Southampton Spring highlights

Southampton will be buzzing with cultural goings on this spring, thanks to some exciting new launches and events. Highlights include:

Women artists will be celebrated at two of Southampton’s major cultural venues this spring. At Southampton City Art Gallery, Turner Prize winner and internationally renowned artist Lubaina Himid, CBE, will curate Found Cities, Lost Objects: Women in the City (3^rd February to 6 May).

With works from the Arts Council Collection and Southampton City Art Gallery’s collection, this FREE collaborative exhibition invites visitors to consider the experiences of women in the city - acknowledging the privileges which allow some women to roam freely, while considering the boundaries that may curb the experiences of others. Artists featured include Lisa Milroy, Magda Stawarska-Beavan, Elizabeth Wright, Cornelia Parker, Dr susan pui san lok and Helen Cammock. For more information www.southamptoncityartgallery.co.uk

While, launching on 8^th March to coincide with International Woman’s Day and running until 23 April, Southampton’s newest heritage and art’s venue God’s House Tower, will host ‘Inspirational Woman Artists’ . From intricate illustrations to graphic prints and quirky collages, the FREE exhibition features work from 100 female-identifying and non-binary creatives, highlighting and celebrating the influential impact of women artists and their inspiring legacy. As part of the event there will be a silent auction of the works on display. For each artwork sold, 50% of the proceeds will go to the artist who made the work and 50% will be donated to Yellow Door, a Southampton-based charity that prevents and responds to domestic and sexual abuse. For more information: https://godshousetower.org.uk/

Launching this spring, Southampton’s Tudor House will be hosting a series of talks, tours and workshops uncovering the city’s rich history. Led by its resident historian Andy Skinner, the ‘Thinking Thursdays’ series will start with ‘Victorian Southampton’ on 16 March, 90-minute walking tour exploring the city’s growth during the Victorian period as it embraced the age of steam with new railways and docks. Other events include an Historic Graffiti trail on 18^th May and Roman Walking Tour on 15^th June. The Thursday events will be complimented with a programme of fascinating walking tours including a ‘Hidden Hartumn’ tour on 5^th April, a Titanic tour on 12^th April and a special ‘Regal Southampton Tour’ on 13^th May. Timed to coincide with the royal coronation celebrations this guided tour will unveil the city's royal connections over the centuries. Tickets £8. For more information about all the walking tours available visit: http://www.tudorhouseandgarden.com/

The interactive SeaCity museum, which tells the story of Southampton’s historic connections to the sea - in particular, its links with the Titanic - will enjoy a LEGO take over the weekend of 1-2 April. As well as an up-close look at the spectacularly intricate LEGO Titanic model (gifted to the museum by the famous Danish toy company), visitors will be able to join series of brick related activities from a mini-egg brick hunt, new LEGO displays, workshops, craft activities and special tours by costumed guides. Tickets £9.50 adults and £7 children; with entry to the museum to including access to the interactive Titanic exhibition.

Families can also get out and about and make the most of the free to download self-guided Titanic Trail. This 75-minute walking tour with accompanying map features key locations in and around the city and port providing a fascinating backstory to the ship, its passengers and crew. https://seacitymuseum.co.uk

Southampton’s art galleries and museums have curated a springtime inspired programme of creative workshops for adults. Led by talented artists, highlights include a hanging Easter Decoration workshop with artist Elisa Orchard on 18^th March at the Southampton City Art (£20pp), Easter Wreath Making with florist Victoria Goss at the SeaCity Museum on 25^th March (£37pp); and a Spring Watercolours painting workshop with fine artist Emma Morrissey at the Tudor House Museum and Gardens on 13^th May (£35pp). https://www.southampton.gov.uk/arts-heritage/

Southampton’s Guildhall Square will enjoy a vegan take-over on Saturday 4^th March at the city’s free Vegan Festival; while at the other side of the city the 02 Guildhall will be celebrating some of the country’s best new sausage and cider varieties at the Sausage and Cider Festival (tickets from £24.75pp) Both events will bring together a huge variety artisan food and drink producers with live entertainment providing a musical backdrop. For more information: https://www.veganmarkets.co.uk/location/southampton and www.sausageandciderfest.co.uk

Combining the rock theatrics of Alice Cooper with a mishmash of burlesque, gothic horror, black comedy and acrobatics, Circus of Horrors is definitely one for Horror and Rock fans. The adult show will be performing at Southampton’s 02 Guildhall at 8pm on 11 March with tickets from £21.30. For more information https://www.academymusicgroup.com/o2guildhallsouthampton/events/1380769/circus-horrors-tickets

Southampton’s creative set will be showing off their amazing local art, ceramics, jewellery and clothes in the appropriate artistic surroundings of the Southampton City Art Gallery on 18 March 2023. Open from 10am - 4pm, entry is free. For more information: https://www.instagram.com/sotonmakers/?hl=en&utm_ID=&utm_medium=email&utm_name=&utm_source=govdelivery

Industrial chic meets nautical is the theme at Southampton’s latest hotel – the 208-room Moxy. Within walking distance of the centre of the city, the experiential Marriott International hotel brand is located at the Westquay Shopping Centre and near the marina. As well as receiving a complimentary Moxy cocktail on arrival, guests staying at the hotel can make use of the 24/7 self-service food and beverage concept. Prices lead in at £71 per room per night based on two sharing room-only. Tel: 0238 168 0269 www.marriott.co.uk Images here