Pompey Sail - Dream Team - 125 celebration artwork

The Pompey Sail – PFC Dream Team: 125th anniversary season – play your part!

This is a one-off chance to get your hero’s portrait included in this historic piece of art to be exhibited at Fratton Park, for one weekend this summer.

What is the Pompey Sail?

I am Pete Codling, Artist in Residence at Portsmouth Dockyard. I’ve spent the last two years creating ‘CROWD’ (aka The Pompey Victory Sail). It is a charcoal drawing of epic proportions that, when finished, will depict 2000 years of our astonishing local history by bringing to life the faces of the people who have played a part in who we are as a city.

The portraits are hand drawn onto a life-sized replica of HMS Victory's spritsail which is seventeen meters by ten meters in size. The ~900 characters range from the Romans to Pompey Pals, dockyard cleaner, to the astronaut Tim Peake, all with a connection to our city. There are kings, queens, olympians, athletes, scientists, engineers, artists, poets, musicians, actors, architects, teachers, nurses, road sweepers, celebrities, soldiers and sailors, tinkers and tailors, rich men, poor men, beggar men, even murderers, thieves, and even the last witch to be convicted in the UK! Ask your family and friends, who do you think should be on there?

How will the 125 become part of the CROWD drawing?

I have met some wonderful people throughout this project and a common theme is their love for their local football club - 'Pompey'. And, PFC have a long association with the Dockyard, the Services, and particularly HMS Victory.

Pompey are the beating heart of our magnificent city. Thousands of people have stood on the terraces of Fratton Park over the years through the ups and downs of our historic club. The great Alan Ball once said that 'This is Portsmouth, people went to war from this city.' He wanted people to recognise the pride, passion and deep connection the club has with what the city represents. This beating heart, loved by so many, stands as a pillar for what Portsmouth is.

So it is clear that those who’ve made PFC great should be included and celebrated in the sail. The club was established 125 years ago, and as Colin Farmery, the official PFC Historian and Chair of the 125 Committee explained, "there are so many players, managers, supporters, veterans, volunteers, and sponsors that have played a part – 125 portraits seems the perfect number to be included!" That is nearly 12.5% of the people on the sail.

This summer, ( dates expected 28-29th July ~ weather permitting ) just for one weekend, this unique artwork will be temporarily rigged under the club canopy, for all to see, before it’s returned to the Dockyard for public exhibition in August.

Please do come along and see it!

"We have strong connections to the Dockyard and Naval history; our own boardroom table and oak chairs came from HMS Warrior and sit under an oil painting of HMS Victory. The armed forces have played an important role in our club as team players, supporters, and management. The Pompey Pals Veteran's Association is closely linked to our club's history, and it is our hope that many of these individuals will be included in The Victory Sail."

- Andrew Cullen CEO - Portsmouth Football Club 

Who’s in your Dream Team? 

This is your chance to make sure your PFC heroes are included, and perhaps to surprise us with a few unsung heroes and 'true blue' Pompey people. They will be included across the epic drawing, forming part of the crowd that makes up the artwork. They could be one of the Pompey Pals veterans like John Jenkins MBE or great players like Jimmy Dickinson. Who else do you think should be on the sail?

What can you do to help?

This is 100% a team effort, a crowd is needed. You can drop in £20 just to help the project succeed, or if you can pay £125+ you can choose, sponsor a particular Pompey portrait. All donations are welcome and much appreciated. I know there will be obvious players, so that will be first come first served, so perhaps offer a few choices to help the process. Just join the CROWD to make this happen.

Nominate your hero!

For £125 you can buy a player or fan, manager or Fratton Park volunteer. Its not just about the footballers, the team is the community and the 'crowd' behind them. If I draw your person, I will also drop your name in somewhere on the sketch as the sponsor. Or go one step further, and get your own portrait next to them in the crowd?

However, I am asking for the grass roots of the Pompey fans to build a 'crowd', this is what makes the algorithms of online 'crowdfunding' successful. Just like at a match at home or away, the crowd as well as the players, are essential to reach this goal.

Kick Off!

If you would like to be in the artwork yourself, or sponsor a particular player or 'Pompey person', please pledge now on this crowdfunder to make it happen. 

See the Rewards section to find out how you do this. 

The funding so far

This unique Pompey artwork been funded in many different ways. Grants, crowdfunding or sponsors have been sought for particular aspects of the project. The 125 is just one of these funding campaigns and your help is needed to make it work.

We crowdfunded the start of the Residency on this platform, with Portsmouth Historic Quarter being key as host to the Residency studio and facilities in Store House 9. Other Trusts within the Dockyard like the Mary Rose Museum, National Royal Navy Museum and the HMS Victory Preservation Trust have been really helpful and supportive with research, community outreach and display of the artwork. 

Portsmouth City Council will be supporting this with CiL funding and helping in-kind with logistics and promotion. Arts Council England previously awarded grants for community inclusion and artist's time, local business has sponsored some of the capital costs and generous individuals have chipped in, just to help make it happen. Can you help?

A third Arts Council project grant has just been awarded to complete the artwork and Residency at he Dockyard. But this still requires the 'cash match funding' to secure the grant. The reason this Crowdfunder is needed. This money goes to putting the PFC125 onto the sail and displaying at the event in Fratton Park next summer.

Calling all Pompey philanthropists!

The PFC-125 celebration is a perfect vehicle for this and Arts Council England love the idea of getting you, the local football crowd, involved in this nationally important piece of public art. It gives me, the artist, 125 new portraits for the CROWD from the PFC community history, and literally gives us all a great goal for the necessary fund raising. 

Timing is important - the crowdfunder will only last 4 weeks. You will need to move fast to help us reach the goal. 

Have you thought about the perfect birthday or Fathers Day present (June 16th) for your True Blue fan yet? Let's take them to the Park, and show their face in the CROWD.

Fun fact did you notice the Pompey Sailor would thumbs up on down, if the team won, lost or drew in The News football logo. Do you know any of the Pompey Sailor mascots? Perhaps you can sponsor one?

Remember this is a Crowdfunder, lets ask our true blue friends, have the conversation, perhaps chip in together to nominate someone, join in the social media chat. Who should be in this dream team? 

Please now go to the Rewards section on this website, you will need your Credit Card/Visa to hand, sorry no PayPal on this platform. Contact me direct if the sums are too large for your comfort online, or cash is best for you.

Other info:

Pete Codling - I am a local Pompey artist, who went to St Edmund's School, Portsmouth College of Art and University of Portsmouth. Some of you will remember the One Million Pebbles project on Southsea Beach, or my public art designs for Arundel Street Precinct, John Pounds Community Centre, the Wymering Wall, St Ed's school gates, or the moving charcoal drawings 'Soup of Souls' exhibited at Portsmouth Cathedral. I am sure you will also have seen the Treadgoldfish Sculpture, in the shape of the Pompey star & crescent, collecting plastic bottles . Many of you will have already had your portrait sketched for the CROWD sail. If not why not? Find out more via my website or socials. 

www.petecodling.com or on Instagram and Tiktok.

Where else will you see this artwork in 2024? 

The sail will also be on temporary exhibition this August at the Dockyard Boat House 4. It will also be christened as a sail, with a quick rig, weather permitting, on HMS Warrior! Keep an eye out for adverts, remember it is free to come into the Dockyard just to see this unique artwork for Portsmouth. There are also plans for it to be exhibited around the city as part of our centenary celebrations in 2026.

Artist impressions only.

Come and see it this summer!