How you can have your say on a lasting legacy to felled Sycamore Gap
Voting is now open for the public to select the artist who will create a new public artwork from the wood saved after the illegal felling of the much‑loved Sycamore Gap tree in 2023.
The vote invites people across the UK – and around the world – to choose from six shortlisted proposals, each offering a different vision for how the tree’s story, symbolism and memory can live on for future generations.
It follows Trees of Hope, where communities around the UK were invited to apply for one of the 49 saplings grown from seeds rescued from the original tree, (each sapling representing one foot in height of the tree at the time it was felled) which have been planted across the UK to share its legacy more widely.
The winning proposal will form a major nationwide commission to honour what the Sycamore Gap tree meant to so many, while inspiring deeper connections between people and nature.
The tree’s felling in September 2023 prompted an outpouring of grief, affection and reflection from millions of people.
To help ensure the public plays a meaningful part in shaping the next chapter of its story, a national vote will form a key part of the judging process with the final selection combining 30% public vote and 70% judges’ score.
The six shortlisted artists or collaborations are:
- Alex Hartley and Tom James, based in Devon & London – Viewpoint
- Helix Arts x George King Architects, based in the North East – The People’s Tree, A Shared Story
- Mary Dalton, based in Hampshire – Sycamore Gap Black
- non zero one, based in London – SEEDS
- Sam Williams Studio, based in Sussex – Stories of 1000 trees
- Trigger, based in Bristol – Twirl
You can view the proposals and make your vote here: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/sycamore-gap-commission
The panel of judges includes experts in art and nature connection.
Annie Reilly, Public Engagement Director at the National Trust and Chair of the Judging Panel, said: “Over the past two years, we’ve heard extraordinary stories about what the Sycamore Gap tree meant to people – from moments of celebration and milestones to quiet memories of loss, connection and reflection.
“It became more than a tree; it became part of the emotional landscape of the nation.
“We always wanted to make sure that the tree had an extraordinary legacy, and the wood is now ready for artists to work with, after being carefully stored so it could season over the past 28 months.“
Shortlisted proposals range from the creative reuse of Sycamore Gap tree wood into new artworks and sculptural installations, to nationwide participatory projects that gather personal stories, distribute symbolic carved seeds, build platforms for conversations about climate and bring communities together in song, reflection, and remembrance.
This new commission forms part of a wider public engagement programme responding to the felling of the tree supported by the Sycamore Gap Partnership Board, which includes Northumberland National Park Authority (NNPA), Historic England, and the Hadrian’s Wall Partnership and the National Trust.