A conference exploring the relationship between sport and the arts has been announced by Leeds Metropolitan University.

‘Fields of Vision – the arts in sport’ has been organised by Leeds Rugby Arts (Leeds Rugby Foundation) and is hosted in association with the Carnegie Research Institute at Leeds Metropolitan University. The conference will bring together academics, sports institutions, artists and those with an interest in the historical contemporary relationship between sports and the arts and will be held at Headingley Carnegie Stadium on 5 and 6 September.

Event organiser Doug Sandle believes that with the Cultural Olympiad coming to its conclusions, the time is appropriate to convene a conference of this nature. He comments: “Not only were the arts featured at the ancient Olympic Games, but increasingly artists, composers, film makers, choreographers, poets, novelists, and playwrights are using the drama and narratives of sport in their work, while sports events, such as The Great North Run, are using the arts to celebrate and express their sport.”

The conference is about blurring the lines between sport and the arts, exploring the cultural dimensions of the two, and will provide a platform for arts practitioners to showcase works with a sports theme.

Author of multi-award winning book ‘The Promise Land’, Andrew Clavane, will be presenting at the conference, exploring the cultural relationship between literature and sport. Anthony is currently working with the Leeds-based Red Ladder Theatre Company on a musical drama based on the subject.

When exploring the synergies between art and sport, the works that are perhaps most familiar are statues of sporting greats, typically constructed outside the stadia where they once plied their craft. Chris Stride and Ffion Thomas of Sheffield University will be presenting a paper they wrote together on the topic, which focuses on the statues of Thierry Henry, Tony Adams and Herbert Chapman unveiled outside Emirates Stadium in late 2011. Chris explains: “Our paper draws upon a detailed examination of the Arsenal statues, and a complete record of the preceding UK football statuary.”

Also featuring at the conference is a revival of a work entitled ‘Dancing with Rhinos’, which celebrates the achievements of current rugby league World Club Challenge champions, Leeds Rhinos. The dance was commissioned by imove, a Cultural Olympiad programme in Yorkshire, and has been choreographed to the orchestral music of composer and conductor Carl Davis.

Delegate places for the conference are available to purchase online at http://onlinestore.leedsmet.ac.uk.

The Chinese Olympic Committee has chosen the City of Leeds as its training camp base for over 300 athletes prior to the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

Approximately 40 athletes and officials will be based at the University’s Headingley Campus as they train and acclimatise to the conditions in England shortly before the Olympics begin on 27 July.

A number of Leeds Metropolitan University students and alumni will be hoping to compete at London 2012 including Commonwealth Gold medallist Johanna Jackson, Triathlon World Champion Alistair Brownlee and synchronised diver Sarah Barrow.

<< Back to News