Chelsea Football Club celebrates London’s creativity with Kelly Anna, Alva Skog and more

Football content and media agency Copa90 has worked with Chelsea Football Club to commission a series of illustrations, films and performances celebrating London’s creative talent, for a campaign titled Chelsea Creates. Among them is Kelly Anna, known for her illustrations of empowered women and sport, who created a huge banner emblazoned with Chelsea’s nickname Pride of London, for Chelsea Women’s home ground Kingsmeadow stadium. It was unveiled just in time for the team to win the Super League title at the weekend. Alva Skog, who is Swedish but studied in London, meanwhile created a set of illustrations marking the Spurs derby, depicting giant Chelsea players standing over photographs of the city and Stamford Bridge.

The campaign also features an animation by Reed Wiles about Mason Mount missing the team bus, and following his journey across London to make kick-off. Artist Sam Pemberton has created collage artworks telling a story about west to east, for the match against West Ham. Chester Holme is producing a series of illustrated prints for the club’s game against Arsenal, portraying iconic moments from past fixtures with the Gunners. Also part of the series is an original poem by spoken word artist James Massiah, and a performance by musician Sasha Keable.

In a film about the commission, Alva says what they love about London is its “beautiful and ugly architecture,” and its “diversity in style and creativity… it taught me to be open-minded and have a drive”. The illustrator goes on to explain the project’s challenges in mixing photography and illustration: “it was like solving a puzzle, to get the pieces to fit within the architecture of the image,” they say.

Kelly says in her film that she feels really proud to have her work displayed at Chelsea Women’s home ground, because it was the “perfect project” for her, combining her interest in depicting sport and female role models. “I take huge inspiration from the amazing women at Chelsea F.C. Women and loved bringing together my vision of them as incredible warrior women on the pitch,” she adds in a statement.

Copa90 explains that Chelsea FC are looking to grow their entertainment and creative work, taking inspiration from its home on the King’s Road, which has “a history of culture and creativity”. Next season they’re working with more artists, musicians and creatives to evolve the project. “There’s so much positive energy coming out of Chelsea at the moment,” the team adds, saying this campaign aimed to bring out the “eclectic creativity” of London, and that next season will bring even more.