Tree of Light

Cultural Olympiad, Oxford and Henley

The London Cultural Olympiad was designed to inspire creativity and bring communities together alongside the Olympics. The 'Tree of Light' was commissioned as one of Legacy Trust UK's Community Celebrations; a series of large-scale outdoor theatre performances to contribute towards the Olympiad.

This project brought together 1,200 performers and a choir of 450 around a gigantic industrial 50ft structure. The 'Tree of Light' was designed by a creative team, working under the artistic direction of Henley Festival's Stewart Collins, including set designers Block9, composer Orlando Gough, performance director/choreographer Charlie Morrissey and Electric Pedals. Electric Pedals powered the Tree's LED lights with 28 bicycle and rowing generators from within the structure. 

The 'Tree of Light' was the culmination of a wider project exploring the science and art of trees. The purpose of the project was to use performance arts to highlight mankind's relationship with the natural world in our technical age. This piece triumphed as a grand community celebration and a very moving human spectacle highlighting the rich and fragile relationship between people and their environment.