The hugely ambitious new public artwork THE HERDS arrived in London this morning and the animals can be seen in events across the city until Sunday 29 June 2025.
The hugely ambitious new public artwork THE HERDS arrived in London this morning and the animals can be seen in events across the city until Sunday 29 June 2025. The new artwork by The Walk Productions vividly dramatizes the climate crisis as an ever-growing group of life-sized puppet animals stampede through cities across Africa and Europe, travelling north to flee climate disaster.
THE HERDS began on 9 April in Kinshasa, and the animals have travelled through Lagos, Dakar, Marrakesh, Casablanca, Rabat, San Fernando (Cádiz), Madrid, Venice, Marseille, Arles and Paris, encountering local musicians, artists, dancers and climate activists along the way. The animals have garnered a powerful response, with events to date drawing thousands of people to the streets, and even had the chance to meet His Majesty the King as part of London Climate Action Week.
This morning, THE HERDS arrived in London by crossing over Tower Bridge. Once in the capital:
- The animals were welcomed by a chorus of over 100 children in a performance with the Unicorn Theatre
- THE HERDS will stampede through Soho, across the Strand Aldwych to Somerset House encountering performances, theatrical readings and music along the way, including a performance from The Royal Opera and an appearance by Royal Shakespeare Company’s Matilda The Musical
- In a performance created by Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist Alesandra Seutin the animals will crash with dancers as they travel from Westfield Stratford City to Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
- Audiences are invited to take part in a torch-led night-time safari in St James’s Park
- A hunt will break out on busy Camden High Street set to the electrifying sounds of Ms. Mohammed
After London, the puppet animals will continue their journey north to Greater Manchester (3 – 5 July) where they will open this year’s Manchester International Festival. They then travel through Scandinavia to the Arctic Circle.
Amir Nizar Zuabi, Artistic Director of THE HERDS, said:
“THE HERDS is an urgent artistic response to the climate crisis, a living, breathing call to action that stampedes across continents. Through the beauty and ferocity of these life-size creatures, we aim to spark dialogue, provoke thought, encourage engagement and inspire real change. Meet us wherever you can.”
The animals have grown in numbers and species along their route including elephants, giraffes, antelope and lions, reacting and adapting to each new environment and its challenges. Some local species will join THE HERDS along the route such as vervet monkeys in Nigeria and reindeer in Norway. There will be up to 70 puppets in London, with red deer and wolves joining THE HERDS for the first time. The puppets are made from upscaled and recyclable materials – primarily cardboard and plywood – with a focus on bio-degradable and organic materials.
More than 100 Londoners have taken part in a week-long puppetry training experience, and will join as performers in THE HERDS in the London events.
THE HERDS is engaging with global climate organisations – including WWF, United Nations Environment Programme, Save the Elephants, Wild Africa, Global Rewilding Alliance and TED Countdown – as well as numerous arts organisations, scientists, artists, zoologists, politicians, climate activists, universities and civil society groups across Central, West and North Africa and Europe to present one united call for action.
As well as joining events in-person across the route, audiences are be able to follow THE HERDS online and via social media. Many more people can also get involved through arts and education workshops, activities and performances on the theme of climate change and conservation, inspired by THE HERDS and supported by Art Fund, with 44 museums and galleries across the UK. The Art Fund Programme can be seen here.
THE HERDS is included on Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and cultural app powered by Bloomberg Philanthropies. The Bloomberg Connects platform will give audiences a behind-the-scenes insight into the work of many of the internationally renowned artists co-creating the public art events for THE HERDS.
THE HERDS Foundation Partners are TED Countdown and Wimbledon College of Arts, University of the Arts London (UAL). The initial prototypes of the animals were tested and built by Wimbledon College of Arts students.
See the full programme of London events here including this one at Coram’s Fields which is local to EC1:
Coram’s Fields
Saturday 28 June, 10am – 12.30pm
Free – Pre-registration required
An invitation to the children of London to come and meet THE HERDS up close, at Coram’s Fields, a space dedicated to children’s play and exploration. Within the park setting, children will join in puppet making, creative play, and even try some puppetry.
