MD3193 Fourth Plinth Programme 2024-27

1.1    The Fourth Plinth Programme is a powerful manifestation of London’s leading position as a world-class cultural capital and is referred to as the ‘UK’s biggest sculpture prize’. Over the past 23 years the Fourth Plinth in the northwest corner of Trafalgar Square has been home to some of the world’s most innovative artworks; and has become a global exemplar in commissioning public art. Since Mayoral Decision (MD) 2185 was approved in August 2021, one commission has been unveiled. In 2022, the critically acclaimed artwork Antelope by Samson Kambalu was unveiled. Due to the official mourning period for HRH Queen Elizabeth II, the unveiling and related events were delayed by two weeks. It still, however, achieved significant, worldwide coverage.
1.2    MD2185 approved the initial allocation of funding of £672,000 for the Fourth Plinth Commissioning Programme over financial years 2021-22, 2022-23 and 2023-24. This funding covered the delivery of the entirety of Samson Kambalu’s commission; the majority of funds for the next commission by artist Teresa Margolles and the associated launch event; long-listing and shortlisting for the next two commissions for 2026 and 2028; the public exhibition of, and consultation on, the shortlist; and any associated public engagement programmes (including the annual Fourth Plinth Schools Awards competition).
1.3    The most recent shortlist exhibition took place at the National Gallery for six weeks in Spring 2021 and was seen by 120,000 people, generating significant press interest. In-person attendance was reduced owing to social-distancing restrictions arising from COVID-19. However, an enhanced digital offer was available on the London.gov.uk website and the Bloomberg Connects app. The shortlist exhibition received 17,500 public votes (along with many comments): a 75 per cent increase on the previous year. The evaluation of public comments concluded that the programme receives an unusually high level and quality of engagement from the public, with overwhelmingly positive responses (93 per cent). 
1.4    In February 2024, the next Fourth Plinth Shortlist Exhibition will open at the National Gallery, covering the 2026 and 2028 commissions. The public will have the opportunity to comment on the shortlisted proposals, through a London.gov.uk web form, to which QR codes in the gallery will link (the gallery received 226,000 visitors in the same period the previous year). The details and images of the proposals are also available online, for those who are unable to visit the exhibition in person. There will be a press announcement in January 2024 that will preface the exhibition launch and the opportunity for the public to vote, with further press and marketing activity at the time of launch. Then in March 2024, following an analysis of public comments and feasibility studies on the seven presented proposals, the 16th and 17th commissions will be announced. These will be installed in 2026 and 2028 respectively. The longlisting process for the following round begins in Autumn 2025 and concludes with new shortlisted proposals in Winter 2026-27. 
1.5    GLA funding for 2024-27 will be in the form of a grant to the 16th and 17th commissioned artists of up to £230,000 each. This funding amount comprises a £30,000 artist fee, and £200,000 for production costs. The production costs have increased for the first time in 10 years, in response to increases in material and service costs. This will also enable the artists (and their fabricators) to meet heightened environmental sustainability requirements. Artists are required to provide proof that production costs over and above the grant amount will be met. However, additional external funding may be sought by the GLA to assist in meeting the costs of delivering and enhancing this project.
1.6    If, after display on the Fourth Plinth, the sculpture is sold, the GLA is entitled to recoup its production costs. Income received from the sale of the sculpture will go back into the Fourth Plinth Programme.
1.7    Each round of the Fourth Plinth Programme covers four years, to allow for the significant fabrication period for each commission, and appropriate lead-in time for installation and unveiling. Grant agreements with artists extend across this period, with appropriate break clauses relating to GLA budget-setting processes. 
1.8    In January 2019, Westminster City Council took the unprecedented step to award planning permission to the Fourth Plinth Commission for 2022 and 2024, without knowing the artists or the work. This demonstrated significant confidence in the Fourth Plinth Programme’s track record. A further, blanket permission will be sought for the next two commissions covered by this decision. 
1.9    The GLA will be responsible for procuring and entering into contracts for the decommissioning of the current sculpture; and the production and safe installation of the 16th and 17th commissions. The GLA will also begin the process of assembling the next longlist and shortlist for the eighth commissioning round. 
1.10    Arts Council England (ACE) has previously supported the Fourth Plinth Programme to deliver the commissions and the public engagement activity. A further application to ACE will be made in 2024.
1.11    Grants from Arts Council England are through application and are not guaranteed. However, ACE has a continuing relationship with the programme, and an application will be developed in line with officer advice. The engagement aspects of the programme can be scaled if the grant is not received, although alternative funding would still be sought elsewhere, such as from trusts and foundations, to ensure that engagement activity continues and the objectives of the programme are met. 
1.12    In 2021 Bloomberg Philanthropies became the first headline supporter of The Fourth Plinth 2021-23. They committed to £250,000 of funding to the programme to support the artists’ commissions and to increase engagement activity, including enhancing visitors’ digital experiences by including the Fourth Plinth in its free Bloomberg Connects app. This offers access to 250 museums and other cultural organisations and interventions. It has been downloaded by two million people worldwide. 
1.13    The annual Mayor of London Fourth Plinth Schools Awards engages schools across London with the Fourth Plinth programme, by inviting students to respond to the commissions. The programme reaches all boroughs in London; it encourages children to engage with the commissioning process and consider the issues of use of public spaces. Winning entries are exhibited at City Hall. The programme started in 2008 with 250 entries and it has since reached more than 30,000 students in total. 
1.14    In consultation with the Fourth Plinth Commissioning Group and international nominators, 25 artists worldwide were longlisted for the 2026 and 2028 commissions. Seven were shortlisted and given a grant of £6,000 each to produce a maquette of their work, and these will be displayed in the shortlist exhibition at The National Gallery as part of the wider public engagement programme. A Memorandum of Understanding has been entered into with National Gallery, which has committed to a continuing relationship with the Fourth Plinth Programme and to hosting future shortlist exhibitions. The shortlisting process has been independently assessed and shown to be a model of best practice – demonstrated by the fact that it has since been used by the High Line Art Programme in New York.
1.15    The expenditure for this programme is detailed in the table below. 

2.1    The objectives of this investment are to:
•    promote and support an enhanced public realm in London, and make world-class art available to all for free
•    demonstrate how London's public realm is inclusive, safe and accessible; and that these values are reflected in the policies, processes and people that create, inform and adapt the city’s public spaces
•    engage Londoners with the cultural and community life of their city, physically and through digital resources
•    provide a visible signifier of a best-practice approach to representation in the public realm
•    maintain the global significance of the Fourth Plinth Programme as an exemplar of best practice for commissioning in historic and high-profile heritage sites
•    promote London nationally and internationally encouraging tourism through high-quality cultural activity and helping to maintain London’s reputation as a global city for culture. 
2.2    The outputs of the Fourth Plinth programme include:
•    production and launch of the 16th and 17th Fourth Plinth Commissions
•    delivery of annual School Awards and the related Public Engagement Programme 
•    delivery of wider public engagement activity, including digital and online resources, to build in-depth engagement with the Fourth Plinth Programme and the built environment, particularly Trafalgar Square
•    delivery of the eighth commissioning round, including scoping for other routes for further public engagement
•    delivery of the next Fourth Plinth shortlist, and the Shortlist Exhibition, in Winter 2026-27 to support the development of the 18th and 19th commissions.
2.3    The outcomes of this investment will be to:
•    improve representation in public realm
•    engage Londoners with the cultural and community life of their city
•    bring high-quality, international art to the centre of the city, and make it free and accessible for all
•    champion London’s position as a creative capital and supporting creative careers
•    promote ownership of London’s public realm
•    connect young people with the public spaces in which they are growing up.
 

3.1    Under section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, as a public authority, the Mayor of London must have ‘due regard’ to the need to eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation; and to advance equality of opportunity, and foster good relations, between people who have a ‘protected characteristic’ as defined in the Equality Act 2010 and those who do not. 
3.2    The proposed programme outlined in this report will enable the continued creation of opportunities for Londoners, creating positive social and economic impact in the capital. The programme seeks to ensure that all Londoners, regardless of whether or not they have protected characteristics, are empowered to enjoy, experience and benefit from being creative and taking part in London’s cultural offering. In 2021, 120,000 people visited the Fourth Plinth Shortlist Exhibition at the National Gallery; and 17,500 voted on their favourite Fourth plinth proposal. The final commissions are seen by 40,000 people every day.
3.3    The Fourth Plinth commissioning process has been independently evaluated and recognised as operating a model of best practice for commissioning public art. Additional recommendations have been implemented to attract nominations from every continent through the shortlisting process, ensuring a genuinely diverse collection of artists are considered.
3.4    The current Fourth Plinth Commission has been made accessible by the inclusion of a braille panel on the plaque, and an audio description of the work on the GLA’s website. Additionally, the Fourth Plinth Guide on the Bloomberg Connects app is translated into 36 languages.
3.5    The Shortlist Exhibition will take place at The National Gallery. It is a fully accessible venue. The gallery and its collections are free for everyone, as will be the Shortlist Exhibition. The gallery has comprehensive Equalities and Diversity Policy, an anti-racist commitment and statement on cultural diversity across its exhibitions and collections. The Gallery's policy is to represent people of achievement in British history and culture and they continually review how to fulfil it and how to respond to the changing nature of society.

3.6    The programme also seeks to ensure that more children and young people in London have an opportunity to access free arts and cultural activities. This is achieved in particular through the delivery of the Fourth Plinth the Schools Awards, an art competition for children in primary and secondary schools across all London boroughs.
 

Risks 
4.1     The key risks to the programme are outlined in the table below: 

Links to Mayoral strategies and priorities 
4.2    The programme outlined in this decision supports the following Mayoral strategies: 
•    Culture for All Londoners, the Mayor’s strategy for culture, which outlines an ambitious vision to ensure all Londoners can engage with and contribute to the capital’s rich cultural offering on their doorstep.
•    Inclusive London, the Mayor’s equality, diversity and inclusion strategy, which sets out that a successful city needs to work well for all residents. Everyone should be able to share in its prosperity, culture and community life – regardless of age, social class, disability, race, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, or whether they are pregnant/on maternity leave.
•    The Mayor’s Social Integration Strategy, which aims to improve social integration in London. This means enabling people to have more opportunities to connect with each other positively and meaningfully; and supporting Londoners to play an active part in their communities and the decisions that affect them. It involves reducing barriers and inequalities, so that Londoners can relate to each other as equals. 
Impact assessments and consultations
4.3    The programme aims to facilitate maximum public engagement in the Fourth Plinth Commissioning process. For each shortlist the public is asked to express preferences on the proposed sculptures within the context of participation in art. The culture team worked closely with third-party consultants and evaluators, as well as the GLA’s external affairs teams, to maximise engagement in this process. A similar process will take place during the shortlisting of the artists for future commissioning rounds. 
4.4    Consultation will also take place with the Fourth Plinth Commissioning Group, which consists of professionals from across the arts, broadcasting and engineering sectors. The Group is chaired by Ekow Eshun, independent broadcaster and curator; and attended by the Deputy Mayor for Culture and Creative Industries.
4.5    This programme will align with work relating to MD2814: Increasing Diversity in the Public Realm. A member of the Fourth Plinth Commissioning Group is also represented on the Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm. 
4.6    The GLA’s Cultural Strategy Group for London (known as the Mayor’s Cultural Leadership Board) is a statutory group comprising senior leaders from across the creative and cultural industries. These ambassadors shape the Mayor’s Culture Strategy and represent diverse voices across the industry. 
4.7    The announcement of Lord Robin Janvrin as chair of the newly established Queen Elizabeth Memorial Committee is welcome. The Committee will put forward proposals for a national memorial and a legacy for how best to pay tribute to our longest serving monarch. The Mayor and the GLA stand ready to support the Committee in its work. The Mayor has already committed to support the Committee’s recommendation in the event that this is to place the memorial on GLA-owned property. 
Conflicts of interest
4.8    No GLA officers involved in the drafting or clearance of this Mayoral Decision is aware of any conflict of interest with the proposed programme.
 

5.1    Approval is being sought for: 
•    revenue expenditure of up to £780,000 from 2024-25 to 2026-27, to deliver the Fourth Plinth Programme, including unveiling of the commissions in 2026 and 2028; the eighth shortlist in 2024; the annual Schools Awards Competition; and digital content to engage new audiences 
•    the receipt and expenditure of ACE grant income of up to £75,000 to supplement the programme; and up to £250,000 sponsorship from alternative sources to support the programme 
•    capital expenditure of up to £250,000 from 2024-25 to 2026-27 
•    delegated authority to the Executive Director, Good Growth, to: seek and accept further financial contributions from third parties; and approve expenditure to enhance activities as appropriate, without the need for a further decision form. 
5.2    The planned profile of the GLA expenditure is shown below:

5.3    The total GLA funded expenditure is planned to be £1,030,000. The GLA contribution will be supplemented by further expenditure of £75,000 funded by additional ACE grant income and up to £250,000 of sponsorship from alternative sources.
Revenue expenditure 
5.4    In relation to the revenue expenditure for this programme, £260,000 per year has been included as part of the Mayor’s draft budget for the Culture, Creative Industries and 24-Hour City Unit for 2024-25; as well as in the indicative plan for 2025-26 and 2026-27. This budget is subject to formal approval as part of the Mayor’s budget-setting process for each year. To mitigate any risk of the programme not being sufficiently resourced following conclusion of the budget-setting process, all contracts and grant agreements should include break clauses that can be exercised if required. 
Capital expenditure 
5.5    The proposed capital expenditure of £250,000 is currently scheduled to be incurred between 2024-25 and 2026-27. This relates to capital grant provided to the artist for production costs. Budget for this expenditure has been included within the draft Mayor’s budget for 2024-25, and in the indicative plan for 2025-26 and 2026-27. The budgeted source of funding for this capital expenditure is from GLA revenue contributions. In order to mitigate any risk of the programme not being sufficiently resourced in future years to cover costs, following the conclusion of the budget-setting process, all contracts and grant agreements will include the usual break clauses that could be exercised if required. 
Third-party grant contributions and sponsorship 
5.6    The Culture and Creative Industries Unit will seek third-party contributions in the form of grant income and sponsorship totalling up to £325,000 (ACE funding of up to £75,000, and other sponsorship of up to £250,000) to enhance programme delivery up to the end of 2026-27. At this stage no third-party contributions have been secured, but the receipt and associated expenditure of any secured income streams will be covered via this approval. Approval for expenditure of any specific items equal to or greater than £325,000 is to be delegated to the Executive Director of Good Growth (for which approval is also being sought). 
5.7    It should also be noted that commitments against third-party income streams will only be entered into once the contractual agreement has been secured with the grantor and/or sponsor. All appropriate budget adjustments will be made.

6.1    The decisions requested of the Mayor fall within the statutory powers of the Authority under the Greater London Authority Act 1999 (the Act). Under section 378 of the Act, the Authority has a duty to promote tourism to Greater London. The activities described in sections 1 to 4 of this report can fairly be described as activities that will promote tourism to London.
6.2    In formulating the proposals, in respect of which a decision is sought, officers have complied with the Authority’s related statutory duties to:
•    pay due regard to the principle that there should be equality of opportunity for all people
•    consider how the proposals will promote the improvement of health of persons, health inequalities between persons and to contribute towards the achievement of sustainable development in the United Kingdom 
•    consult with appropriate bodies.
6.4    In taking the decisions requested, the Mayor must have due regard to the Public Sector Equality Duty – namely the need to eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct prohibited by the Equality Act 2010; and to advance equality of opportunity, and foster good relations, between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic (race, disability, sex, gender reassignment, age, sexual orientation, religion) and persons who do not (section 149 of the Equality Act 2010). To this end, the Mayor should have particular regard to section three (above) of this report.
6.5    Section one of this report indicates that part of the sought budget will amount to the provision of funding. Officers must ensure that the funding is distributed fairly; transparently; in accordance with the GLA’s equality policy and subsidy control rules; and in a manner that affords value for money in accordance with the GLA Contracts and Funding Code. Officers must ensure that an appropriate funding agreement is put in place and executed by the GLA and the recipient before any commitment to funding is made. To the extent that any of the proposed expenditure concerns payments for services, those services must be procured in liaison with TfL Procurement and in accordance with the GLA’s Contracts and Funding Code; and that contracts are put in place between and executed by the GLA and contractors before commencement of such services. 
6.6    The Mayor may delegate the exercise of the GLA’s powers to the Executive Director, Good Growth should he wish.
6.7    There should be no reliance placed upon, nor commitment made to, expenditure that is subject to the: 
•    Arts Council England funding until a binding commitment is in place for that funding 
•    2024-25, 2025-26 and 2026-27 budget-setting processes, until that process has been completed and the corresponding budgetary provision has been approved. 
 

7.1    The project will be delivered according to the following timetable: