April 28, 2023HERD: a sheepish odyssey of epic proportions

A collage. HERD logo on top right, in white. Pink and red background with illustrations and a sheep maquette in the bottom right corner. A historic building is on the left of the image and there are illustrations of sound systems and instruments floating around.

The HERD website is now live and we’re thrilled finally to be able reveal more about this new sonic spectacle we are working on as part of Kirklees Year of Music.

Devised by Orlando Gough, HERD is a ground-breaking sculptural collaboration between artists, musicians and hundreds of schoolchildren and community members in Kirklees, West Yorkshire.

Over six magical days from 11 – 16 July 2023, 23 larger-than-life sheep, unlike any you’ve ever seen or heard, will appear in surprising places across the beautiful Kirklees countryside. The sheep have been designed by Huddersfield-based artist Dave Young, working with heritage craft practitioners, each having its own unique identity. Wired for sound, these musical sheep sculptures will sing original compositions into the landscape, moving from the rural boundaries of Kirklees as they are herded towards town and city. On Sunday 16 July, HERD will arrive in St George’s Square, Huddersfield, for a euphoric free-to-attend finale and musical mash-up of epic proportions.

As part of this exciting project, there is an array of creative workshops and exciting opportunities to take part in from now and throughout summer, including the chance to have our own music heard by thousands. Find out more about how you can get involved.

 

This project has been made possible by National Lottery players and the money invested in HERD’s heritage strand, Sing & Sew through The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Don’t be sheep-ish, click here to join the HERD mailing list and stay tuned for further announcements.