United 4 Peace
Bath Abbey, February 2026
Ukrainian fundraising concert held at Bath Abbey (UNESCO site) on 24 February, marking the 4th anniversary of Ukraine's resistance against Russia's full-scale invasion, bringing together musicians, choirs, and Ukrainian refugees.
£15,000
Raised in total
280
Attendees
93%
Capacity
110
Musicians directed
What was the scale and ambition of the United 4 Peace concert?
United 4 Peace was a large-scale cultural event held at Bath Abbey, one of the most prestigious venues in the South West of England and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Coordinating 110 musicians and performers across two major headline works, the concert achieved 93% capacity with 280 attendees, drawing local residents, Ukrainian refugees, and dignitaries alike. The programme combined world-class orchestral performance with original audiovisual art, live choir, and a charity auction — making it a highly complex, multi-layered production that required exceptional coordination and creative vision to bring together.
What was your specific role in the production of the concert?
Serving as stage designer, visual lead and production coordinator, the role demanded both creative and logistical leadership across every layer of the event. This meant designing the visual and spatial experience of the stage at Bath Abbey, leading the audiovisual direction of A Woman's War, and coordinating the movement and placement of 110 musicians and performers across the full programme. Directing that scale of talent — spanning LSO musicians, community choirs, Ukrainian refugee vocalists and guest soloists — within a live heritage venue required precise planning, clear artistic vision, and the ability to hold together many complex moving parts simultaneously. The result was a seamless, emotionally powerful evening that felt unified in its purpose and presentation.
What were the outcomes and why do they matter?
The concert raised £15,000 in a single evening, all of which will fund the Restart 2025 Veteran Rehabilitation Centre in Oleksandriya, Ukraine — a project dedicated to giving veterans a space to recover and rebuild. Beyond the financial result, the event succeeded in bringing together an enormously diverse group of people: professional musicians, community performers, Ukrainian refugees, and local dignitaries, all united around a shared purpose. The response from attendees, performers, and community figures confirmed that the project achieved something rare — a genuine fusion of artistic excellence and humanitarian impact that resonated deeply with everyone present.
About
On 24 February 2026, the community gathered at Bath Abbey (UNESCO World Heritage site) for United 4 Peace, a large-scale fundraising concert marking the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The evening brought together 110 musicians and performers before an audience of 280 people, achieving 93% capacity. The programme featured two headline works: the String Nonet by Ukrainian composer Illia Bondarenko, performed by world-class musicians, and A Woman's War, a stunning audiovisual production by composer Kornélia Nemcová and artist Natália Štojková. The concert concluded with the Ukrainian National Anthem, led by Illia Bondarenko and sung by Ukrainian refugee Yuliia Lut, accompanied by The Argyle String Orchestra, the Courage Choir and local singers.
Impact
The evening raised a total of £15,000 through ticket sales, refreshments, donations, and a charity auction — including the sale of a canvas print of Banksy's Borodianka graffiti for £1,000. All proceeds will go directly to the Restart 2025 Veteran Rehabilitation Centre in Oleksandriya, a dedicated space for the rehabilitation and recovery of Ukrainian veterans. The concert was attended by local dignitaries including Deputy Lieutenant Thomas Sheppard, former Commonwealth Secretary General Dr Carl Wright, and former Mayor of Bath Marian McNeir MBE, reflecting the significance and reach of the event within the wider community.
Significance
United 4 Peace was more than a fundraiser — it was a powerful tribute to the strength and resilience of Ukraine, a celebration of its culture, and a poignant act of community solidarity. Bringing together professional orchestral musicians, community choirs, Ukrainian refugees, and local residents, the concert demonstrated how music and culture can unite people across backgrounds in support of a shared humanitarian mission. As Argyle String Orchestra violinist Tim described it, the evening was "a real masterpiece of planning and determination," with every technical and artistic element working in harmony to create something truly memorable.
