City Reflections: Illuminating Southampton’s Stories – A First Look

This Wednesday, our communities came together for an exciting first glimpse of City Reflections: Illuminating Southampton’s Stories – a project that will light up Southampton next February with six stunning projections.

Over the past few months, our Community Curators have been working hand-in-hand with their communities, diving into archives to uncover stories, images, and moments that speak to their chosen themes. Seeing these efforts begin to take shape on screen was truly inspiring.

Here’s a sneak peek at the projections and their amazing curators:

• King John’s Palace – Trade and Textiles, curated by Rajan (Indian community)
• Holyrood Church – People and Global Connection, curated by Abs (African diaspora)
• The Bargate – Culture, curated by Thelma (Young People, Sport & Disabled communities)
• The Dancing Man Brewery – Ships and Shipping, curated by Stephen (Older Isolated People, in partnership with Communicare)
• The Castle Vaults – City Maps and City Walls, curated by Beth (Neurodivergent people)
• Southampton City Art Gallery – You Are Invited, curated by Ri (LGBTQ+ community)

Libby Battaglia, the project’s creative producer, and Steven McConnachie from Double Take Projections have been transforming these archival treasures into vibrant, immersive projections. For the first time, the Community Curators and their communities got to see their months of hard work taking shape and catch a glimpse of how it will dazzle audiences across the city.

The preview sparked excitement, conversation, and a real sense of pride, as everyone witnessed creativity, research, and collaboration come to life in stunning visual form. City Reflections will be open to the public from 18–21 February – a chance for everyone to experience Southampton’s rich history and diverse stories beautifully illuminated across the city.

Interview with Thelma Bishop-Young Community Curator for the Bargate

As part of City Reflections – a spectacular series of light projections coming to Southampton in February 2026 – six Community Curators have been exploring the city’s archives, stories, and heritage. Each curator has worked closely with their community, uncovering hidden histories and reflecting them back through collaboration with the creative team.

We spoke with Thelma Bishop-Young, who has been working on the projection for the Bargate.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself and what brought you to the Community Curator role?

I’ve lived in Southampton all my life. Before this, I was involved as a Local Connector and Local Ambassador through the City of Culture bid. I’ve always been curious about the history of the city, and this project felt like a brilliant way to dive into the archives and explore what Southampton has to offer – and to share that with local people.

What building and theme have you been given?

I’ve been given the honour of working with the Bargate, with the theme of culture.

How have you approached the project? How have you found the research element? How have you engaged your community?

At the beginning, all the curators were shown around the archive stores – a fascinating experience that gave us just a glimpse of what’s held there. Working with the team at the City Archives, I focused on cultural topics but quickly realised the theme was too broad. With input from community members and volunteers, we decided to narrow our focus to volunteering and free cultural events, and also to look at how culture changes through migration.

I’ve loved the research side of this project. I’m a bit of a history nerd, so spending hours with old photos and documents was heaven. Some of the material really blew my mind – especially seeing how welcoming and open Southampton was 100 years ago, and realising that spirit still runs through the city today.

To engage my community, I worked mainly in small groups and one-to-one conversations, sharing what I’d found in the archives and asking what they thought best represented Southampton’s volunteering culture. Their insights shaped what I chose to take forward.

What has been the most meaningful or surprising part of the experience for you?

The most meaningful part has been the sheer depth of knowledge held by the archive staff. You can ask them almost anything and they’ll immediately find a document, photo, or record that brings the past to life.

The most surprising part has been the lack of recent material in the archives – especially from the last 30 to 50 years. It made me realise how important it is that we think about what we leave behind for future generations, and how we can add more of today’s culture back into the archives.

Has working on this project shaped or changed your approach to community and creativity?

I don’t think it’s changed my approach, but it has deepened it. Many of the people I worked with I’ve known for more than 20 years, but sitting down with them in this context gave me new perspectives. Hearing their stories, connecting their personal histories with what we found in the archives, and watching them recall moments from their youth has been a really rewarding part of the process.

If I were to do it again, I’d want to capture even more personal histories to add into the archives.

Now that you’re nearly ready to hand over to the creative team, what are your hopes looking ahead?

I hope the projection will be fast-paced and vibrant, reflecting the energy of Southampton today. I’d love it to be fully inclusive of what the community has put forward, so people feel they’re really represented.

I also hope it sparks memories for older generations – moments that remind them of their past and encourage them to share those stories. And I’d love it to inspire more people to get involved in volunteering and cultural activities across the city.

What does belonging in Southampton feel like to you?

Having lived here all my life, belonging in Southampton has always felt natural to me. It’s about being part of a community and sharing in the city’s culture.

Culture isn’t just about art, books, or theatre – it’s about people, volunteering, and community. For me, belonging means being rooted in those shared experiences and being part of a city that continues to welcome and include people.

Experience City Reflections

You can see Thelma Bishop-Young’s work – along with projections created by five other Community Curators – as part of City Reflections, taking place across Southampton from 18–21 February 2026.

Stay tuned for more behind-the-scenes interviews as we shine a light on the people and stories that make up this extraordinary city.

Interview with Rajan Jolly – Community Curator for King John’s Palace

As part of City Reflections – a spectacular series of light projections coming to Southampton in February 2026 – six Community Curators have been exploring the city’s archives, stories, and heritage. Each curator has worked closely with their community, uncovering hidden histories and reflecting them back through collaboration with the creative team.

We spoke with Rajan Jolly, who has been working on the projection for King John’s Palace.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself and what brought you to the Community Curator role?

My name is Rajan Jolly, and a year ago I had the opportunity to become a Community Curator. I’ve been fortunate to build strong networks within the Asian community – our social media groups reach over 10,000 people. That means I can share information from organisations like Southampton City Council or Southampton Forward with the community very quickly, and also pass feedback the other way.

I’m really proud to be part of Southampton Forward and the City Reflections team, using this platform to give back to the community and ensure their voices are heard.

What was it about this project specifically that appealed to you?

During City Reflections 1 earlier this year, I was amazed to see myself projected onto Southampton’s historic walls. It felt like such an honour and a privilege – a recognition of the work we do to give back. That moment gave me the drive to do even more.

So when the opportunity came to be part of City Reflections 2, I jumped at it. The idea of learning about the city’s rich history and archives, and sharing that with my community, was too good to miss.

What building and theme have you been given?

I’ve been given King John’s Palace, with the theme of Trade and Textiles.

How have you approached the project – both in terms of research and engaging your community?

At first, I researched the theme of trade and textiles on my own, but I was also lucky to be guided through the Southampton Archives. I learned just how central Southampton has always been as a trading port – from Roman times to the medieval period and beyond.

I also learned a lot from my fellow Community Curators. In our meetings, I discovered more about shipping, communities, and culture. In just a few months, I’ve become a real advocate for Southampton’s history. When friends visit from outside the city, I proudly share its stories and heritage.

To engage my community, I invited 20 people from the Asian community to join me on visits to SeaCity Museum and Tudor House. The response was overwhelming – more than 200 people wanted to take part, and in the end I brought 24 along. Many had lived in Southampton for years but had never visited these historic sites.

At the museum they were fascinated by the Titanic exhibition, the old menus, and the clothing on display. I also told them about Southampton’s banana trade, where workers sang songs while unloading shipments. It was inspiring to see people connect so strongly with the city’s history for the first time.

What has been the most meaningful or surprising part of the experience for you?

One of the most meaningful moments was meeting the other Community Curators. I was pleasantly surprised by how diverse the group is – people from very different backgrounds, each with their own stories and expertise. Learning from them has been inspiring and has shown me just how many perspectives come together to shape Southampton.

Has working on this project shaped or changed your thinking about community or creativity?

Yes, definitely. Day-to-day, I already felt connected to my community, but learning about Southampton’s deep history has brought me closer to the city itself. I’ve come to appreciate even more the place where I live.

Southampton has always made me feel safe and welcome. Even as someone from a different background, I’ve never felt excluded here. Talking with friends in other parts of the UK, I know that’s not the case everywhere. This project has strengthened my sense of belonging and pride in the city.

Now that you’re nearly ready to hand over to the creative team, what are your hopes or reflections?

I hope people will come to see the projections in February and feel closer to the city as a result. Southampton has changed so much over the centuries, and today it is wonderfully diverse.

Projects like this not only showcase its rich heritage, but also help younger generations appreciate the city they live in. I also hope it attracts more visitors, so even more people can discover Southampton’s culture and history.

What does belonging in Southampton feel like to you?

I feel I completely belong in Southampton. I’ve lived here for many years and can’t imagine living anywhere else.

The city has given me so much, and I try to give back by helping others feel they belong too. Through my community groups, I’ve promoted Southampton’s bid to be City of Culture and shared its monuments and heritage to spread pride and positivity.

It’s easy to focus on the negatives, but Southampton has so many good things to offer. If more people could see that, they’d appreciate the city even more. For me, that’s what belonging is about – feeling part of something bigger, and helping others feel it too.

Experience City Reflections

You can see Rajan Jolly’s work – along with projections created by five other Community Curators – as part of City Reflections, taking place across Southampton from 18–21 February 2026.

Stay tuned for more behind-the-scenes interviews as we shine a light on the people and stories that make up this extraordinary city.

Work made during the Poetry workshop on Saturday 4^th October 2025

Eight people aged from 10 to 58 gathered at Eagle Lab in Southampton for a Poetry workshop inspired by Jane Austen. Springboarding from Jane Austen’s interest in words and in social commentary, we started to explore contemporary responses to a series of prompts through a very accessible approach to poetry.

Participants began by writing ‘acrostic’ poems, using key words (either their first name or My Story) to give the first letter of a different word or line that together would form a poem. This helped everyone to feel that they could write a poem, no matter if they’d had experience of doing this before or not.

Each person then chose at random one ‘virtue’ or word with a positive connotation or value, and one ‘vice’ or word with a more negative meaning. This was inspired by Jane Austen’s contrasting word novel titles, such as ‘Pride and Prejudice’ and ‘Sense and Sensibility’.

Everyone wrote at least one poem inspired by their contrasting pairs of words. People could choose their own poetic forms; some asked for suggestions of forms to use that might give their ideas more shape. Having shared their work, participants then chose either to make another poem, or to write up their favourite poem of the session with some decoration, to be included in the exhibition.

‘I am learning to use my voice for good, to speak my truth and speak up for injustice.

My poem shows my struggle to balance love and peace with my journey to speaking my mind.’

‘I love creation. I’ve had this in my diary for weeks – it’s an opportunity to make and share. I walked in unsure of what to expect, but everyone was so lovely. I had so much fun – the prompts were really helpful and I enjoyed sharing with everyone.’

‘I got the words ‘stupidity’ and ‘wholeheartedness’, and was recommended the format where each line contains a word from the previous line.

My thinking was to go from stupidity and transform it into related words using ‘hearted’ words as connective tissue.

The design is meant to symbolise a coin ie love and hate are two sides of the same coin.’

‘I wrote 3 things, but the one I chose to write up neatly for the exhibition was about my struggles with identity and dissociation: trying to make a name for myself and be someone I’m proud of while resenting some of the ways mental illness affects me.’

‘I came to support my daughter, having no confidence in my ability to do poetry. I really enjoyed myself.

Thank you.’

‘I came in open to doing poetry with no preconceptions. I picked the words ‘ineptness’ and ‘making a difference’ at random, but they really spoke to me. I enjoyed the opportunity to write something uplifting to myself.

I really enjoyed this session! I would definitely come again!’

‘I loved having the challenge of writing about two contrasting words I’d chosen at random. I made an acrostic poem from my two words, I really liked the idea that the negativity of defeat could be transformed into something so positive and open, coming from curiosity.’

Your Stories is supported by Southampton Forward, National Lottery Heritage Fund and Foyle Foundation as part of Jane Austen 250.

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