12 March 2022 – 26 June 2022
Gallery Three & Four
From left to right: Argentina, Brian Ayling; Bar Kick, Michael Kirkbride; Wayne Rooney, Uduehi Imienwanrin; Eric Cantona, Uduehi Imienwanrin. (c) Alan Hamer.
From left to right: 5-A-Side, Charlie Reed; Evelyn (With Her Factory Team), Jill Iliffe; John PFC Westwood, Karl Rudziak. (c) Alan Hamer.
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To coincide with the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Touchstones, with generous support from Arts Council England, has created The Football Art Prize to celebrate arguably the world’s most popular sport.
We invited artists from around the world to submit their work to The Football Art Prize via an open submission, and our judging panel have selected a wide range of painting, photography, film and collage, representing the spectrum of experiences of the beautiful game.
From the riches and idolatry of the upper echelons of the sport, to the muddy grit of grassroots clubs, the works to be found at The Football Art Prize show how football has come to reflect the entirety of the human experience. Visual tales of glory and defeat live alongside deeply personal pieces and recognisable scenes of wintery night matches and foggy fields.
The judging panel selected 69 artworks by 50 artists, with three artists being awarded cash prizes, including a top prize of £5,000. Additionally, visitors to the exhibition can vote for an ‘Audience Choice’ award winner.
The judging panel includes:
- Sacha Craddock – writer, critic & broadcaster
- Jo Cunningham – curator
- Mark Doyle – curator
- David James – footballer, coach & pundit
- Kirstie Hamilton – curator
- Mark Wallinger – artist
- Gordon Taylor OBE – former footballer and former chief executive of the Professional Footballers’ Association
As part of the exhibition, artists Neville Gabie and Alan Ward have created a community project titled Pass! Shoot!! Goal!!! and will be publishing 100 Years of Life in the League – a reflection on the importance of Rochdale AFC within the community from the fans’ points of view, referencing items in the Borough’s collections. Find out more here.
The Football Art Prize will tour to The Millennium Gallery, Sheffield from July and Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens from November.
Family Activities
You can enjoy The Football Art Prize with the whole family by picking up one of our Football Art Prize Activity Sheets at reception on your way into the building. Get inspired by the work on the walls of the gallery, take part in a detective trail and even get inspired to take up some football fun at home using everyday items!
Football Art Prize Family Sundays
Join artists Rahela Khan on Sunday 29 May and Beam Irwin on Sunday 5 June for family craft sessions, where you can create your very own football-inspired piece of art to take home with you! The sessions are free, drop in any time between 12.30-2.30pm.
Football Freestyler Dan Magness
The multi–Guinness World Record holding Dan Magness will be touring Rochdale town centre on Saturday 28 May between 11am-4pm, demonstrating his football tricks and shots. Get some tips and learn to do some tricks yourself!