20,000KM ROUTE ANNOUNCED FOR NEW PUBLIC ART PROJECT , THE HERDS, FEATURING LAGOS AND OTHER CITIES ACROSS AFRICA AND EUROPE

From April to August 2025, ever-growing herds of life-size puppet animals will stampede into cities across Africa and Europe, including Lagos, to flee climate disaster in a new large-scale public art project tagged THE HERDS. It is a public artwork on a scale never before attempted and will vividly dramatise the climate crisis. Presented by The Walk Productions, it 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 will engage with global climate organisations – including WWF International, 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.

Cities along the route include:

• Kinshasa, DRC: 9 – 11 April 2025
• Lagos, Nigeria: 18 – 20 April 2025
• Dakar, Senegal: 25 – 27 April 2025
• Marrakesh, Morocco: 3 – 5 May 2025
• Casablanca, Morocco: 9 – 10 May 2025
• Rabat and Salé, Morocco: 11 May 2025 
• Andalucia, Spain: 1 June 2025 
• Madrid, Spain: 6 – 8 June 2025
• Barcelona, Spain: 10 – 11 June 2025
• Arles, France: 13 June 2025
• Marseille, France: 14 – 15 June 2025
• Venice, Italy: 17 June 2025
• Paris, France: 20 – 22 June 2025
• London, UK: 27 – 29 June 2025
• Greater Manchester, UK: 3 – 5 July 2025 
• Copenhagen and Aarhus, Denmark: 18 – 21 July 2025
• Stockholm, Sweden: 24 – 26 July 2025 
• Trondheim, Norway: 28 – 30 July 2025

A Whitespace Creative Arts Foundation (AWCA) is leading the production of the Nigerian version of THE HERDS as a regional co-producer. AWCA is partnering with key stakeholders, including the Ministry of Art and Tourism, Yaba School of Technology, climate advocacy groups, and other government organisations, to produce this project in Lagos. 

There’s also an opportunity for individuals to collaborate with AWCA to bring THE HERDS Nigeria to life by volunteering as puppetry artists, production assistants and creative dancers. Those interested can find more details and apply here.

Speaking about AWCA’s contributions to THE HERDS, CEO Papa Omotayo said: “AWCA is proud to be at the forefront of bringing THE HERDS to Nigeria. As a creative arts foundation, AWCA specialises in fostering community-centred projects that amplify our voices and celebrates our cultural heritage. For us, THE HERDS is the perfect combination of important social messaging alongside the power of storytelling.”

“In Lagos, there’s a versatile community of young people, a thriving creative community and a thriving climate change ecosystem, and we decided it was important to bring all of these together to ensure a successful event in Lagos,” Omotayo added.

As the puppet animals of THE HERDS proceed through Lagos to other cities, they will engage with audiences along the route through special performances and public participation workshops with world-class dance companies, theatre makers and artists. All events are free and have been designed in collaboration with local partners to create a hugely powerful participatory event. 

Event highlights include: 

• Lagos, Nigeria: Three rousing and intriguing artistic events across three locations (Ejigbo, Yaba, and Lagos Island) featuring choreographed routines and other creative performances designed by Jelili Atiku, Ochai Ogaba, and Qudus Onikeku. 
• Dakar, Senegal: At the beach of Golf Sud, choreographer Jean Tamba explores the mythology of the Kumpo, the spiritual masquerade of the Diola people of the Casamance.
• Madrid, Spain: The audiences encounter a piece by urban visual artist Suso33, investigating our long fascination with animals and their images, all the way from cave paintings to Picasso and beyond. 
• Venice, Italy: Choreography co-created by Anthony Matsena weaves Venice’s lagoons for Biennale Danza 2025, under the Artistic Direction of Wayne McGregor.
• Paris, France: Celebrated video projection artist Étienne Guiol creates an eerie night spectacle exploring the transparency of nature in urban space.
• Trondheim, Norway: At Olavsfest International Festival, the animals are embraced by the ancient traditions of the Sami people.  

More animals will join THE HERDS as they cross continents, including elephants, giraffes, antelopes 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 prototypes of each puppet are designed and developed by Ukwanda Puppets and Designs Art Collective and Artistic Director Amir Nizar Zuabi. Each puppet will be crafted using principally recycled materials that are easily accessible in each territory. Zoologically accurate, the animals will convey the ferocity and beauty of nature – proud, elegant, highly alarmed but intensely graceful. In each city, local people will be trained to replicate and animate the puppets and to take part in large-scale artistic performances.

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 moves across continents. Through the beauty and ferocity of these life-size creatures, we aim to spark dialogue, provoke thought, and inspire real change.” 

THE HERDS will be platformed on Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and cultural app powered by Bloomberg Philanthropies. Launching in April 2025, 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 full programme will be available on THE HERDS website from early April. www.theherds.org 

Instagram: @the__Herds

X: @The__Herds

Tiktok: @theherds2025

Press Enquiries:

Onoshiokhue Julie Ako onoh@aw-ca.com

Charles Isidi, charles.isidi@gmail.com