Brighton & Hove City Council is one of ten local authorities across England that will host a vibrant arts programme as part of the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 in England this summer.
The exciting national cultural programme is supported by £800,000 funding from Arts Council England, thanks to National Lottery players.
Running alongside the tournament from 6-31 July and delivered in collaboration with the ten local authorities, across nine host cities - Brighton & Hove, London, Manchester, Milton Keynes, Rotherham, Sheffield, Southampton, Trafford and Wigan & Leigh - the cultural programme is set to reach nearly 3 million people and invite sports audiences and participants to engage with culture at an important moment for the country.
Celebrating the history of women's football
Three specially commissioned projects led by artist Emma Smith, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Idle Women, will share the rich history of women’s football and its players and harness culture to encourage more people, particularly women and girls, to be inspired by the competition.
There will also be the opportunity for the public to create an original anthem to celebrate UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 in England, expressing the passion evident in the women's football community through music.
The arts programme will be managed by The Football Association (FA), the national governing body of football in England. It will be the first time the organisation has run such a programme alongside a major tournament, and it hopes to establish female role models for both girls and boys through the arts.
The biggest European sporting event in history
Over 26 action-packed days, from 6 to 21 July, 31 UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 matches will be played by 16 teams across nine English cities. Three of the games, involving teams from England, Norway and Austria, and a quarter final match, will be played at Brighton & Hove Community Stadium.
A record number of fans are set to attend in person with a further 250 million across the world watching the action unfold on TV. It promises to be the biggest women’s European sporting event in history.
National Lottery Project Grants is the Arts Council’s open access programme for arts, museums and libraries projects. The fund supports thousands of individual artists, community and cultural organisations thanks to National Lottery investment.
Arts Council funding
National Lottery players raise £30 million for good causes each week, funding arts, heritage, sports, voluntary and charity projects around the UK. Over £43 billion has been raised for Good Causes since the National Lottery began in 1994.
Councillor Martin Osborne, co-chair of the council’s Tourism, Equalities, Communities & Culture committee said: “We are thrilled to be hosting such a prestigious sporting event this summer and are working hard to provide an exciting and memorable experience for our residents and visitors.
“We welcome this Arts Council England funding and the opportunities it brings to celebrate the tournament in unique, inclusive and engaging ways.”
Bringing football and arts together
Chris Bryant, Tournament Director UEFA Women’s EURO 2022, added: “UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 is set to be the biggest women’s European sporting event in history. This significant funding from the National Lottery and the chance to work with Arts Council England (ACE) provides us with the opportunity to deliver a programme that celebrates culture and encourages more people, particularly women and girls, to be inspired by the tournament.
“We are delighted to be working with such prestigious artists and organisations on bringing this programme to life. As we work towards tournament kick off on 6 July we will be reaching out to local artists, musicians and community groups via our host city partnerships to share in the moment and deliver a programme of events in each region.
“By bringing football and arts together under one project we can attract new audiences to each and leave behind a legacy for future generations.”
About UEFA Women’s EUROs
England is the host nation for this year’s UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 - the 13th edition of the UEFA Women’s EURO. The tournament kicks off on 6 July at Old Trafford with 31 games in total over the following 25 days culminating with the Final at Wembley on 31 July. It is set to be a record-breaking tournament with more tickets already sold than for any previous Women’s EURO tournament. Games will take place across nine English cities in 10 stadiums.
England 2022 venues
- Brighton & Hove (Brighton & Hove Community Stadium)
- London (Brentford Community Stadium & Wembley Stadium - final only)
- Manchester (Manchester City Academy Stadium)
- Milton Keynes (Stadium MK)
- Rotherham (New York Stadium)
- Sheffield (Bramall Lane)
- Southampton (St Mary’s Stadium)
- Trafford (Old Trafford - opening game)
- Wigan & Leigh (Leigh Sports Village)
Existing records the Tournament aims to surpass:
- Total attendance for a UEFA Women’s EURO, currently 240,045 for Holland 2017
- Highest attendance for a Women’s EURO match, currently 41,302 for Germany v Norway, Sweden 2013 WEURO Final
- Highest attendance for a Women’s match held in Europe, currently 80,203 for USA v Japan, London 2012 Olympics Final
More about UEFA Women’s EURO England 2022
Following the Covid-19 crisis, the Arts Council developed a £160 million Emergency Response Package, with nearly 90% coming from the National Lottery, for organisations and individuals needing support. They are also one of the bodies administering the Government’s £1.96 billion Culture Recovery Funds.
