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.