Beuys’ Acorns

The acclaimed national Art project was brought to Thamesmead by artists Ackroyd & Harvey and Peabody with opportunities for the local community to participate in creative activities to prepare for the planting of a circle of special oak trees and an evening event to ceremonially plant the final tree to complete the circle.

The Prelude & the Planting aims to plant up to seventeen circles in public spaces partnered with host cultural centres. 

The ground for each circle is prepared by a creative programme of public engagement – the Prelude: working closely with local practitioners and groups to creatively celebrate the Planting and stimulate a legacy of radicle [sic]* care to foster a reciprocal ecology between plants and humans with the trees at the centre.

Each circle will be deeply rooted in the land and local people. 

The planting scheme will run from 2025 to 2027.

The participating trees have been grown since 2007 as part of Beuys’ Acorns, Ackroyd & Harvey’s open-ended research project which is a direct continuation of Joseph Beuys’ groundbreaking artwork 7000 Oaks – City Forestation Instead of City Administration (1982), using acorns collected from the original trees in Kassel, Germany.

Working closely with the outreach and education departments of arts institutions, local practitioners and community residents, the artists embrace the spirit of Beuys’ Acorns as a catalyst artwork to create a series of workshops, actions and activities that have public participation at the core.

Since its inception, Beuys’ Acorns has been exhibited across the UK and France in venues including Tate Modern, London; Royal Academy of Arts, London; Sainsbury Centre, Norwich; Southbank Centre, London; CUBE, Manchester; Le Jardin Botanique, Bordeaux; Le Potager Du Roi and La Maréchalerie, Versailles. Exhibition of the trees has been in parallel to live research and public conversations with the artists and invited guests into the cultural, biological and climatic significance of trees in a rapidly urbanising world.

One tree was permanently planted at Tate Modern in 2021 to celebrate Joseph Beuys’ centennial and acknowledge Tate declaring a climate and ecological emergency and three circles have been planted to date at Harding’s Pits, King’s Lynn; Sainsbury Centre, Norwich and Hampton Common, Twickenham. 

 * The botanical spelling ‘radicle’ has been deliberately chosen, meaning the ‘primary root’ rather than ‘radical’, though it is hoped to convey the meaning of both spellings with this word.

'Beuys' Film Screening and Ackroyd & Harvey in Conversation

A rare screening of filmmaker Andres Veiel's documentary Beuys, celebrating the planting of a new circle of seven oak trees in Thamesmead, took place on Wednesday 21 January 2026 at The Nest, Cygnet Square.

This included a post-screening conversation with Heather and Dan, hosted by Nicolas Ehler, Director of the Goethe-Institut London.

Beuys' Acorns: The Seventh Oak

The culmination of renowned artists Ackroyd & Harvey’s project to bring a circle of oaks to Thamesmead at this atmospheric community gathering took place on Thursday 29 January 2026.

The evening was atmospheric, with the new oaks beautifully illuminated, creative activities available, and the Thamesmead Community Choir performing.

Community Tree Planting Day - Saturday 6 December from 10am to 2pm

Internationally acclaimed artists Ackroyd & Harvey held the tree-planting event in Manorway Park, along with a workshop exploring the story of Crossway Park's new oak circle and what it means for the local community.

The workshop included making leaf prints, drawings, and writing, and learning more about the ecology of oak trees and gall wasps that produce ink.