Author: Liz Caplen

City Reflections: Illuminating Southampton’s Stories Postcards

Posted on March 4, 2026 by Liz Caplen - Artist commission

City Reflections: Illuminating Southampton’s Stories Postcards

City Reflections invited people across the city to pause, look up and experience Southampton in a new way. Inspired by the creative legacy of Arthur Jeffress, visitors were encouraged to share the moments, memories and ideas from the trail that stood out to them.

Through these postcards, members of the public have captured personal reflections, stories and creative responses to the project. You can explore a selection of these contributions here — and if you saw the projections, you may still be able to add your own reflection to the growing display at Southampton Central Library.

Exhibition: No Notion of Loving by Halves by Jocelyn McGregor

Posted on November 20, 2025 by Liz Caplen - Artist commission

Exhibition: No Notion of Loving by Halves by Jocelyn McGregor

Friday 15th November 2024 – Sunday 23rd February 2025

Commissioned by a space arts, No Notion of Loving by Halves by Jocelyn McGregor is a site-specific, multi-media installation exploring the complex relationships between women in Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey. The exhibition examines connections that are at times supportive, competitive, humorous, or Gothic, reflecting both Austen’s fiction and the wider world of female Gothic authors. This installation was part of the Jane Austen at GHT programme alongside In Training for a Heroine and was free to attend.

Visit God’s House Tower

Project Funded By:

Jane Austen’s Desk Gallery

Posted on November 20, 2025 by Liz Caplen - Artist commission

Exhibition: In Training for a Heroine, Jane Austen’s Travelling Writing Desk

Friday 15th November 2024 – Sunday 23rd February 2025

Jane Austen’s travelling writing desk was on display at God’s House Tower, on loan from the British Library. Gifted by her father around her 19th birthday, this portable mahogany desk folds for travel and includes a secret drawer for her letters and manuscripts. In Training for a Heroine explored Austen’s early life as a young writer, with the desk symbolising creativity and opportunity, while extracts from her letters offered insight into her time in Southampton. The exhibition was part of the Jane Austen at GHT programme, which also featured Jocelyn McGregor’s contemporary art commission No Notion of Loving by Halves. The exhibition was free to attend.

Visit God’s House Tower

Project Funded By:

What Women Write – by Artful Scribe

Posted on November 14, 2025 by Liz Caplen - Artist commission

What Women Write

6 November 2025

Southampton Forward is proud to support What Women Write — a project led and delivered by ArtfulScribe — celebrating women’s voices across Southampton as part of the city’s Jane Austen 250 programme.

What Women Write offers a series of free creative writing workshops designed to uplift and explore the diverse experiences of women in Southampton today. Led by local women writers, the sessions invite participants to reflect on themes including neurodivergence, motherhood, and the perspectives of marginalised women, alongside wider experiences of living as a woman in the city.

The workshops are open to anyone who identifies as a woman. No prior experience in creative writing is required, and you don’t need to be familiar with Jane Austen’s work — though Austen fans are warmly welcomed too.

Upcoming Workshops

Open Sessions
Led by Susmita Bhattacharya and Cathryn Spiller

Tuesday 18 November, 7–9pm — Online
Saturday 29 November, 1–3pm — Portswood Library

Sessions for Asian Women
Led by Lauren Alonso Miller and AJ Hardingson in partnership with Shakti Southampton

Friday 21 November, 11am–1pm — Freemantle
Saturday 13 December, 11am–1pm — Shirley Community Centre

Mask Off Sessions
Led by Susan L. Edser and Lorna Digweed in partnership with Neurodivergent Arts C.I.C.

Wednesday 3 December, 6–8pm — October Books
Friday 5 December, 10am–12pm — October Books

More workshops will be announced in the New Year.

If you would like to share thoughts on future sessions or get involved but don’t feel represented by the current offer — or if accessing the workshops is challenging for you — ArtfulScribe welcomes your feedback.

To learn more about the project or get in touch, please email
admin@artfulscribe.co.uk

Supported by:

Founding City Partners

Jane Austen 250: Tourism

Posted on November 6, 2025 by Liz Caplen - Artist commission

JANE AUSTEN 250: Tourism

Southampton Forward led the delivery of a city-wide campaign promoting the 250th Anniversary of Jane Austen, highlighting Jane Austen’s connections to the city and raising awareness of the heritage assets and celebratory events connected to the anniversary.

The team created a toolkit to enable businesses and stakeholders to share campaign assets and coordinate communications.

The campaign shared resources for use across the City’s digital screens, digital channels, and PR and media support, achieving fantastic results, including:

Two phases of the digital campaign across Meta and Google between October and December

Jane Austen 250 media coverage (a few examples):

25,000 clicks to landing pages
1.5 million impressions
New York Times – #1 place to visit in the world in 2025

Read the NY Times article

The Times – My Jane Austen-themed weekend

Read The Times article

Read Country Life Magazine article – How to celebrate the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen

Read Time Out – The 15 Best Places to Visit in the UK

Founding City Partners

The Jane Who? Club – by In Focus Education & Development

Posted on November 5, 2025 by Liz Caplen - Artist commission

In Focus: The Jane Who Club

As part of the Jane Austen 250 celebrations, Southampton Forward supported In Focus to run an eight-week creative residency for young people at God’s House Tower. During the project, the group explored Jane Austen’s life and legacy and went on to lead a series of creative workshops inspired by her work. Visitors were also able to enjoy the rest of God’s House Tower, where Jane Austen’s travelling writing desk was on loan from The British Library.

With thanks to the artists: J Pyrite, Gazelle Goode, Sophie Englyst

Find out more about the Jane Who Club

Project Funded By:

The Austentatious Ball – Mayflower Studios

Posted on November 4, 2025 by Liz Caplen - Artist commission

The Austentatious Ball

The Austentatious Ball was a free, outdoor celebration inviting everyone to embrace their most ostentatious selves — whatever that means to them! Taking over Guildhall Square outside MAST Mayflower Studios, this unforgettable participatory event brought together 100 people for an evening of dance, live entertainment, and joyful self-expression. From grandeur and glitter to gothic flair or favourite tracksuits, guests dressed to express and took part in a dance extravaganza rooted in the real stories, voices, and styles of today’s communities.

Founding City Partners

Jane Austen Exhibition at God’s House Tower – by ‘a space’ arts

Posted on November 4, 2025 by Liz Caplen - Artist commission

‘a’ space arts: Jane Austen Exhibition at God’s House Tower

In Training for a Heroine celebrated Jane Austen as a young, ambitious writer at the beginning of her career, centring around her travelling writing desk – a treasured possession on loan from the British Library. Exhibited at God’s House Tower from November 2024 to February 2025, the desk symbolised a world of opportunity and imagination, with extracts from Austen’s letters offering insight into her life and time in Southampton. Supported by Southampton Forward, the exhibition was part of the Jane Austen at GHT programme, which also included a contemporary art commission, No Notion of Loving by Halves by Jocelyn McGregor, marking the start of a year-long celebration of Austen’s 250th birthday in Southampton and beyond.

Supported by:

Founding City Partners

The Last Rose of Summer – Mayflower Studios

Posted on October 31, 2025 by Liz Caplen - Artist commission

The Last Rose of Summer

The Last Rose of Summer was a brand new one-act musical celebrating Jane Austen’s enduring legacy and her special connection to Southampton. Developed as part of the nationwide Austen 250 celebrations, the project brought together an all-female creative team and a cast of 50 talented local young people to reimagine Austen’s world through music, dance, and storytelling. Supported by Southampton Forward, this fresh and contemporary production offered an inspiring new take on one of Britain’s most beloved writers, blending Regency elegance with modern creativity.

SO: Cultured

14th July 2025

Sara Scott: A fresh take on Jane Austen at Mayflower Studios

Tapestry Festival – Southampton Forward

Posted on October 31, 2025 by Liz Caplen - Artist commission

Tapestry

TAPESTRY was a brand-new open-air festival of music and culture that took place on Southampton’s Westquay Esplanade on 19–20 July 2025. Inspired by the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen, the event reimagined her connection to folk music with a fresh, global twist – featuring an eclectic mix of acclaimed artists and rising talent.

Set against the backdrop of the city’s medieval walls and with free entry, TAPESTRY offered a vibrant celebration of Southampton’s cultural identity