Pitch! A collaborative project exploring the meaning that football shirts can carry
Right now, the eyes of the world are on the pitches of North America for the World Cup. Whatever you think about the tournament, there’s something joyful about how people gather together and celebrate. Football has always had that power to bring people together, even when (let’s be honest) the people running the game seem determined to squeeze every last penny out of it.
We want to take the good bit, the community, the identity, the sense of belonging, and put it into something else – reflecting on that sense of togetherness and celebration – so we’re inviting artists, designers, illustrators and creative thinkers of all kinds to contribute ideas for a collaborative project which celebrates the art of the football shirt.
This isn’t a competition
There’s no fee, no prize, and no judging panel picking a single “winner”. We are interested in a collaboration exploring what football shirts can carry: culture, memory, identity, solidarity, and everything in between. We are unsure at this point what the outcome will be, and are open to conversations with artists and organisations who might like to be involved. In the spirit of the World Cup, we thought creative ideas for a football shirt would be a great place to start!
Themes to explore
Your proposal can respond to one or more of the following:
- Place and local histories
- Migration, diaspora and belonging
- Collective action and mutual support
- International solidarity
- Working-class culture
- Resistance, community and social change
- Football as a social and cultural space
We’re especially keen to see ideas that move beyond conventional football shirt design and think about what a shirt can say about people, place and collective identity.
How to take part
Use whatever process feels right to you: drawing, painting, collage, photography, digital illustration, AI-assisted design, archival research, or a mix of approaches. We’d love to see your design journey as well as the final outcome, so sketches, references and works-in-progress are all welcome. This is open to anyone.
Your submission should include:
- A proposed shirt design, which includes the slogan ‘Solidarity Strength Resistance’
- A short statement (up to 300 words)
- Optional sketches, references or development materials
Submission deadline: 19 July 2026
What participating artists will receive:
Whilst we are unable to offer a fee for submissions, you will of course receive full credit for whatever outcome we realise. This could be designs featured in an exhibition, publication or production of the shirts themselves. We can also offer access support to use studio facilities and equipment where appropriate for this work.