National Memorial to Journalists on the Frontline

Introducing ‘End of Copy – Words of Light’

On Wednesday 22 April, On The Record unveiled artist @wolfgangbuttress’ winning design for the UK’s first national memorial to journalists killed in conflict, selected from 104 entries to a national @royal_sculptors design competition. Wolfgang is internationally recognised for artworks that explore the relationship between people, place and nature, often at moments of collective reflection. His stunning design was praised by judges including @mariabalshaw and @markmarkrichards for its emotional intelligence, restraint and enduring relevance, and for inviting contemplation without spectacle.

The winning design was unveiled by @chriselmoremp of the @foreignanddevelopmentoffice at an event hosted by @bloomberg at London Mithraeum Bloomberg SPACE.

The memorial will commemorate British and UK‑based journalists and media workers killed while bearing witness to conflict and will be accompanied by an online public record chronicling their lives and work.

Together, the memorial and digital archive will honour sacrifice, preserve memory and educate future generations about the cost of truth.

The permanent memorial is planned for @nat_mem_arb once fundraising and planning permission are complete, with a companion presence at @stbrideschurch

The project is supported by a steering group of senior journalists and media figures, in partnership with @press_gazette. Follow https://ontherecordmemorial.co.uk  to find out more and to support the campaign.

Click here to read the full press release.

On The Record Memorial: Shortlist of Artists/Designers Announced

The trustees of the On The Record Memorial, in partnership with the Royal Society of Sculptors, announced, on 11 March,  the shortlisted artists and designers for the National Memorial to Journalists on the Frontline. This memorial, to be located at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, with a sister piece at St Bride's Church, commemorates British and UK-based journalists who have lost their lives reporting from conflict zones. It will stand as a lasting testament to the courage, integrity and unwavering commitment of those who risk everything to bring truth to light.

Shortlisted Artists/Designers

Nicola Anthony MRSS

UK-based sculptor

“I see sculpture as a form of storytelling - an immersive experience where language, scale and placement guide audiences to deeper understanding.”

Nicola Anthony creates large-scale text sculptures and installations exploring truth, justice, freedom of expression and ethical storytelling. Her memorial-scale projects include works for Durham Cathedral and the USC Shoah Foundation, engaging audiences internationally.

Barbara Beyer MRSS & Tobias O’Connor

London-based artist duo

“Our work explores dialogue, correspondence and ethical storytelling through immersive, site-specific sculpture and sonic installations.”

Barbara Beyer and Tobias O’Connor collaborate on projects combining material experimentation, craft, performance and urban design. Their practice emphasises research, interaction, and reflective engagement with landscape, history and human experience.

Wolfgang Buttress

UK-based multi-sensory artist

“I explore the invisible connections between people and site, using structure, sound and light to create immersive, resonant spaces.”

Wolfgang Buttress has over 40 years of experience with multi-sensory, site-specific artworks such as The Hive at Kew Gardens and RISE in Belfast, focusing on audience interaction and emotional engagement.

Andy DeComyn

UK-based figurative sculptor

“I aim to create memorials that speak loudly and clearly, ensuring that the stories of those we commemorate are never forgotten.”

Andy DeComyn has 25 years’ experience in public sculpture and memorials. His notable works include the Shot at Dawn Memorial and several commissions located at the National Memorial Arboretum, delivering sensitive, educational and enduring installations.

Anna Gillespie MRSS

UK-based sculptor

“The human body is my lens for exploring personal and archetypal themes, creating sculptures that balance strength, vulnerability and witnessing.”

Anna Gillespie’s public sculptures, such as SHIP at Morecambe Bay, focus on readable, immersive works that encourage deep engagement with history, place and human experience.

Angela Palmer MRSS

Scottish sculptor

“I create large-scale works that translate science, history and journalism into immersive, narrative-driven sculptural forms.”

Angela Palmer’s major installations include The Ghost Forest, The Sphere That Changed the World and Deep Time. She combines journalistic insight, technical planning and public engagement to deliver memorial-scale artworks internationally.

Lee Simmons

UK-based sculptor

“I work at the intersection of sculpture, architecture and civic space, exploring how material and structure carry narrative and public meaning.”

Lee Simmons collaborates with architects, engineers and specialist fabricators to deliver permanent, technically robust public works, including Circadian at Marble Arch Place, London and the Great War Memorial in Victoria Street, London.

Vertigo Creative Studio

UK-based exhibition and spatial design studio

“Vertigo combines strong narrative clarity with robust, carefully detailed design, creating emotionally resonant installations in nationally significant contexts.”

Vertigo is an award-winning exhibition, interpretation and spatial design practice established in 2007. They specialise in permanent and temporary installations, including memorial landscapes, historic parks and sites of remembrance. Recent projects include the Hope Bell Covid Memorial in Queen’s Park, Loughborough.

Andrew Baud, trustee and judge for On The Record, said:

"From 104 entries, the judges arrived at a shortlist that signals our wish to create a landmark piece with ambition, credibility and serious artistic intent. The list comprises artists with international profile and conceptual depth, alongside designers who are well‑established memorial specialists. The approaches are a blend of conceptual and classical, and we are now keen to dig deeper into the proposals - from those experimenting with narrative to those using representational sculpture with emotional clarity. With every artist on the shortlist rooting their work in truth, witness and human experience, this memorial promises to honour frontline journalism with the gravity, coherence and integrity it deserves."

The Royal Society of Sculptors, in partnership with the On The Record memorial trustees, invites submissions from artists and sculptors to design and deliver an innovative and inspirational public artwork to be installed at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.

This memorial will commemorate UK and UK-based journalists killed in conflict and will form part of the wider On the Record memorial initiative.

The memorial, which will tell a compelling story, is to be funded through donations from those connected with the media and public subscription, with a total project budget, to include research and delivery of an online resource, of £1 million.

Within this, the memorial cost is estimated at £500,000, inclusive of design, production, transportation, installation and all ancillaries. A further £50,000 (inclusive) is to be set aside to enable either a scale version of the sculpture or a complementary work to be produced and installed within St Bride’s Church, Fleet Street. Initial fundraising efforts have seen up to £300k pledged, ahead of wider outreach to media owners and other potential donors.

This is an open call to UK-based artists and sculptors with experience in nationally and internationally important public commissions.

Read the press release here.

Q&A for artists

On Thursday 11 December, On the Record's Sarah Sands and Andrew Baud hosted a Q&A session for artists interested in applying for the National Memorial to Journalists on the Frontline. Click here to watch the recording.