Category: Project

The Corner Shop and Portals into Other Worlds

The Corner Shop & Portal into Other Worlds celebrated the corner shop as a familiar but often overlooked part of Southampton’s cultural and social heritage – places of everyday exchange, community connection and gateways to different cultures from around the world.

Created by British-Asian artist and curator Darrell Vydelingum, the project was inspired by his own memories of growing up and by Babita Sharma’s book The Corner Shop: Shopkeepers, the Sharmas and the Making of Modern Britain, which explores the role of immigrant-run corner shops in shaping modern Britain.

Seven independent shops across Southampton took part, representing businesses and communities in Bargate, Bevois, Freemantle and Shirley. The stories and oral histories of the shopkeepers were captured for Southampton City Archives, creating a lasting record of the people behind these businesses and their contribution to the city.

The project brought this heritage together with new creative work. Fashion Design students from Winchester School of Art researched the shops and created a ‘visual love letter’ to corner shop culture, with fashion shoots staged inside the participating businesses. Accessories were created by Southampton Women’s Integration Group, while newly commissioned shop signs featuring playful phrases reflecting ideas of human connection and community were installed at each shop.

The resulting photography, fashion and stories came together in a free three-day public exhibition at Solent University’s Spark Building in December 2024.

Through oral history, fashion, photography and public art, The Corner Shop & Portal into Other Worlds shone a light on the people and places woven into the everyday life of Southampton – celebrating the corner shop as both a community hub and a reflection of the city’s multicultural identity.

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Stories of Belonging Film Showcase

Stories of Belonging was a free evening film showcase at MAST Mayflower Studios, delivered in partnership with City Eye as the final event in Southampton Forward’s three-year cultural programme.

At the heart of the evening was the premiere of Belonging, a new short film created with City Eye. Bringing together stories and voices from across Southampton Forward’s programme, the film explored what it means to feel connected to the city, its communities and to each other.

Alongside the premiere, audiences experienced a curated programme of short films by local artists and organisations, offering different perspectives on identity, community, heritage and place. The programme brought together community filmmaking, heritage storytelling and artist-led work, highlighting voices from across Southampton and the wider Solent region.

The event was fully accessible, with British Sign Language (BSL) interpretation throughout.

As Southampton Forward’s final public event, Stories of Belonging created an opportunity to reflect on and celebrate the people, projects and partnerships that had shaped the programme – while showcasing the breadth of filmmaking and creative storytelling taking place across the city and region.

Ignite Leadership Programme

The Ignite Leadership Programme supported 14 emerging leaders from Southampton’s voluntary, community and social enterprise sector to develop their confidence, skills and networks, with a focus on building inclusive and values-led leadership across the city.

Running from September 2025 to February 2026, the programme combined interactive workshops with peer learning and reflective practice. Participants explored areas including leadership styles, communication, collaboration and leading through change, while sharing experiences and learning from one another.

The programme was designed not only to develop practical leadership skills, but also to build relationships and create a supportive network between people working across Southampton’s communities and organisations.

By the end of Ignite, participants reported greater confidence in their leadership approach and had developed new skills and connections to support their ongoing development. The programme also contributed to tangible progression, with three participants offered new employment by its conclusion.

Ignite formed part of Southampton Forward’s wider work to strengthen the people and organisations contributing to the city’s cultural and community life, investing in the next generation of leaders and supporting them to make a positive impact within their organisations and communities.

“It really affirmed what I knew about who I am as a person and the type of leader I want to be. That was a real boost to my confidence”

– Ignite programme member

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SO:Governance

SO:Governance was a six-month capacity-building programme supporting Southampton’s charities and social enterprises to strengthen their governance, leadership and organisational resilience.

Running from November 2024 to May 2025, the programme brought people together through a series of workshops and peer-learning sessions exploring practical areas including trustee roles and responsibilities, effective decision-making, financial oversight and long-term sustainability.

Alongside developing knowledge and skills, SO:Governance created a space for organisations to share challenges, learn from one another and build supportive networks across the city. 96 people took part, learning from 10 expert speakers and gaining practical tools and insights they could take back into their organisations.

By the end of the programme, participants reported greater confidence in their governance practices and a stronger understanding of how good governance could help their organisations respond to future challenges and opportunities.

SO:Governance formed part of Southampton Forward’s wider work to strengthen and support the city’s cultural and community sector, investing in the people and organisations that help make Southampton’s cultural life possible.

“The sessions have supported my own personal development and knowledge, which I’ve also been able to share with organisations, charities and CICs”

– SO:Governance participant

SO:Electronic

SO:Electronic was a weekend of electronic music, DJ workshops and talent development, celebrating Southampton’s electronic music scene while creating opportunities for the next generation of DJs, musicians and creatives.

Delivered in March 2024 in partnership with Orange Rooms, Engine Rooms and SoCo Music Project, the programme brought together established names with emerging Southampton talent across two club nights spanning drum & bass, house and techno.

The line-up included leading DJs with strong connections to Southampton, including Alan Fitzpatrick and James Zabiela, alongside Friction, Harriet Jaxxon and Voltage and a wide range of emerging and local artists. The two nights provided a major platform for new talent to perform alongside established artists and connected Southampton’s current electronic music scene with its wider musical story.

Alongside the live events, free DJ workshops at Orange Rooms gave young people the chance to try DJing using professional equipment, with an additional session specifically for Children Looked After. An 18+ masterclass offered developing DJs the opportunity to build their skills and learn from experienced industry professionals.

Solent University students were also given live industry experience, responding to professional briefs to create stage visuals for the events and building work for their creative portfolios.

By combining major live events with workshops, professional experience and opportunities to perform, SO:Electronic celebrated the electronic music culture that has developed in Southampton while investing in the artists, DJs and creative professionals who could shape its future.

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Emerge Festival 2026

Following the first EMERGE Festival at Hoglands Park in 2024, the youth-led festival returned on Saturday 7 March 2026, this time taking over Planet Sounds for an indoor, multi-stage celebration of Southampton’s emerging music talent.

EMERGE 2026 brought together 300 people and 28 performers across three live music stages, with bands, singer-songwriters, rappers and DJs performing throughout the day. 85% of performers were under 25, providing a major platform for young artists to perform, develop their experience and connect with new audiences.

Young people were at the heart of the festival, involved in planning, stage curation, marketing and promotion, performance and event delivery. The new indoor format was developed following reflection with young people after the first EMERGE, creating a busy festival environment alongside food, stalls, workshops and other activities.

The second festival also demonstrated the progression created through EMERGE. Young people who had volunteered at the 2024 festival returned in paid roles, while artists progressed from smaller stages to main-stage performances. Members of Kitty Commodity, who had helped plan and deliver the first festival, returned in 2026 as performers with their newly formed band.

EMERGE was produced and delivered by SoCo Music Project, working with young people and partners including Gig Night, with funding and wider project support from Southampton Forward.

Emerge Festival 2024

EMERGE was a free youth festival created by and for young people in Southampton, taking over Hoglands Park on Saturday 7 September 2024 with live music, DJs, creative workshops and activities.

Produced and delivered by SoCo Music Project, with funding and wider project support from Southampton Forward, EMERGE grew out of an extensive programme of engagement with young people across the city. Over several months, SoCo worked with young people to explore what they wanted from a festival and supported them to shape its programme, performers, activities and overall experience.

In total, 300 young people were engaged in developing EMERGE, with 12 young people taking a leading role in delivering the festival in Hoglands Park.

Music was at the heart of the day. Two stages showcased emerging bands, musicians, solo artists and DJs, with 18 young artists performing and providing a platform for some of Southampton’s next generation of musical talent.

Alongside the live performances, the festival included creative workshops and interactive activities, including graffiti and singing, as well as stalls from local independent traders.

For the young people involved, EMERGE provided opportunities to develop skills, gain practical experience, perform in front of live audiences and take genuine ownership of a public event.

“Today was my first time performing at EMERGE, it’s been nerve-racking but brilliant. It brings the youth to come and show their talent, show who they are, it has given us an opportunity to shine.” – Performers Kiddo and Blanks

From the early conversations about what young people wanted from a festival through to the event in Hoglands Park, EMERGE put their ideas, creativity and talent at the centre – with SoCo supporting young people to turn those ideas into a festival of their own.