Category: Project

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.

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.

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. As performers Kiddo and Blanks reflected:

“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.”

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.

Pub Cultures

Pub Cultures paired nine Southampton pubs with local artists to create original artworks shaped by the stories, histories and people of each venue.

Each artist spent time with their pub community, running workshops, gathering stories and getting to know the people and places they were working with. These conversations inspired nine bespoke artworks, ranging from murals and sculpture to textiles and other visual art, each reflecting something distinctive about its pub and community.

Alongside the artworks, local writers were commissioned to create poems inspired by the nine venues, while stories from landlords and pub communities captured everything from centuries of local history to live music, friendship and the role pubs continue to play in bringing people together.

The nine participating pubs were The Robin Hood in Sholing, The Platform Tavern in the Old Town, The Red Lion in the city centre, The Joiners in St Mary’s, The Saints in Millbrook, The Mountbatten in Lordshill, The Ship Inn in Redbridge, The Hop Inn in Bitterne Park and Raven & Bine in Bedford Place.

The completed artworks were unveiled in spring 2025, inviting people to visit the pubs, discover their stories and experience the work in the places and communities that inspired it.

By creating new work directly with pub communities, Pub Cultures captured and shared some of the histories, relationships and experiences held within Southampton’s pubs – and explored the role these familiar spaces play in the cultural and social life of the city.