Multimedia arts project wins Sycamore Gap tree commission after public vote

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.”

The winning project, chosen from a shortlist of six, received the highest combined score from the public vote and the judges, with the latter saying it demonstrated strong national resonance alongside local sensitivity.

Concept art for the three main strands of The People’s Tree. Illustration: Helix Arts x George King Architects/National Trust/PA

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.