A Coventry gallery has been selected to host a world-renowned photography exhibition showcasing stunning wildlife from across the globe.
Incredible images from this year’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition will be on show at the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum from Friday, October 27.
The exhibition, on loan from the Natural History Museum in London until April 1 2024, features fascinating animal behaviour and the amazing diversity of the natural world, shining a spotlight on species across the globe.
The Herbert Art Gallery & Museum will be the only venue in England besides the Natural History Museum to host the lightbox edition, which will see the images incredibly brought to life in a vibrant digital display. A million people are expected to visit the exhibition on its international tour.
The loan of the exhibition further strengthens the partnership between the Herbert and the Natural History Museum, which earlier in the year saw Dippy, The Nation’s Favourite Dinosaur, begin a three-year residency in the Coventry venue.
This year’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition, the 59th edition, will run at its usual home at the Natural History Museum from October 13 before going on a full tour next year. This means the Coventry exhibition will be one of only a few in the country which will run alongside the flagship one.
Launching in 1965, Wildlife Photographer of the Year is the most prestigious photography event of its kind.
This year’s competition attracted an astounding 49,957 entries from photographers of all ages and experience levels from 95 countries.
Using photography's emotive power to engage and inspire audiences, the exhibition aims to encourage the protection of the natural world.
The winning images, including the prestigious Grand Title Award winners, will be announced on October 10 at an awards show at the Natural History Museum.
Rosie Addenbrooke at the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, which hosted the exhibition in 2019, said: “We are thrilled to be one of a handful of UK venues hosting the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition.
“This is an incredible opportunity for audiences to see some of the world’s finest wildlife photography and engage with the incredible stories unfolding in the natural world.
“It is an exhibition that will appeal to people of all ages as the photographs really do capture nature – with all its glory and emotion – and that is something that can move all of us.”
Dr Doug Gurr, Director of the Natural History Museum, said: “We are facing urgent biodiversity and climate crises, and photography is a powerful catalyst for change. The Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition reveals some of nature’s most wondrous sights whilst offering hope and achievable actions visitors can take to help protect the natural world.”
Chair of the judging panel, Kathy Moran, said: “What most impressed the jury was the range of subjects, from absolute beauty, rarely seen behaviours and species to images that are stark reminders of what we are doing to the natural world. We felt a powerful tension between wonder and woe that we believe came together to create a thought-provoking collection of photographs.”
Wildlife Photographer of the Year is developed and produced by the Natural History Museum, London.
To book tickets for Wildlife Photographer of the Year visit www.herbert.org
Photo credit: Mason Bee At Work, Solvin Zankl / Wildlife Photographer of the Year