Touchlnes of Fortitude - press release

Introducing Touchlines of Fortitude: celebrating stories of female strength and resilience through art and creativity during the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup in Twickenham this September

Monday 14th July, 2025

ESSENTIAL INFO

• A powerful, inspiring and vibrant programme of free-to-the-public creative events

• Taking place in Twickenham and the surrounding area this September

• Using the intersecting lenses of sport and art to amplify and celebrate stories of 
female strength, resilience and empowerment.

• Timed to coincide with the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup, culminating in the 
finals at the Allianz Stadium in Twickenham on Saturday 27th September.

• Two exhibitions at the Beach Gallery in Teddington – starting Thursday 11th September – supported by a series of public talks, community events, and a schools outreach programme.

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Touchlines of Fortitude is coming to Twickenham this September. Based in the spiritual home of rugby, and supported by Arts Council England, Touchlines of Fortitude will use the backdrop of the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup and the intersecting lenses of sport and art to amplify and celebrate stories of female strength, empowerment and expression.

Starting on Thursday 11th September, two art exhibitions will take place at The Beach Gallery (197 Waldegrave Road, Teddington, TW11 8LX), themed around 'Female Resilience'. 

The first exhibition will feature works by three prominent local female artists: Touchlines of Fortitude founder Agnieszka Lokaj, Gina DeCagna and Tahira Mandarino. The second will play host to works sourced through an open call, with awards for the best painting, photo and sculpture. Artists can find out how to submit their work ahead of the submissions deadline on Wednesday 20th August at fortitude-touchlines.com/open-call-for-artists.

An interactive 'Wall Of Fortitude' at both exhibitions will let members of the public share their own stories of female resilience, while a writing workshop, a public talk themed around 'Building Resilience', and a dedicated talk at a local girls' school will inspire passionate sports enthusiasts and aspiring creatives in the local community, as well as visiting rugby fans.

Touchlines of Fortitude will come to an end on Friday 3rd October with a charity auction, supporting local organisations that improve access to art and sport for girls and young women.

Thanks to part-funding from Arts Council England and the support of a comprehensive network of  local partners, all events will be free-to-attend – ensuring the widest possible audience will be able to take part in, and get engaged with, the Touchlines of Fortitude story.

Agnieszka Lokaj, Touchlines of Fortitude founder: "Inspired by the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup, Touchlines of Fortitude is a celebration of female strength. Women – particularly those who are neurodiverse or with marginalised voices – remain underrepresented in the worlds of art and sport. As an artist with ADHD, I believe my neurodiversity has been a driving force in my creative journey, letting me hyper-focus and explore multiple ideas simultaneously.

"The 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup has the goal of being the most accessible and inclusive women's sporting event in history – inspiring current and future generations of girls and young women through sport and an emphasis on community involvement. That makes it the perfect platform for Touchlines of Fortitude, reflecting and amplifying this moment through a blend of sport, artistic expression and creative storytelling."

Touchlines of Fortitude

Touchlines of Fortitude is the brainchild of Twickenham-based artist Agnieszka Lokaj. Inspired by her own lived experience of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and aware of the fact that women – particularly those who are neurodiverse, or with marginalised voices – remain significantly underrepresented in the worlds of art and sport, Agnieszka created Touchlines of Fortitude to celebrate stories of female strength, empowerment and expression. Using the backdrop of the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup, Touchlines of Fortitude's goal is to inspire passionate sports fans and aspiring creatives across the Twickenham, Teddington and Richmond communities – as well as visiting rugby fans – to share their own stories of female resilience.

The 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup

The 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup is set to be one of the largest events on this year's sporting calendar, with 16 international teams competing in 30 matches around the UK before the finals at the spiritual home of rugby – the Allianz Stadium in Twickenham – on Saturday 27th September. England's Red Roses will be looking to secure the title for the third time, following their previous wins in 1994 and 2014. Over 300,000 match-day tickets have already been sold, with the Allianz Stadium in Twickenham expected to play host to up to 80,000 fans for the finals

In addition to providing a thrilling sporting spectacle on the pitch, the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup aims to be the most accessible and inclusive women's sporting event in history, with an emphasis on legacy building, community involvement and inspiring current and future generations of girls and young women through sport. That makes it the perfect backdrop for Touchlines of Fortitude, providing a platform to amplify and celebrate female strength, resilience and empowerment through a blend of sport, artistic expression and creative storytelling.

Learn more: rugbyworldcup.com/2025

Touchlines of Fortitude partners

In addition, to its Arts Council England funding, Touchlines of Fortitude has built up a strong network of prominent local arts institutions, charities, schools and local government bodies to support and amplify the event's reach across the local and creative communities.

+ Orleans House Gallery

+ The Beach Gallery

+ Twickenham Art Circle

+ Richmond Art Society

+ Arts Richmond

+ Creative United

+ Richmond Arts Services