A Living History installation celebrates 30 years of LIPA
Wednesday 17 June 2026
As part of LIPA's 30th anniversary celebrations, a new immersive installation has transformed the war memorial courtyard into a celebration of the people, stories and creativity that have shaped LIPA over the last three decades.
Created by graduate Chris McCourt in collaboration with Mark Featherstone-Witty, A Living History invites visitors to explore LIPA's origins, achievements and continuing legacy.
“When I was first approached to design the war memorial installation, my instinct was to move away from a linear narrative,” Chris told us. “Rather than presenting a fixed sequence of past, present, and future, I wanted to create something that felt alive, a space shaped through conversation, reflection, and exchange.”
A Living History features several distinct elements. The Memory Wall, a floor-to-ceiling facade of drawers and cabinets, is the central feature of the installation, highlighting key moments from our history from the Late Her Majesty The Queen’s visit in 1996, all the way to LIPA being awarded its own degree awarding powers in 2025.
The installation also features interactive displays inspired by LIPA's six guiding pillars, and visual collages celebrating graduates and members of the LIPA community. One permanent feature, Woven Credits: Behind the Curtain, has been designed as a lasting tribute to donors who have contributed to LIPA over the last 30 years. This piece is constructed from name plaques woven together to form a fabric-like surface, evoking the image of a stage curtain drawn slightly aside.
“At its core, the installation explores LIPA’s creation and its creative DNA; its people, spaces, stories, and impact allowing past, present, and future to coexist simultaneously within one environment,” Chris reflects. As we mark our 30th anniversary, A Living History offers an opportunity to celebrate the creativity, collaboration and community that have defined LIPA's first 30 years, and will continue to define its future for decades to come.
