Interview with Stephen Muldowney-Mizen – Community Curator for Dancing Man Brewery Projection
As part of City Reflections – a 6 point projection light trail coming to Southampton in February 2026 – six Community Curators have been exploring Southampton’s archives and stories, each working with their own community to shape new light projections across the city.
Stephen Muldowney-Mizen has been working through Communicare in Southampton, a charity that supports older isolated people through a network of volunteers. His project has focused on giving a voice to those who are often less heard, while uncovering the city’s maritime heritage for the projection at the Dancing Man Brewery.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself and what brought you to the Community Curator role?
My name is Stephen Muldowney-Mizen. I’ve worked in the arts for a while, but more recently I’ve been working with Communicare Southampton, a charity that connects with lonely and isolated people living in the city.
I was drawn to this role because it felt like a chance to engage people with the city of Southampton, explore its past, and also give them a voice in shaping something for the future. It was important to me that people felt they had some control over how they see their city changing, and that they were engaged with art as part of that.
What building and theme have you been given?
I’ve been given the Dancing Man Brewery, with the theme of ships and shipping.
It’s a fascinating site. The brewery building was once the Wool House, central to Southampton’s trade, and later became the Titanic Museum. It already tells a story of the city’s maritime heritage. Now, as a pub loved by the community, it’s another example of how places change while still carrying the city’s history. For me, it’s been exciting to not only reflect on the past but also celebrate Southampton as a changing city where people still have a place in its future.
How have you approached the project, both in terms of the research and engaging your community?
The research has been a wonderful crash course in archives. I’ve been like a kid in a sweet shop, exploring endless boxes of records and artefacts – each with its own story and a little bit of magic. Narrowing down such a broad theme as “ships and shipping” has been a challenge, but also a real joy.
Engaging the community has been equally important, and quite a learning curve. The people Communicare supports are often hard to reach, so we’ve tried lots of approaches: sending out questionnaires, speaking to people on the phone, and involving our volunteers. We’ve gathered a huge range of responses about what ships and shipping mean to people.
We also held a get-together at SeaCity Museum, where I shared what I’d found in the archives. The community had complete control to say what they thought was important, what should change, and to add their own stories. The stories that came out of that were brilliant – moving, personal, and full of life.
What has been the most meaningful or surprising part of the experience for you?
The most surprising thing has been realising just how many people in Southampton have a connection to ships and shipping. Whether it’s a relative who worked as a waiter or chef on board, or a story of travelling across the world, almost everyone I’ve spoken to has a personal link.
It’s made me see how integral the maritime industry has been to Southampton’s identity – not just historically, but in the lives of people right up to today. The city doesn’t just live by the water, it thrives on it.
Now that you’re nearly ready to hand over to the creative team at Light Up Trails and Double Take, what are your hopes or reflections looking ahead?
I’m really excited to see what the creative team does with the images and artefacts we’ve collected. Their work is always astounding, and I can’t wait to see them breathe new life into these old objects and stories.
But most of all, I hope our community sees their work reflected back at them. I want them to feel they are still important to the city – because they are. I hope they see that their stories are treasured and that they still have a voice in shaping Southampton’s future.
What does belonging in Southampton feel like to you?
I’ve lived in Southampton for about five years. I moved here just before lockdown, and even during that time I felt such a strong sense of community – people looking out for one another, caring, and building something together.
To me, belonging in Southampton feels like being part of a city that celebrates its people and its past while building a future together. It’s a city with music, poetry, art, and life everywhere. Above all, it’s a place with a huge sense of community.
Experience City Reflections
You can see Stephen’s work – along with projections created by five other Community Curators – as part of City Reflections, taking place in Southampton’s Old Town and city centre from 18-21 February 2026.