About Us
We are a charity with ambitious plans to put Southampton on the map, working across culture, festivals, events, and tourism. Through our partnerships with local communities, we aim to drive positive change and showcase the city’s vibrant potential
We want our work to meet the needs and aspirations of the communities in Southampton. We know that lasting change can only happen when we work together.
That’s why co-creation is central to our approach, with sustainability, equality, diversity, and inclusion woven into everything we do.
Vision
We are committed to building Southampton as an inclusive and creative city
By working together with local partners, we will showcase the city’s unique cultural identity and make Southampton a great place to visit, live, work, study, and play.
As a community-driven organisation, we put people at the heart of everything we do.
Mission
Rooted in our city, we develop projects built on community engagement and collaboration, that spark imagination and inventiveness, and embrace inclusivity.
Cultural, social, wellbeing, and economic benefits flow from these collaborations – which share Southampton’s hidden stories, encourage civic pride, and celebrate our city’s proud identity.
Working with others, we develop and promote festivals, events and celebrations that expand our tourism offer and put Southampton on the map.
We support creative skills development and increase opportunities for the city’s creative community.
Culture is the catalyst for Southampton’s regeneration and place-making.
Real change can be achieved only through collective effort.
Together, we bring Southampton forward.
Background
Southampton Culture Trust led the city’s bid for the 2025 UK City of Culture, and Southampton became the first-ever finalist from the south coast, making it into the top four out of 20 initial bids.
During the bid, the city came together like never before, conducting the largest community consultation in Southampton’s history. We wanted to keep that momentum going and bring some of our plans to life. Thanks to a Place Partnership grant from Arts Council England and support from city partners, we planned for the next three years and beyond.
Now, we’ve evolved into Southampton Forward, with a mission to make culture central to the city’s growth. Our goal is to share the and unique cultural hertiage of the city and to put Southampton on the map
Our Board of Charity Trustees provides strategic guidance and oversees key organisational decisions. Their role is guiding, supporting, governing, and challenging, ensuring we stay true to our mission. Our trustees bring experience from various organisations across Southampton and independent trustees who offer specialist knowledge and expertise.
Chair of Trustees
Laura Read
Independent
Trustee
Lady Sue Hollick OBE
Independent
Trustee
Councillor Lorna Fielker
Southampton City Council
Trustee
Tim Keeping
GO! Southampton
Trustee
Michael Ockwell
Mayflower Theatre and MAST
Trustee
Brent Meheux
Solent University
Trustee
Sharon Lloyd
Independent
Trustee
Jo Ash CBE
Independent
Trustee
Hayden Collins
Independent
Finance Trustee
Stephen Obuba
Independent
Trustee
Peter Taylor
Paris Smith
Trustee
Sue Littlemore
Director, Civic, University of Southampton
We value diversity and know that unique perspectives nurture creativity.
We believe that culture enriches lives and that access to cultural experiences should be available to all.
We are committed to working for and with communties on co-created projects that shine a light on the inspirational storytellers, change makers and cultural innovators from neighbourhoods across our city.
SO: INCLUSIVE
Putting equity, diversity and inclusion at the forefront of our city, in 2024 Southampton Forward and University of Southampton co-ordinated a programme where a range of Southampton-based organisations came together to challenge established practice with a view to effecting real change through a commitment to inclusion in Southampton.
The effects of the environmental and climate crisis are being felt across the world and in Southampton we face particular challenges around air quality and rising sea levels.
In 2019, Southampton City Council announced ambitious targets under the Green City charter. A central goal is carbon neutrality by 2030 and a number of other institutions, businesses and charities have committed to the goals and ambition of Green City.
Based on pioneering research, the University of Southampton have created the Green City Tracker with specific indicators and meaures of success. It provides a baseline and supports organisations in playing their part.
Southampton Forward is committed to playing our part in creating a cleaner, greener, healtheir and more sustainable city:
- We will ensure our programme is delivered sustainably through the implementation of our environmental and evaluation strategies.
- All of Southampton Forward’s programme activities will feed into the Green City Tracker. The tracker is openly accessible and allows us to quanitfy and evidence how we live our values.
- We will implement processes to ensure our environmental impact is quantified, communicated, and wherever possible mitigated. These fall in line or exceed those provided by Julie’s Bicycle’s Creative Green Tools and the research undertaken by Julie’s Bicycle for Arts Council England.