Jane Austen’s travelling writing desk, a portable mahogany piece gifted by her father George Austen around her 19th birthday, was designed to fold up for travel and includes a secret drawer where she kept letters and manuscripts.

In Training for a Heroine explores Jane Austen’s early life as an ambitious young writer, with the desk symbolising the creative possibilities and opportunities of her world. Visitors can view extracts from Austen’s letters that offer glimpses into her experiences, including her time living in Southampton between 1783 and 1809.

On loan from the British Library, the desk forms the centrepiece of Southampton’s year-long celebration of Jane Austen’s 250th birthday, part of a global tribute to her enduring influence.

Commissioned by a space arts, No Notion of Loving by Halves is a site-specific, multi-media installation by Jocelyn McGregor, accompanied by a programme of live performances. The exhibition examines the complex female relationships in Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey, following the heroine Catherine’s interactions that range from supportive and familial to competitive and Gothic.

This contemporary installation reflects not only the nuances of Austen’s fiction but also the connections and influences between women authors of the Gothic tradition. It considers how these dynamics continue to inspire modern artists and writers today.

The exhibition features a striking lead artwork and a portrait of the artist herself.