January 1, 1970

A keen amateur painter himself, Churchill is the inspiration for today’s young artists and designers. In a unique design competition reflecting Churchill’s recognition of the importance of the arts to national life and innovation, design students are capturing the essence of Churchill for a modern audience – in fine art, photography, illustration and design.

The Churchill Centre (UK) works with Pentland Group, itself a champion of design and innovation, on this annual Pentland Sir Winston Churchill Design Competition. The Competition challenges students of visual arts from all over the world to be original, creative and innovative in inventing Churchill for a contemporary audience.

The shortlisted entries and winner of 2014’s Winston Churchill Design Competition are testament to Churchill’s rich and varied life and the great creative talent in design schools. The three selected competition finalists were invited to exhibit their pieces at the annual Sir Winston Churchill Dinner 2014 in London, attended by guests including actors Robert Hardy and Julian Fellowes, and the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson.

In 3rd place was Paul Firth from Buckinghamshire New University for his graphic cards depicting the different facets of Churchill’s personality. In 2nd place was Emily May from Falmouth University, for her scarf design inspired by Churchill’s letters which speak of his love of nature and the important relationships in his life. The 1st place prize went to Olivia Wojcik from Nottingham Trent University for her unique animation telling the story of Churchill’s life and his many achievements.

2024 International Churchill Conference

Join us for the 41st International Churchill Conference. London | October 2024

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Churchill has influenced other artists, too, including musicians. Listen here to indie band, States of Emotion, who’ve played Glastonbury in the past, performing one of their tracks, ‘Fight on the Beaches’. The song was written by lead singer, Olly Hookings, and was inspired by listening to Churchill’s speeches on LP when he was a child, with his father.