LTA Tennis Foundation and DegreeArt Gallery celebrate the people, passion and emotion behind tennis
• 4 minute read
LTA Tennis Foundation, in partnership with DegreeArt Gallery, is proud to present The Emotion of Tennis, a unique contemporary art exhibition that brings together leading artists, professional players, and organisations from across British tennis to explore the human stories behind the sport, while raising vital funds for LTA Tennis Foundation to improve lives through tennis.
Launching at The HSBC Championships at The Queen’s Club on 9 June 2026, the exhibition marks the culmination of a year-long collaboration designed to shine a light on the emotional depth, resilience and connection that defines tennis - both on and off the court.
Elinor Olisa, Co-Founder & Director, Artellite Ltd Said: "Nothing exists in isolation. Artists, athletes and the organisations that support them are all part of a wider ecosystem that nurtures talent, creates opportunity and inspires excellence. Through Emotion: The Art of Tennis, we've brought together two worlds that don't often collide and discovered how much they share. The resulting collaborations celebrate not only individual achievement, but the power of creativity, connection and collective endeavour to inspire audiences, participation and the possibilities it can unlock far beyond the boundaries of either art or sport."
Exploring the human side of tennis
At the heart of The Emotion of Tennis is a simple idea: that behind every serve, match and moment of success lies a powerful human story.
Eleven contemporary artists were invited to collaborate directly with players, charities and organisations connected to British tennis. Through conversations and shared experiences, each artist has created an original work responding to three central themes - Persona, Performance, and Pressure.
The result is a striking and diverse collection spanning painting, photography, portraiture, embroidery, mixed media and installation. Together, the works offer a rare insight into the emotional landscape of tennis, exploring ambition, perseverance, vulnerability and belonging.
Paralympian, Lucy Shuker was one of the players to have a piece inspired by her, and her tennis career. When asked how the process was she said, "It's incredible to see a piece of art made about you. I was blown away.its been amazing to see how art and tennis have come together."
It's incredible to see a piece of art made about you. I was blown away. Its been amazing to see how art and tennis have come together.
Two LTA Tennis Foundation funded partners - Community Integrated Care and The Queen’s Club Foundation, feature within the exhibition, with artists working closely alongside them to bring their impact to life through contemporary art.
Community Integrated Care, one of the UK’s largest social care charities, has been supported by LTA Tennis Foundation to deliver Serving Inclusion, an ambitious programme designed to transform both the tennis and social care sectors. The initiative creates opportunities for people with learning disabilities, autism and other support needs to access tennis in inclusive, welcoming environments, helping to build confidence, develop skills and strengthen social connections.
Meanwhile, The Queen’s Club Foundation, the official charity of The Queen’s Club, is working to create healthier, more connected communities through racket sports. With support from the LTA Tennis Foundation, its Rally for Life programme is opening up tennis and padel to people living with dementia, providing accessible, social playing opportunities that support physical health, mental wellbeing and a sense of belonging.
Through their artistic collaborations, both organisations are represented in powerful and unexpected ways, capturing not only the programmes themselves, but the human stories behind them and the difference they make every day.
John Hughes, Director of Partnerships and Communities at Community Integrated Care, says: “Serving Inclusion represents a groundbreaking approach to tackling some of the deepest health, social and economic inequalities in society through sport. In this partnership, the LTA Tennis Foundation are directly transforming the lives of people whose needs and ambitions are too rarely seen and supported. We are honoured to support this innovative celebration of the vital work of the LTA Tennis Foundation, and their fundraising efforts.”
A percentage of all artwork sales from The Emotion of Tennis will be donated directly to the LTA Tennis Foundation, helping to fund programmes and partnerships that make tennis more accessible and inclusive across Britain.
Hannah Simpson, Fundraising Lead for LTA Tennis Foundation says: “Every day, we see how tennis can change lives - building confidence, improving wellbeing and creating communities. This exhibition not only celebrates the sport’s cultural and emotional impact but also plays an important role in enabling that impact to reach more people."
Take a look at the full gallery
Featured Collaborations
The collection showcases eleven unique artist-player and artist-organisation partnerships, where the artists liaised directly with the players and organisations to collaborate on each piece, offering a distinctive perspective on the game and its wider impact.
Amy Judd × Lucy Shuker & Cameron Norrie
Known for her evocative figurative works and symbolic visual language, Amy Judd collaborated with British tennis stars Lucy Shuker and Cameron Norrie to create a pair of striking portraits exploring resilience, determination and the psychology of elite performance. Drawing on mythology, victory symbolism and her signature feather motifs, Judd transforms both athletes into powerful and transcendent figures.
Dr Helen Gørrill × The Queen’s Club Foundation
Working with LTA Tennis Foundation funded partner, the The Queen’s Club Foundation, Dr Helen Gørrill reimagines the traditions of portraiture to explore the changing face of tennis and its growing inclusivity. Through layered imagery and painterly intervention, the works celebrate organisations helping to make the sport more accessible while acknowledging the heritage from which modern tennis has evolved.
Ewa Podles × Lloyd Glasspool
In collaboration with doubles specialist Lloyd Glasspool, Ewa Podles examines the emotional complexity behind professional sport. Through expressive mark-making and mixed-media portraiture, the work captures the tension between public confidence and private vulnerability, revealing the human experience beneath elite performance.
Imogen Morris × Heather Watson
Inspired by one of Heather Watson's iconic on-court celebrations, Imogen Morris created A Threaded Force, a dynamic mixed-media work combining thread, nails, paint and gesture. Filled with movement and energy, the piece reflects both the physical demands and emotional intensity of competing at the highest level.
Joshua Donkor × Jamie Murray
Acclaimed portrait artist Joshua Donkor collaborated with seven-time Grand Slam champion Jamie Murray to create Jamie Murray. Defying the Odds.. Combining detailed graphite portraiture with transferred imagery referencing defining moments throughout Murray's career, the work explores achievement, perseverance and legacy through layered visual storytelling.
Kelly Jenkins × Laura Robson
Through a unique combination of data visualisation and textile practice, Kelly Jenkins translated the career of former British number one Laura Robson into richly embroidered abstract works. Drawing on movement patterns, statistics and performance metrics, the pieces balance analytical precision with emotional resonance.
Lee Herring × LTA Tennis Foundation
Created in support of the LTA Tennis Foundation, Lee Herring's vibrant mixed-media work Smashing Summer celebrates the atmosphere, heritage and visual identity of the British grass-court season. Combining floral forms, geometric court references and subtle nods to The HSBC Championships, the work captures the energy and optimism that surround summer tennis.
Luke M Walker × Tim Henman
In collaboration with Tim Henman, Luke M Walker revisits one of the defining moments in British tennis history. Through charcoal drawing and his distinctive 'Datascape' works, Walker explores the collective memory surrounding Wimbledon 1997 and the emergence of the iconic Henman Hill, capturing both personal achievement and national sporting nostalgia.
Samuel Ryde × National Tennis Centre
Photographer Samuel Ryde was granted rare access to the National Tennis Centre, documenting the courts and training environments that support Britain's elite players. His resulting photographic series transforms sporting surfaces into abstract studies of texture, repetition and movement, revealing beauty within spaces rarely seen by the public.
Sarah Emily Porter × Community Integrated Care
Working with LTA Tennis Foundation funded partner Community Integrated Care, Sarah Emily Porter created a series of vibrant abstract paintings celebrating the social impact of tennis through the charity’s work. Inspired by the charity’s ambition to empower bold and vibrant lives, overcome barriers and build connections through tennis, the works explore how sport can foster connection, confidence and belonging far beyond the boundaries of competition.
Sophie Derrick × LTA Tennis Foundation
Partnering with the LTA Tennis Foundation, Sophie Derrick produced multidisciplinary works that combine photography, painting and body-based mark-making. Her energetic compositions explore movement, transformation and performance while reflecting the evolving visual culture of British tennis.
