Why writing matters in a creative and connected Southampton

Bridget Floyer

I’ve been working in Southampton for the past few years, and the city has become an important part of my life. My husband grew up here and his family still live in Lordshill, so it already felt familiar when I began working here.

At heart, I’m a producer. I’ve worked in theatre and community arts for more than 20 years, starting out working on musicals in the West End before realising that what I really love is helping people get involved in arts and culture. I’ve always been a big reader and have always loved writing, and that mix of interests has now led me to ArtfulScribe.

ArtfulScribe was founded in 2012 by poet and writer Matthew West, originally to support local writers here in Southampton. Over time, the work has grown to reach and support writers and writing across the wider Solent region, offering workshops, live events, and development opportunities. We work with people of all ages and abilities, and often partner with schools, community groups, businesses and cultural organisations, bringing writing into everyday life.

I joined Matthew about a year and a half ago as Executive Director to help support this next stage of growth, and also get involved in producing many of our projects and programmes. It’s been a joy to hear and read the words of so many Southampton writers and to discover more about local stories and histories.

At ArtfulScribe our workshops and projects aren’t just for those with ambitions of becoming a professional writer. Many people come along simply for the pleasure of writing, or because it helps their wellbeing. Others want to develop new skills, and some are keen to share their work more widely.

For me, it’s really about encouraging a love of words and seeing where that can take people. For those who want to go further, we do our best to connect them with the right opportunities – whether that’s joining a local writing group, reading their work out loud at an open mic, working towards a commission, or leading sessions themselves.

At the moment we’re planning our annual literary festival, LitFest, at Mayflower Studios. This annual celebration of writing brings together workshops, keynote talks, and showcases from writers across the Solent, and is a great place to come to meet other writers and find community.

Alongside that, we continue to offer free classes for young people aged seven and up throughout the year, and we’re feeling very grateful to have recently received new support from the National Lottery Community Fund. This funding means we can keep running our Writing for Wellbeing workshops with Solent Mind in the New Forest.

We’ve also been delivering women’s writing courses for several years, but when our most recent Arts Council England project funding came to an end, it felt like the right time to pause and ask ourselves some honest questions: Why is this course specifically for women? What makes it meaningful?

One of the writers we work with, Susan L. Edser, who is neurodivergent, had a clear idea. She wanted to run a course called ‘Mask Off’, designed for neurodivergent women who wanted a space to write freely and be themselves. Around the same time, Southampton Forward invited us to run sessions for the Jane Austen 250 celebrations, focusing on women whose voices often go unheard. Both opportunities are helping us rethink and refresh the work and make sure it’s meeting the needs of people in Southampton now.

Southampton has a strong sense of community and an incredible cultural history – it’s easy to feel inspired here, and I’d encourage anyone who’s ever felt the pull towards writing to give it a try.

Over the next few months there are plenty of free sessions happening across the city: two open workshops (including one online), taster events for ‘Mask Off’ supported by the new organisation Neurodivergent Arts C.I.C., sessions with Shakti Southampton who support and empower Asian women, and writing workshops early in 2026 for mothers and those with caring responsibilities. If you’re local and curious, we hope there will be something for you.

I’d also love to hear from anyone who feels disconnected from the writing community. Your suggestions help shape what we do next, and we’re always open to ideas for future programmes.

To sign up to an ArtfulScribe workshop or to get in touch, visit: https://artfulscribe.co.uk/