The hugely ambitious new public artwork THE HERDS sees an ever-growing group of life-sized puppet animals stampede through cities across Africa and Europe, travelling north to flee climate disaster.
The new artwork by The Walk Productions vividly dramatises the climate crisis and will be in London from 27th – 29th June 2025.
THE HERDS began on 9th April in Kinshasa, and the animals have travelled through Lagos, Dakar, Marrakesh, Casablanca and Rabat, 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. The animals will travel through Europe, including events in Madrid, Marseille, Venice and Paris, before arriving in the UK.
The herd will arrive in London by crossing over Tower Bridge. In London:
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
The animals will be welcomed by a chorus of over 100 children in a performance with the Unicorn Theatre
A hunt breaks out on busy Camden High Street
After London, the puppet animals will continue their journey north to Greater Manchester (3rd – 5th 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.”
As the animals travel they will grow in numbers and species 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, wolves and red deer in Europe and reindeer in Norway. The puppets are made from upscaled and recyclable materials – primarily cardboard and plywood – with a focus on bio-degradable and organic materials.
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 will be able to follow THE HERDS online and via social media. Many more people will 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 at: artfund.org/theherds
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.
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The Scoop at More London Friday 27th June, 10am Free A chorus of 100 children from local primary schools and an ensemble of children aged 0 – 13 will call to the animals and ‘feed’ them breakfast. Award-winning children’s author Piers Torday is working with the team at the Unicorn Theatre to create the performance with input from the children themselves. In partnership with Bridge Theatre, London Bridge City, Potters Fields Park, St. JOHN and Unicorn Theatre
Soho to Somerset House Friday 27th June, 4.10pm Seven Dials 4.45pm Strand Aldwych 4.50pm Somerset House Free
In the heart of the West End, a wild chase begins. Some of London’s most acclaimed performers find themselves surrounded by wolves, wildebeest and lions. Can anything they say hold back the stampede? With appearances from the cast of Royal Shakespeare Company’s Matilda The Musical and a performance from The Royal Opera.
At Somerset House they will encounter London Design Biennale, the international exhibition showcasing world-leading design, innovation and creativity.
In partnership with Camden Council, King’s College London, London Design Biennale, Royal Ballet & Opera, Royal Shakespeare Company’s Matilda The Musical, Somerset House, The Conduit, Westminster Council
Coram’s Fields Saturday 28th 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.
In partnership with Bamboozle Theatre Company, Coram’s Fields and the Harmsworth Memorial Playground, GOSH Arts at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, Camden Council, TEDxLondon, Wimbledon College of Arts, UAL.
Camden High Street Saturday 28th June, 4pm Free
The rumbustious animals will roam free in London’s Camden High Street. In partnership with Camden Council
Westfield Stratford City and Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park Sunday 29th June, 3.15pm Westfield Stratford City – The Street 3.30pm Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park / Stratford Walk opposite Sadler’s Wells East Free
THE HERDS will encounter a dance intervention as they journey through east London.
Featuring specially commissioned choreography by Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist Alesandra Seutin, dancers try to stop THE HERDS in every possible way. Body to body. Hoof to arm. Horns to head, THE HERDS will travel through Westfield Stratford City to Sadler’s Wells East before disappearing into Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
In partnership with Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Sadler’s Wells, Stratford Cross, Stratford Shopping, Westfield Stratford City, UCL: University College London.
About
Presented by The Walk Productions, THE HERDS follows the international success of The Walk in 2021, which saw a 12-foot tall puppet of a Syrian refugee girl called Little Amal travel from Turkey to the UK.
THE HERDS is produced by David Lan and Tracey Seaward for The Walk Productions and created by Amir Nizar Zuabi with Executive Producer Sarah Loader.
THE HERDS is produced by The Walk Productions in association with: Tshoper Kabambi (Kinshasa); A Whitespace Creative Foundation (Lagos); Sarah Desbois (Dakar); Othman Nejmeddine (Morocco); Monica Hamill (Spain); Au Contraire Productions (France); X Equals Productions (UK); Factory International as part of Manchester International Festival (Manchester, UK); Givisme Foreningen (Denmark); Ulrika Josephsson with Parkteatern and Riksteatern (Sweden) and Olavsfest International (Trondheim, Norway).
Thepuppets are designed by Ukwanda Puppets and Designs Art Collective in South Africa (Luyanda Nogodlwana, Siphokazi Mpofu, Sipho Ngxola), Craig Leo, Simon Dunckley, Hansie Visagie, Tundra Dunckley, Kim Bednall and Artistic Director Amir Nizar Zuabi.
It is brought to life with support from the National Lottery through Arts Council England, The Backstage Trust, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Art Fund, ArtYard, Frederick Mulder Foundation, JKW Foundation and Maria Björnson Memorial Fund. With generous support from James Armstrong, the Hacking Family, Cheryl Henson, Danielle Lambert, Alexander Leff, Valerie Dillon & Daniel Lewis, Melony & Adam Lewis, Patrick McKenna and Paul Zuckerman. The initial prototypes of the animals were tested in partnership with Wimbledon College of Arts, UAL.
Wimbledon College of Arts, University of the Arts London (UAL) and TED Countdown are Foundation Partners of THE HERDS.
THE HERDS sustainability practices are designed in partnership with Hope Solutions and Renew Culture: Theatre Green Book.
The Emerging Company THE HERDS has introduced a pioneering training programme for aspiring puppeteers – The Emerging Company (E-Co). This initiative provides performers with a rare opportunity to receive professional puppetry training while travelling with THE HERDS for ten weeks across multiple countries.
The journey takes the Emerging Company from Southern Europe to Scandinavia, immersing them in world-class performances and hands-on learning alongside our expert team. This transformative experience not only develops their skills but also empowers the next generation of storytellers to bring urgent global issues to life through the art of puppetry.
The Walk Productions The Walk Productions presents large scale participatory public art that brings people together in events of artistic excellence, challenging assumptions, rethinking narratives and provoking change. Led by producers David Lan and Tracey Seaward, Artistic Director Amir Nizar Zuabi and Executive Producer Sarah Loader, The Walk Productions was founded in 2019 to create THE WALK: the journey of Little Amal, the 12 foot high puppet of a refugee child who has journeyed through 18 countries. Her multi award-winning journeys have been experienced by more than 2 million people live, and tens of millions more online. They have been lauded by organisations such as Comic Relief, UNHCR, UNICEF, UNESCO and IRC. She has met world leaders including His Holiness Pope Francis, President of the European Commission Ursula von Leyen, and Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations Amina Mohammed as well as the mayors of many world capital cities.
Ukwanda Puppets and Designs Art Collective The puppets for THE HERDSare designed by Ukwanda Puppets and Designs Art Collective (Luyanda Nogodlwana, Siphokazi Mpofu, Sipho Ngxola), Craig Leo, Simon Dunckley, Hansie Visagie Tundra Dunckley and Kim Bednall. They came together in 2023 in Cape Town, South Africa, with a background in designing, building and bringing to life some of the world’s most famous puppet creations including Little Amal and the War Horse puppets, both under the leadership of Handspring Puppet Company. In 2024 Ukwanda was awarded Best Puppetry Design at Fleur du Cap for Maxeke: This Work is not for yourselves. Ukwanda are resident artists at the Centre for Humanities Research, University of the Western Cape.
Wimbledon College of Arts, University of the Arts London Wimbledon College of Arts is a foundation partner of THE HERDS. Staff and students worked with The Walk Productions and Ukwanda Puppets and Designs Art Collective to develop and test blueprints of the animal puppets. The project was launched at Wimbledon in summer 2024. The College is dedicated to the study of theatre, screen and performance arts, training students to become innovative performers and experimental designers. It has an international reputation for producing performance graduates known for their creativity, technical accomplishment and professionalism. With a range of courses available – from acting and performance to design and digital production, covering live performance, set and costume design, model making and prop making, animatronics and prosthetics and puppetry – Wimbledon College of Arts is one of the UK’s leading performance colleges and committed to fostering sustainable practices within theatre-making.
