The Bank of England recently released a list of British artists that could be the new face of the £20 bill. British citizens were asked to submit nominations over a two-month period on who they think should appear on the next £20 bank note.
According to The Bank of England, "During that time members of the public nominated visual artists who they believe helped to shape British thought, innovation, leadership, values and society."
As the nominations closed on July 19th, The Bank of England received a total of 29,701 nominations from 30,000 British citizens. A total of 592 eligible visual artists are now in the running to become the new face of the £20 bank note, including renowned designer Alexander McQueen.
Chief Cashier Victoria Cleland said, "I am delighted with the number of nomination we have received, and appreciative of the public's engagement in this new initiative."
Cleland adds, "The fact that so many visual artists have been put forward underlines the extent of British Achievement in the visual arts and reinforces why this field deserves to be recognized on the next £20 note."
Alexander McQueen is alongside Thomas Burberry, Jean Muir, Francis Bacon, William Hogarth, Leigh Bowery, Derek Jarman, Lucian Freud, Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth, Richard Hamilton, Pauline Boty, Alfred Hitchcock, Tony Scott, Stanley Kubrick, Corinne Day, Cecil Beaton, and Norman Parkinson.
The character will be announced spring 2016, including a conceptual design of the person who will be featured on the note. The brand new £20 bill will be in circulation within the next three to five years.
The "public nomination programme" was first announced by the Governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney, on May 19 at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.
View the full list of eligible visual artists for the new £20 bank note here.
