FOOTBALL-inspired artwork is to go on display at Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens next week to coincide with the opening games of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
The paintings, photography and mixed media work form the Football Art Prize which was created through support from Arts Council England to celebrate the world’s most popular sport in World Cup year.
Artists from around the world were invited to submit their work for the touring exhibition and a judging panel chose 69 works from 50 artists. The judges included former England player turned pundit David James MBE; Gordon Taylor OBE – ex-CEO of the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA); writer Sacha Craddock; Jo Cunningham – Exhibitions, Collections and Archives Manager at Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens, and Turner prize-winning artist Mark Wallinger.
Former Liverpool, West Ham United and Manchester City goalkeeper David James said: “The Football Art Prize judging was a thrilling experience. The depth of content was quite amazing, not just in material presentation, but subject matter too.
“In the past I had questioned the reason why football wasn’t being represented in 2D art to a level of its popularity. What I saw was a recognition that football touches nearly all aspects of life and is visible in social areas across the world, beyond the stadia.”
Jo Cunningham added: “The quality and quantity of work entered for the Football Art Prize was astounding – every spectrum of the ‘beautiful game’ was represented. From wintery nights and muddy fields to the privileged world of the Premier League.
“Sunderland is a footballing city, and the game has long been an important part of our identity, heritage and history. So the timing, for the exhibition to start as the World Cup kicks off, could not have been better and I’m sure the exhibition will be very popular in the city.”
The Football Art Prize exhibition started its tour at Touchstones Gallery in Rochdale before travelling on to The Millennium Gallery in Sheffield and then Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens. The free exhibition opens on Wearside next Saturday, November 19, and will be on display in the Special Exhibitions Gallery until Saturday, March 11. Each artwork is accompanied by a statement from the artist explaining their inspiration for the work.
To coincide with the exhibition, the museum has created a learning and engagement programme of activities, aimed at children and families. The programme includes:
- A Football Fun Trail (Saturday, November 19 to Friday, February 24 10am – 4pm) Follow the trail to discover amazing football facts from Sunderland and around the world. Trails are £1 each and available to buy from the museum shop;
- Football Mania (Saturday, November 19 1pm – 3pm) – Celebrate the start of the Football Art Prize exhibition with a football themed creative session making hats and decorations for the 2022 FIFA World Cup;
- Tuesday Museum Club: Football Games (Tuesday, January 3 10am – 11.30am) – This monthly session for home educated families with children aged 5 – 11 years old will explore football-themed games from the past, creating a tabletop football game from recycled materials, £3.50 per child, adults free. Places can be pre-booked on sunderlandmuseum.org.uk or via the Museum Shop;
- Creative Age: Football Crafts (Wednesdays, January 25 – February 15 1pm-3pm) – Find your happy place in our weekly creative sessions for adults living with early to mid-stage dementia and their carers and others with long-term health needs. These sessions are friendly, chatty and fun. To find out more please contact Jennie Lambert, Public Engagement & Learning Manager, lambert@sunderland.gov.uk, call 0191 5612323 or drop in to a session for a chat.
- February Half Term 2023 Football Fashions – Join the museum, the Fans Museum and University of Sunderland fashion students for a week of football fashion themed activities exploring mascots, kit designs and tattoos. There will also be a display of prototype training kits created by Year 2 and Year 3 fashion students for the SAFC women’s you the team in the Art Lounge.
The programme also includes working with schools on a Poems of Football project and an evening with Look North’s Jeff Brown and SAFC historian Rob Mason discussing ‘Beautiful Moments in the Beautiful Game’ on Friday, February 10. Visit the museum’s website for details and to book tickets.
Visitors will also be able to choose their own favourite artwork through an Audience Choice competition, in which entrants will be entered into a prize draw to win football-themed goodies.
For more information on the exhibition and learning and engagement programme, go to http://www.sunderlandmuseum.org.uk.