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The National Lottery’s 30th birthday celebrations

Join us in celebrating the impact of National Lottery funding over the last 30 years.

The National Lottery, it's a Game Changer

For the past 30 years The National Lottery has supported Good Causes as a way to bring positive change to communities right across the United Kingdom and the Isle of Man.

Since the first draw was held in 1994, we've raised over £50 billion for good causes and awarded over 690,000 individual grants to projects and organisations, making a real difference to local communities.

Thanks to our players, we are able to strengthen local communities, power sports teams, support environmental projects, unleash creative talent, empower the elderly and unlock young people's potential.

To mark The National Lottery’s 30th Birthday, we’re creating a campaign that celebrates the incredible changes we’ve collectively delivered and seeks to inspire the next generation of good causes and players.

Our beneficiaries are integral to the Game Changing impact that National Lottery funding has across the UK. Thanks to your efforts, the £30m we contribute to good causes every week, changes lives every day. In short...

The National Lottery, it's a Game Changer

To mark this amazing milestone, we’re launching a show-stopping campaign in September, to make the undeniable impact of three decades of Lottery funding impossible to ignore.

Visit The National Lottery 30th Birthday website to view our toolkit and keep up to date on 30th birthday updates.

Black Swimming Association
Prime Minister Sir John Major buying a ticket to launch The National Lottery.

Photographer Thomas Duke recreates 30 iconic moments made possible by National Lottery funding

To celebrate The National Lottery’s 30th birthday and the impact of £50 billion in good causes funding, photographer Thomas Duke travelled the length and breadth of the UK to rephotograph 30 iconic images within the context of their original location. 30 Game Changing Moments from the last three decades that National Lottery funding has helped make possible.

Read the full story here.

Darren Henley, CEO of Arts Council England, film director, Gurinder Chadha, Alison Rashley, executive artistic director of Television Workshop, artist, Thomas Duke, actor, Vicky McClure, Andria Vidler, CEO of National Lottery operator Allwyn and Baroness Fiona Twycross

The National Lottery hits £50 billion Good Causes landmark

The National Lottery is today (19th November) celebrating its 30th birthday by announcing £50 billion has been raised for Good Causes. This historic double milestone represents one of the largest ongoing funding programmes for Good Causes in the UK’s history.

To mark the occasion 30 Game Changing Moments have been immortalised in an exhibition by photographer Thomas Duke – unveiled at The National Portrait Gallery in London and available to view online only. The photographer has used his unique style to highlight some of the most memorable cultural moments of the last three decades made possible with the help of National Lottery funding.

Read the full story here.

V&A display

UK-first AI artwork honours Arts & Film Game Changers to celebrate 30 years of The National Lottery

Created using state-of-the-art cognitive technology, the AI data painting, uses the brainwaves of seven Game Changers – who have had transformative impact across grassroots and iconic Arts & Film projects - to create a beautiful ever-changing projection inspired by their journey, work, inspirations, creative processes and impact. Re-imagining the iconic façade of the V&A’s Exhibition Road Courtyard building, the ‘Symphony of the Game Changers’ AI cognitive painting, is a UK-first artwork for Istanbul-based Ouchhh Studio, who use ground-breaking cognitive technology to illuminate iconic buildings across the world.

Read the full story here.

Clare Balding with Sport Game Changers

Sport Game Changers immortalised in poetry across the UK as part of 30th birthday celebrations

A poignant poem recognising the contribution of seven inspirational people to sport has been revealed at four sporting locations across the UK, as part of The National Lottery’s 30th birthday celebrations. Created by world-renowned Scottish contemporary artist and poet Robert Montgomery, the moving work marks 30 years of The National Lottery and its support of UK sport and was unveiled by broadcaster Clare Balding with a dramatic reading.

Read the full story here.

Artwork by artist David Popa at Whitby Abbey

Seven Heritage Game Changers celebrated with huge land-art installation as part of The National Lottery’s 30th Birthday

A giant land artwork the size of 4 Olympic swimming pools has been revealed at Whitby Abbey, as part of The National Lottery’s 30th birthday celebrations. Created by globally renowned MTArt artist David Popa, known for creating huge ephemeral artworks made out of natural materials, the ‘Heritage Tree’ marks 30 years of The National Lottery, and was unveiled by actor and broadcaster, Sir Tony Robinson.

Read the full story here.

Art installation honouring Community Game Changers unveiled

Celebrating 30 years: Art installation honouring Community Game Changers unveiled in London

Portraits of seven Game Changers appeared on the water at London’s iconic St. James’s Park, managed by The Royal Parks charity, in recognition of their game-changing impact on their respective communities with the help of National Lottery. Created by graffiti artist Luis Gomez De Teran, the images on Perspex screens appear to float on the water at the Royal Park and are unveiled by broadcaster, Adele Roberts.

Read the full story here.

The National Lottery 30th webinar

Find out all about the upcoming plans to celebrate The National Lottery's 30th birthday in our webinar.

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