GSoS welcomes THE HERDS to LSE campus
On Friday 19 June 2026, THE HERDS stampeded through LSE campus – to the excitement of keenly awaiting audiences and the awe and surprise of passers-by.
Since 2025, THE HERDS life-sized puppet animals have taken over streets from Kinshasa in the Congo Basin to Nordkapp in the Arctic Circle. They are a groundbreaking work of public art which inspires action and renews our bond with the natural world, bringing audiences face to the face with the climate crisis.
Amir Nizar Zuabi, Artistic Director of THE HERDS, says of the experience: "THE HERDS is an urgent artistic response to the climate crisis, a living, breathing call to action that stampedes across continents. Through the beauty and ferocity of these life-size creatures, we aim to spark dialogue, provoke thought, encourage engagement and inspire real change.”
Hosted by the Global School of Sustainability at LSE (GSoS) as part of the milestone GSoS Forum 2026 and in collaboration with LSE Festival 2026: how to save the planet, THE HERDS roamed LSE campus, engaging with our environment and community.
Jonathan Pershing, Dean of the Global School of Sustainability at LSE and Professor in Practice said: “The sustainability agenda matters to us all. This wonderous visit from THE HERDS was a fantastic example of what LSE does best – we brought together world leaders, experts and our wider communities – to engage discussion and focus action for global sustainability."
Their visit was enriched with the presence of Amir Nizar Zuabi on the accompanying LSE Festival panel event, The power of storytelling and activism, and a follow-up performance and workshop for children on Saturday 20 June 2026.
THE HERDS at LSE
Louise Jones, LSE Head of Research Communications and Engagement and Director of LSE Festival said: “Having THE HERDS on campus was one the most awe-inspiring things we’ve ever done at LSE Festival. The emotional response to the animals – from the children’s shrieks of excitement in Centre Square, to the hush of the audience at a panel event interrupted by a life-sized gorilla – really showcased the power of art, performance and storytelling to bring critical issues to light, and to prompt action. This was a theme we returned to throughout Festival week.”