artists, musicians, designers and performers, inspired by the period 1914-18.

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions (listed below) who have supplied the content.
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Armistice Day
Commemorating the end of the First World War
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