Come join us at Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery for an extraordinary celebration of football and art! Following a successful crowdfunding campaign, we are thrilled to present Matt Small’s ‘Pride of England’, a community-focused exhibition celebrating the diversity, unity, and legacy of England’s football teams.
At the heart of the exhibition are newly commissioned portraits of the Ealing-born football icons, Bukayo Saka and Chloe Kelly, who have inspired millions. Some works date back to EURO 2020, a moment when the England Men’s Team, led by Gareth Southgate, captured national admiration through their unity and resilience. Recently knighted, Southgate and his team stood firm against racism, embodying a modern, inclusive England. These portraits celebrate players like Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho, who became role models by standing against discrimination and uniting the nation in an unprecedented way.
Also in the exhibition are England’s ‘Three Lions’: sculptures co-created by artist Matt Small and young people in Ealing. Commissioned by the Football Association, these sculptures travelled with the England team to Germany, each adorned with written and drawn messages of support, a “collective love letter” of national pride and unity accompanying the team throughout the tournament.
We would like to give special thanks to Monkier Art Foundation for their generous donation and to all other members of the community who donated. Without them we wouldn’t have been able to make this exhibition so special.
Throughout the exhibition we have lots of exciting events, we would love for you to come along.
- “Three Lions and a Unicorn: Penalty Taking, Belonging, and the England Football Teams”: Panel Discussion with Matt Small, sports psychologist Professor Robert Vaughan and art critic Orit Gat, who has written about football, racism and belonging.
- Make your own Match Atax! Drop-in workshop. Thursday 6 February 5—8pm.
- February half-term workshops: Matt Small will host a workshop during half-term on Wednesday 19 February where children and young people are encouraged to bring old football shirts in which messages of community can be added to the large football in the centre of the exhibition. Please see website for more details.