Behind the Scenes of an Exhibition: The Commissioning of Designs in the Records of the Festival Office

Abstract

Abstract The seventieth anniversary of the Festival of Britain occurs in May 2021, providing an opportunity to revisit various aspects of the Festival, not least the various archival collections. The Festival Office records at The National Archives U.K. comprises a range of materials with exciting research potential. This article introduces readers to the collection, highlighting the importance of these records as a unique design-research resource, intersecting with art and photography histories. It will examine the nature of the collection and provide research tips on how to negotiate it effectively. The vast administrative paperwork, some of it amassed through commissioning process, can provide other useful insights. One particular issue is gender in the design profession and how women fared within the Festival’s commissioning process. Previous studies have not only omitted the many lesser known contributions of female artists and designers, but also the nuanced reasons why women artists have not secured successful public commissions during the postwar era. By examining archived original designs by artists Prunella Clough and Hilda Chancellor-Pope, the article reflects on two very different women’s contributions to the Festival; and how decision-making in the commissioning process impacted on the overall look of designs as display.