Multimedia arts project wins Sycamore Gap tree commission after public vote

A community arts charity, Helix Arts, and George King Architects have won a public vote to create 'The People's Tree', a multimedia artwork using preserved wood from the illegally felled Sycamore Gap tree in Northumberland. The National Trust commission, announced in September 2025, will transform the tree into a 'living archive' featuring participatory storytelling, a national sound archive, seed pods for digital recordings, a soundscape from growth rings, and a sound sculpture near the original site. The project is expected to begin public engagement in summer 2026 and be completed by autumn 2027.