Art / Bricks
New show asks important questions about the role of football in the community
St Anne’s House will be transformed into the headquarters of Jonathon Kelham’s fictional football club, Super Duper St Anne’s F.C.
The Bristol-based artist will take on the role of player-manager-groundsperson-physio in collaboration with the art charity Bricks.
The project is the result of a culmination of a year’s worth of research into amateur league football and its culture in British communities, utilising an archive of paraphernalia, interviews and artwork that captures the amateur football scene in the neighbourhood.
is needed now More than ever
The exhibition will offer visitors the opportunity to create their own mascots and add to, edit or correct the history of real-life teams who have represented and played in St Anne’s. Visitors will also be able to take part in football tournaments and matches, with the final taking place on April 30.
Artist Jonathan Kelham will be transforming St Anne’s House into the headquarters for his fictional football team – photo: Bricks
The show prompts timely questions about the role of sport in the community. Through the language of fan-centred and DIY aesthetics, Kelham will playfully tackle the burning question of why the parish of St Anne’s has no football team.
With humour and playfulness, the project will run an open dialogue with residents about their wants and needs for a team and whether this could be a reality in the future.
Speaking about the project, Kelham expressed the benefits that sports can bring to urban communities, saying: “Football is a universal language and has broad popular appeal and is great. But, more importantly, it’s a way to get a varied number of people thinking and discussing the wider issues involved in the demise of any grassroots teams in St Anne’s.
“Especially at a point when the social, wellbeing and health benefits that a football club can provide are so needed.”
The project is the result of a culmination of a year’s worth of research into amateur league football – photo: Bricks
The Tokyo Olympics last year saw the spotlight turn to the Conservatives, who were accused of cutting local sport funding by nearly half since 2010.
A survey conducted by Utilita Energy company at the beginning of 2021 found that 96 per cent of football clubs saw a reduction in their income during the pandemic, with a staggering 5,000 grassroots football clubs facing closure.
The government announced in March that it planned to regenerate 116 grassroots football facilities across England as part of its commitment to levelling up access to physical activity across the nation.
So far Knowle West’s football club, Park Knowle F.C. – the largest disability football club in Somerset – has received £82,500 in funding from the UK Government.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cb5e8OXofgt/
Super Duper St Anne’s F.C. is a free exhibition and will run every Thursday, Friday and Saturday from April 14 to 30 at St Anne’s House. Bricks and Jonathan Kelham will run a series of events in conjunction with the show.
Main photo: Bricks
Read more: RWA reopening and Spike Island Open Studios on Bristol’s big weekend of art
Listen to the latest Bristol 24/7 Behind the Headlines podcast:
Our top newsletters emailed directly to you
