Hi everyone,

Welcome to the first CHAOS newsletter of 2021! Wishing you a safe and healthy start to the year. The latest lockdown is tough on many of us, we've put together a directory of resources/links/info to help creatives, you can find it on the CHAOS Website.

Thank you to everyone who got in touch to share their events and opportunities.

A reminder that our next virtual get together is Monday 25th January at 10am. Here's the Zoom link.

This meeting will be a usual CHAOS catch up with space for everyone to connect, have a chat, share our news/events/recommendations and generally talk about how we've made it through this wild year.

Further Southampton 2025 consultation sessions will be taking place soon. Keep an eye on CHAOS social media and upcoming newsletters for details.

In the meantime, you can stay involved and up to date with discussions around Southampton 2025 by joining the City of Culture group on the CHAOS website.

Here are the next few CHAOS meeting dates for 2021 for you to put in your diary.

Monday 22nd February - 6pm, Zoom link

Monday 29th March - 10am, Zoom link

Take a look below to see what's going on in the City this month, including talks, workshops, exhibitions and opportunities to get involved.

If you didn't already know... What is CHAOS?: The CHAOS Network aims to bring together the Creatives, Heritage and Arts Of Southampton. Whether you are a creative business, a voluntary arts group or an independent artist, we'd love to see you at the next network meeting, everyone is welcome to discuss all things cultural in the city. Bring your news and events, do some networking and have a coffee with us (virtually!).

Take care,

Becky Honeycombe-Foster
CHAOS Coordinator

Southampton Cultural Services have lots going on this January, and they even offer gift vouchers!

Online Talk: Pioneering Women Artists in Southampton's Collection - Wilhemina Barns Graham
Discover and explore the work of one of Britain's foremost abstract artists, Wilhelmina Barns-Graham.
Wednesday 20th January
7pm

Online Talk: Quarantine and Social Distancing in Tudor SouthamptonHistory talk with Dr Cheryl Butler. Plague, Pox and Sweating Sickness were just some of the epidemics that swept into Tudor Southampton. With limited knowledge on infections, the spread of disease and the cause of pandemics how did our Tudor ancestors cope?
Tuesday 26th January
7pm

Online Gallery Talk - Impressionism and the Impressionists: A Whilstlestop Tour
Join artist and art historian Ali Eales to explore this compelling and ever popular genre.
Tuesday 2nd February
7pm

Ali's Spring Art Club
Back for 2021 by popular demand! Explore the weird and wonderful world of art with artist Ali Eales through drawing challenges, games and projects!

This course is aimed at 7 - 11 year olds although children of other ages may enjoy it and adults accompanying their children are welcome to participate!
Wednesday 10th February
4.30pm

Online session - Titanic TalesWe all know the Titanic was a very big ship which met an unfortunate end, but do you know any more about the people on board? Join us online to discover more about the jobs, lives and histories of some of the passengers and crew. You will hear fascinating stories and take part in interactive elements. This is a family session aimed at children aged 6 to 12 and will last one hour.
Monday 15th February
9.30 and 11.30 sessions available

Details and bookings for all events here

The Point have lots of classes and workshops on offer the January and February!

Call & Create
The Point and Age Concern are pioneering a new project to inspire creativity and happiness for Eastleigh residents who are alone at home. Call and Create will connect you with one professional performance artist and one person chosen by you – maybe a friend or family member. The three of you will share weekly conversations about positive topics, and after five weeks our artists will create something to share especially for you – a song, poem, story or piece of music.

This is a phone call based programme and will run from January to April 2021.Calls would take place every week for five weeks. No prior creative experience is required and there is no cost to be involved.
If you would like to take part please call our team on 023 8068 8840.

The Point Dance Classes Online
A number of The Point’s classes go online this month including:
Retrospectif Class, Tuesdays 1.30pm
A dance class for older adults with a passion to learn. Sessions focus on contemporary technique as well as experimenting with creativity.
Adult Tap, Tuesdays 7.30pm
Learning and improving tap dancing skills, focusing on fun and enjoyment. A mixed ability class.
Dance For Parkinson’s Online, Thursdays 1.30pm
A social and uplifting movement class designed specifically for the symptoms of Parkinson’s, helping to increase general mobility, confidence and emotional wellbeing.
We Create! Inclusive Class, Fridays 1.30pm
A lively, fun session for adults with learning disabilities, exploring drama, dance, movement and creativity.

More information on The Point’s dance class pages

SoCo Music Project's Sustainable Early Years Music (SEYM) supports communities of practice in Early Years settings to incorporate and enhance music-making in their teaching and interactions with children.

Focussed on supporting practitioners working with children in challenging circumstances, SEYM features collaborative approaches to facilitation, a knowledge-exchange programme and a combined methods model of data collection.

SEYM partners include SoCo Music Project, Springwell School, Rosewood Free School, the EY and Childcare Service, Youth Music and the Royal College of Music.

This online event will see Project Creator - Ignacio Agrimbau, SoCo Development Director - Marie Negus, Research Mentor - Dr. Jessica Pitt and Assistant Head Teacher at Springwell School - Clare Knight, introduce SEYM and discuss the project's key issues. There will be short presentations and opportunities for break-out discussions.

23rd February 7pm

Find out more information about SEYM here

Find out more about the event here

Bidding to become UK City of Culture 2025 is our chance to put Southampton on the map. UK City of Culture is a title awarded every four years, with the winner hosting a year-long programme of cultural events and celebrations. The winner receives significant funding to transform their city through culture, which will bring in new investment and tourism, lifting the economy and creating jobs.

To do this, we need to ask for your help. Your expert knowledge of the area you live in is vital to the development of our bid, along with your opinions on topics such as the strengths and challenges that the area you live in faces, and how you think becoming UK City of Culture will help Southampton. It is critical that our final bid represents all the voices of Southampton.

We would like to invite you to participate online to represent your area on the following dates:

Monday 25th January 17.00-18.00 Shirley & Freemantle
Tuesday 26th January 17.00-18.00 Bargate & Bevois
Wednesday 27th January 17.00-18.00 Redbridge & Millbrook
Wednesday 27th January 18.30-19.30 Coxford & Bassett
Thursday 28th January 17.00-18.00 Portswood & Swaythling
Wednesday 3rd February 17.00-18.00 Bitterne & Harefield
Wednesday 3rd February 18.30-19.30 Woolston & Sholing
Thursday 4th February 17.00-18.00 Bitterne Park & Peartree

To get involved, please email cityofculture25@southampton.gov.uk stating clearly in the subject line which meeting you would like to be invited to.

Artsmark Partner Briefing, Monday 8 February 2021 2-4pm

Support schools and education settings to provide more arts and cultural opportunities for young people by becoming an Artsmark Partner. A free online event delivered by Artswork.

You might be aware of Artsmark – it’s the Arts Council England-recognised national award for Schools and other educational settings relating to creative and cultural education. There’s an ‘Artsmark Partner’ scheme for arts/cultural providers that runs alongside – becoming an Artsmark Partner means schools can identify you as a provider committed to quality cultural education work. The scheme is free to join but involves a certain level of commitment, including attending (virtually) a briefing session – the next one has been scheduled for 8 February 2021 and is open for booking, Full details and registration here

There's lots of new ways to get involved with a Space in 2021!

Opportunities bank:
God’s House Tower is thrilled to launch Phase 1 of our new programme for 2021.

Even though we can’t offer a firm date for reopening just yet, we have been working hard behind the scenes and now have an exciting line-up of opportunities for you to get involved in.

Our inspiration this year comes from GHT’s wealth of fascinating hidden histories, but we have also been reflecting on global events and the role ‘a space’ can play in Southampton moving forward. With support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, we have revised the way we do things at GHT and are now able to offer a Covid-safe programme of opportunities, designed to cater to more of Southampton’s local and diverse communities, reconnecting people and places.

We’re excited to be going into 2021 with a fresh approach, to be turning the page to a new chapter for GHT, and to be bringing this iconic building back to life once more.

Community programme relaunch

Lucky dip bursary

‘A space’ arts are pleased to announce a brand new artist commission for 2021. Ten winners of the Lucky Dip bursary scheme will be pulled out of a hat (literally!) and given £500 each to produce a new piece of work.

The emphasis for this scheme is on experimentation and breaking down barriers. We know how difficult 2020 has been for artists, and we know what a challenge applying for funding can be.

So in order to be considered for this Lucky Dip scheme, you will be required to answer just four questions. And in keeping with our commitment to becoming an anti-racist organisation, five of the bursaries will be offered to artists from ethnically diverse backgrounds.

Development and workshop opportunities linked to Mayflower 400

Along with partners New Carnival Company and artist Rachel Gadsden, the Mayflower 400 Southampton team is currently running a development opportunity for local D/deaf and disabled artists. It will provide four artists from a range of disciplines the opportunity to develop or extend skills in online community engagement. This will have a particular focus on delivering to participants with diverse needs and at the end of the scheme, in March, they will be offering free online workshops to community groups across the city. One-to-one support will also be available for the artists from New Carnival Company staff, who will also support delivery of the final sessions, plus mentoring and support from visual and performance artist Rachel Gadsden. Rachel will herself be running sessions online for local disabled children and young people, her work will be especially designed for young people with visual impairment and ties into her Mayflower 400 exhibition What this Storm is All About.

If you run a community group, youth group, or school that would benefit from anyone of these workshops then please email Mayflower400@southampton.gov.uk requesting more details. Materials and access support will be provided.

More on the artists involved here

Giving Thanks update

Last week Mayflower 400 Southampton released a short film made with local Paralympian, Aaron Phipps in which he shares what in life he is thankful for, as part of their Giving Thanks campaign. In the film Aaron shows how easy, quick and fulfilling it is to take part in the Giving Thanks project. So, if you didn't catch this brilliant video on social media, head on over to their website andtake a look. And if, like us, you're inspired just jump on your social media of choice and share what you're grateful for today with #MyGivingThanks.

Giving Thanks is Mayflower 400 Southampton's campaign to create digital memories that bring the people of Southampton together in a shared celebration of our city and our communities. During this difficult time, it’s more important than ever to celebrate and share the important things that make a difference to our lives every day, however small.

Dear CHAOS readers,

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic charities are unable to host their usual events, such as the "race for life" by Cancer Research UK, and are therefore lacking donations.

Yet despite Covid-19 there are some events that can go ahead such as Sculpture trails. This summer Southampton is hosting the Dolphin trail with the Whale and Dolphin Conservation charity.

I co-organised Southampton’s Rainbow Trail and have been keeping an eye on sculpture trails in the UK. They are taking off and more and more charities and BIDs are signing up for trails and with a growing number of repeat customers.

The above image shows a sculpture trail I am working on with Hythe & Dibden Parish Council and Save the Pier charity.

There is an opportunity here and I believe there is a better way to create sculptures. Not from fiberglass but from more sustainable materials and using technology to enable the artist create the form rather than just paint it.

But..I’m not an artist. Are artists willing to use an alien software to create sculptures? If you are interested in assisting with this project then please email me on info@jackbsirwin.com for more information