The 75th anniversary of this landmark event is a timely reminder of how art can bring people together

Launched by King George VI on 3 May 1951, the Festival of Britain was conceived as a “tonic” for a nation battered by war, debt and rationing. At a time of ongoing global conflicts and austerity, there are parallels with today.

Its impact in 1951 is hard to overstate. What buildings remained were smoke-blackened; the air was full of smog. Into this dreary landscape, the festival was an explosion of colour and creativity, offering a dazzling vision of the future.

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