SOPHIE BOWNES

Pester & Rossi, Rule-Breaking Ball Game, workshop, 2019. Image: Paul Chapellier

Louise Ashcroft, Untitled, 2019, performance. Image: Liz Calvi

Phoebe Davies & Rose Nordin, kit design workshop with Girls United, 2019

Jessie McLaughlin training session with Athenlay FC, 2019

Against the Run of Play x Jasper Jones, Femxle Football Shirt Making Workshop, 2019

Rowland Hill, The Hands of God, 2019, participatory performance. Image: Liz Calvi

AGAINST THE RUN OF PLAY

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Against the Run of Play is a research group focussed around femxle engagement with football and sports culture more broadly. Mixing up spectatorship and participation of art and football, Against the Run of Play aims to champion and empower femxle fans and players and add to the critical discourse around gender, representation and football culture.

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We write texts, organise events and host the Femxle Football Reading Group, which meets monthly to read and discuss critical perspectives on sports and gender.

During the 2019 World Cup, we developed an events programme spanning pub quizzes, performances, moving image screenings, workshops (on and off the pitch), discussions and match screenings. We also commissioned four artists to work in collaboration with South East London girls football teams to develop an artwork tailored to each team and its players.

Against the Run of Play is developed by Alice Ongaro, Lucy Cowling and Sophie Bownes. It is made possible with the help of each of the artists, practitioners, teams, participants and hosts who have collaborated with us, including: Louise Ashcroft, Nadia Atique, Lauren Corelli, Corner fotbal + societate, Phoebe Davies, F.A.T. Studio, Caitlin Fisher, Orit Gat, Wanner & Hanz Geiger, Corey Hayman, Henry/Bragg, Rowland Hill, Ro Jackson, Jasper Jones, Jessie Krish, Rosie McGinn, Jessie McLaughlin, Rose Nordin, Eleni Papazoglou, Pester & Rossi, Dina Rončević, Louis Scantlebury, Tendencies Bulletin, Alex Wickenden, Alice May Williams, Virgine Yassef, ZATORSKI + ZATORSKI, Athenlay FC, Dalmain Athletic GFC and Girls United.

Generous support has also been provided by Arts Council England, Goldsmiths Alumni and Friends Fund, Goldsmiths Academic Communities Fund, Fans For Diversity, Kick it Out, Football Supporters’ Association, Jake Bailey, Mark Couzens, Deptford X and U+I.