For two hours on a July morning, the City of London will throw open a window onto a kind of craftsmanship that has almost vanished from these islands. On Thursday 9 July 2026, a free public exhibition at the Guildhall offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at The Circle of Life — one of the most ambitious embroidery projects modern Britain has seen — before the finished artwork is formally unveiled.
Held in The Old Library at the Guildhall, The Making of The Circle of Life Artwork runs from 10am to 12 noon and is open to all. It lifts the lid on the planning and creation of a major piece of Opus Anglicanum — literally “English work” — a historic embroidery technique worked in silk, gold and silver thread. Once prized across medieval Europe, it is rarely practised today, which makes the chance to see it being revived all the more unusual.
Four Centuries of the Upholders
The project marks the 400th anniversary of the Royal Charter granted to the Worshipful Company of Upholders in 1626. One of the City’s ancient Livery Companies — first formed in 1360 — the Upholders take their name from an old word for upholsterer, and their historic trades run from upholstery and soft furnishings to funeral directing. The finished Circle of Life is a 2.3-metre circular artwork that tells exactly that story: the Company, its crafts, and its long connection to the furnishing of homes and the marking of lives.
It has been a genuinely national effort. More than 100 volunteer stitchers have contributed, alongside twelve English cathedrals — St Paul’s, Durham, Liverpool, Lincoln, Exeter, St Albans, Winchester, Salisbury, Southwell, Derby, Norwich and Lichfield — together with the Royal School of Needlework and the prison-based social enterprise Fine Cell Work. The design is by the internationally recognised iconographer Aidan Hart, whose previous commissions include the Royal Anointing Screen used at the Coronation of King Charles III.
At the Guildhall exhibition, displays from Hart, the Royal School of Needlework, Fine Cell Work and the participating cathedrals will let visitors meet the makers and trace how such a significant piece comes together, stitch by painstaking stitch.
This exhibition gives the public a rare opportunity to see the story behind The Circle of Life before the finished artwork is formally unveiled. It brings together exceptional craftsmanship, London history, upholstery, embroidery and the dedication of volunteers across the country. We hope anyone with an interest in making, heritage craft or the City’s history will come and discover the people and skills behind this remarkable project.
Julian Squire, Past Master of the Worshipful Company of Upholders and project lead for The Circle of Life
Seeing the Finished Work
One thing to keep in mind: the completed artwork itself will not be on show at the Guildhall exhibition. It is unveiled later the same day at a separate, invitation-only ceremony — a champagne reception and luncheon in the Great Hall, with limited tickets at £155 per person — before setting off on a national tour.
If you want to see The Circle of Life in the flesh, the place to go is 101 Gallery at The Salvation Army’s International Headquarters on Queen Victoria Street, where the finished piece goes on free public display from Friday 10 July to Friday 24 July 2026, 8am to 4pm, Monday to Friday. Between the two, it’s a fine excuse to spend a day exploring the embroidery, the history and the quiet corners of the City that made it.
The Making of The Circle of Life Artwork
The Old Library, Guildhall, City of London
Thursday 9 July 2026, 10am – 12 noon · Free (booking via Eventbrite)
Nearest stations: Bank, St Paul’s, Moorgate
The Circle of Life on public display
101 Gallery, The Salvation Army International Headquarters, 101 Queen Victoria Street, London EC4V 4EH
Friday 10 – Friday 24 July 2026, 8am – 4pm, Mon–Fri · Free
Nearest stations: Mansion House, Blackfriars
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