Multimedia arts project wins Sycamore Gap tree commission after public vote

Preserved wood from the felled Sycamore Gap tree will be transformed into a living archive through a new public-commissioned artwork. Helix Arts and George King Architects were selected after a public vote, following a shortlist for a National Trust commission announced to commemorate the tree in September 2025. The project, The People’s Tree, will celebrate the sycamore through participatory storytelling, sound, and sculpture rather than a single static memorial. One strand invites people across the UK to contribute reflections on relationships with trees and nature, creating a national sound archive focused on memory, grief, and connection. The commission aims to balance national resonance with local sensitivity and provide a place for reflection and connections.

"A new artwork will transform preserved wood from the felled Sycamore Gap tree into a living archive after a public vote. The community arts charity Helix Arts and George King Architects were named winners of the vote on Saturday, after being shortlisted for a National Trust commission in March. Their joint proposal, The People's Tree', will celebrate the much-loved sycamore through participatory storytelling, sound and sculpture."

"The National Trust announced the commission to commemorate the Sycamore Gap tree in September 2025, two years after the illegal felling of the landmark beside Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland triggered widespread public anger and grief. The tree as it was can never be replaced, said George King. But what we can do is create a place for reflection and connections."

"Rather than focusing on a single static memorial, it has several interactive strands, one of which invites people from Northumberland and across the UK to contribute reflections on their relationships with trees and nature. These recordings will form part of a national sound archive designed to capture memory, grief and connection inspired by the loss of the Sycamore Gap tree."

"Cheryl Gavin, the director of Helix Arts, said the idea grew from a belief that the project should respond to that loss through participation rather than monument-making alone. We thought there was loads of potential for getting communities involved in this sense of hope. When tragedy strikes, you often lean into resilience, and a participatory arts programme felt like the right response, she said."

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