History’s Hidden Sporting Stories to be brought to life through illustration

Untold stories of women and disability in sport, along with unusual sporting objects and events will be captured and shared via a series of free illustrated online resources and activities thanks to an Arts Council England grant that will see Sporting Heritage work in partnership with freelance illustrator and education consultant, Jessica Hartshorn.

As a result of this year’s popular National Sporting Heritage Day Treasure Hunt which encouraged families to participate in an online, interactive illustrative game, Jessica will collaborate with the social enterprise once again, to share and promote sporting heritage via a programme of 8 online informal education resources, activities, quizzes, and games.

The resources, aimed at children aged between 7-14 years, will all be drawn by hand by the illustrator and distributed over the next 11 months to provide digital access to museum collections and hidden stories to engage new audiences and families in sporting heritage in a creative and unique way. Jessica said:

“Through these unique and bespoke illustrations, families can creatively learn remotely about the wonderful world of heritage, challenge stereotypes and develop awareness of sporting collections across the country that they may otherwise never have known about.”

Sporting Heritage founding director, Dr. Justine Reilly adds: “We’re delighted to have received funding for the Hidden Histories Illustrated project which brings together arts, culture and sport beautifully. During the current pandemic, it has been integral that museums work closely together to support each other in new ways of working whilst continuing their important and positive heritage education programmes. All the resources created will be available to museums across the country and we hope to develop a model of working for family resources for the future.”

Each resource will be launched ready for school holidays and in line with national events, such as National Sporting Heritage Day. Content will include a Christmas advent calendar game, build and construct a sporting museum, Top Trump female sporting heroes, ‘Spot it’ illustration with a disability in sport focus, ‘Did you know’ illustrated fact sheets and puzzles linking to women in sport, disability in sport and unusual sporting objects through time.

The free resources will be available via the sporting heritage website https://www.sportingheritage.org.uk/content/what-we-do/projects/hidden-histories-illustrated/hidden-histories-illustrated