A DESIGN competition has been launched for a new sculpture at the National Memorial Arboretum.
The national contest will help to create a the UK’s first memorial to British and UK-based journalists who have lost their lives reporting in conflict zones.
A complementary sculpture will also be installed at St Bride’s Church in Fleet Street as part of the On the Record initiative.
The competition is being run in partnership with the Royal Society of Sculptors, with submissions open until 9th January 2026. Shortlisted artists will be invited to present maquettes and costings in March, with installation planned for spring 2027.
Chair of Trustees, Sarah Sands, former editor of BBC Radio 4’s Today programme and the Evening Standard, said:
“Journalists bear witness to the worst of humanity so that the world cannot turn a blind eye to it.
“The memorial will be a place to reflect on their courageous dedication to the truth and to remind future generations of the preciousness and the cost of free speech.
“We are proud to launch this competition and invite artists to imaginatively express these journalists’ stories.”
The On The Record campaign was conceived at the time of the death of war correspondent Marie Colvin in Syria in 2012.
Since then, at least 17 UK journalists have been killed while reporting from conflict zones.
Among those supporting the campaign is Karola Zakrzewska, whose brother Pierre Zakrzewski was killed while reporting for the UK-based division of Fox News while in Ukraine in 2022. She said:
“Pierre believed deeply in the power of journalism to shine a light in dark places. He risked everything to tell the stories that mattered.
“This memorial means his sacrifice – and that of so many others – will not be forgotten. It’s a way of putting their stories ‘on the record’ for generations to come.”
The On the Record trustees have confirmed initial funding pledges of £300,000 out of a total campaign target of £1million.
The launch of the design contest today (2nd November) coincides with the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists – a date chosen to highlight the risks faced by media professionals and the need for greater protection.
For more information on the competition, visit www.ontherecordmemorial.co.uk.