Screenshot 2022 09 26 at 12 41 32
Exhibitions

Women & Football Exhibition Launch

Join us as we cel­e­brate the launch of our new exhi­bi­tion Women & Foot­ball’ at the Hid­den Wardrobe

We're pleased to present 'Women & Football' a new exhibition which celebrates Southampton's recent involvement in the UEFA Women's Euros 2022, and explores the themes of women's football, fan-hood and community through a collection of works created by the local community. You're invited to to join us for our exciting launch event on Old Northam Road.

Local artist Jilly Evans visited Knit & Knatter groups at Southampton libraries and ran drop-in sessions at SeaCity to talk about women’s hidden histories, with a particular focus on football – Southampton has a history of women’s football that spans over 100 years. Did you know Southampton women’s team won the first Women’s FA cup in 1971 and went on to win again in 1972, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1978, 1979 and 1981? We were lucky to have ex-players from the 1970s Southampton football teams come along to these groups to talk about their experiences as women footballers. Jilly wrote a pattern for football scarves, which participants knitted and donated to the exhibition, and Jilly knitted her own version of the scarf highlighting the success of these women which, like many women’s stories, had previously remained invisible. Alex Lyons, Assistant Curator of Maritime & Local History Collections at Southampton museums, and oral historian Padmini Broomfield also joined some sessions.

The launch event takes place on Friday 14th October from 6pm – 8pm at the Hidden Wardrobe on Old Northam Road. Tickets are free and can be booked on eventbrite.

A big thank you goes out to the amazing community of knitters in Southampton, including those from Portswood, Weston and Woolston Library Knit and Knatter groups, for all their hard work in knitting their own versions of a football scarf from Jilly’s pattern – without them this exhibition would not have been possible.

‘Women & Football’ is on display at the Hidden Wardrobe from Friday 14th October to Sunday 20th November 2022.