Co-Creating Southampton / Stories of Belonging

Co-Creating Southampton: A Day of Shared Practice (2:15PM)

Join colleagues from across Southampton’s cultural and community sectors for an afternoon dedicated to exploring, celebrating and strengthening co-creation. Hosted at Mayflower Studios, this focused gathering brings together organisations including Zoielogic, Energise Me, InFocus Education and African Activities to share case studies, learning and approaches from recent co-creation projects in the city.

Together, we’ll connect practice with purpose – exploring how collaborative cultural work can nurture a sense of belonging, improve community cohesion and shape Southampton’s future. Through conversations, on-stage talks and shared learning, we’ll reflect on what helps people feel they belong, and what co-creation can mean for the city’s evolving cultural landscape.

Whether you’re already working co-creatively or are curious about where to begin, this is a chance to learn, reflect, meet new collaborators and help shape a shared approach for the years ahead.

Bring your experience. Bring your questions. Bring your curiosity.

Delivered in partnership with African Activities, InFocus Education, Energise Me, Southampton Forward and Zoielogic.

Stories of Belonging: Southampton Film Showcase (7:15PM)

Join us for a free evening of film at Mayflower Studios as we celebrate the people, places and creative communities that make Southampton feel like home. Southampton Forward will premiere Belonging, a new short film created with City Eye that brings together stories from recent cultural programmes – from grassroots creativity to large-scale projects – exploring what helps us feel connected to where we live and what it means to be Sotonian.

We’ll also showcase a selection of short films submitted by local organisations and creatives, offering a vibrant snapshot of Southampton and the wider Solent region today. These films explore different perspectives on cultural participation, local identity and what helps people feel a sense of belonging.

Everyone’s welcome – come along, enjoy the films and discover new stories, new voices and new perspectives on the city we call home.

Belonging – A film by Southampton Forward and City Eye capturing the voices, ideas and projects that have shaped Southampton Forward’s cultural programmes over the past two years. Combining interviews, local perspectives and moments of everyday creativity, the film explores belonging, placemaking and the value of creative participation in the life of our city.