scep – Southampton Cultural Education Partnership

Culture Connects: SEF/SCEP Expo 2026

On 23rd April 2026, the Southampton Cultural Education Partnership (SCEP) and Southampton Education Forum (SEF) co-presented the 2026 Expo ‘Culture Connects’, generously hosted by Redbridge Community School.

It was a successful event, boasting representatives from eight creative organisations and 50 delegates from across teaching, research, policy and culture, as well as a dynamic dance performance from Redbridge’s students.

It was a pleasure to hear from Emma Godsall (Head of Dance at Redbridge) who emphasised how the arts don’t just improve technical skills, but also, “Build the foundation of a confident human being.” This could not have been demonstrated more perfectly than by the Redbridge students themselves, who captivated their audience with an extract from their recent Dance Live piece.

Dance Live performance from Redbridge students.
The wonderful Redbridge teachers who helped make the Expo happen!
Emma Godsall (head of dance at Redbridge)
Dance Live performance from Redbridge students.

Partnership in Action

Left: Kath Page (SCEP Chair, and Head of Southampton and Isle of Wight Music) and Right: Debbie Mackenzie (SEF Chair, and Principal of Compass School)

The Expo was a wonderful opportunity for SEF and the SCEP to collaborate, and Kath Page (SCEP Chair, and Head of Southampton and Isle of Wight Music) and Debbie Mackenzie (SEF Chair, and Principal of Compass School) welcomed us. By coming together in this way, both networks can bridge the gap between creative provision and the education system; supporting our aim that access to creativity is available to every young person in Southampton.

Debbie emphasised the importance of combining SEF’s deep understanding of school priorities and classroom realities, with SCEP’s commitment to creativity and the transformative power of the arts. Kath summarised this collaboration well when she said, “We open up new possibilities for learning that neither group could achieve alone.”

Both Chairs were excited about the beginning of their collaboration and Kath emphasised how fantastic it was to see a broad range of backgrounds represented; from volunteers, to consultants, and practitioners.

A City-Wide Commitment to Young People’s Creativity

In the opening speeches, attendees also heard from Donna Tandy (Director of Education, Southampton City Council), who recognised Southampton’s exceptional commitment to providing opportunities for young people.

One attendee wrote that their main takeaway from the event was having the opportunity to connect with Donna, “[it was] great to meet her, and some other local authority workers – sharing partnership possibilities and connecting up.”

Donna, who has only been working for the Council since January, said, “I’ve been really blown away by the connections that are happening across the city. The ways that groups of people are coming together; all the shared ambition for brilliant outcomes for the children and young people of Southampton.” Donna commented on the Southampton’s commitment and drive to do the best for children and young people; leaving us with a reminder that they are who will be inheriting the city, when the time is right.

After spending time with the attendees, it’s easy to agree with Donna; Southampton’s educators and cultural organisations have a clear commitment to providing the best for the city’s children and young people.

Donna Tandy – Director of Education, Southampton City Council

Inspiring Belonging, Creativity and Attendance

The theme of the Expo was how culture and creativity can be used to support students emotional, social, mental and physical wellbeing.

Excitingly, Sally Howells (Assistant Headteacher, Compass School) shared her experience with cultural opportunities improving pupil wellbeing – ‘participation over perfection’ – particularly for SEND and neurodivergent students. Sally talked about the collaboration between Compass School and In Focus Education & Development, who delivered photography and arts-based education sessions, and how it helped the young people they engaged with to flourish. Arts and culture are a crucial part of educators moving away from a ‘one-size-fits-all’ style of learning and to shift from ‘a curriculum to a culture’.

In Southampton, the SCEP’s diverse membership of cultural organisations is ready to support education settings with this. It was a great reminder to those of us working with young people, that the process is more valuable than the product.

Sally Howells, Assistant Head Teacher at Compass School
Sally Howells, Assistant Head Teacher at Compass School

Precious Time to Talk

John Hansard Gallery
In Focus Education and Development
Artswork
ArtfulScribe
Solent University
Southampton and Isle of Wight Music Hub
Museum & Art Galleries Southampton
Turner Sims
Southampton Cultural Education Partnership

Whilst the Expo was a wonderful opportunity to hear talks from the professionals about how they’ve used culture and the arts to connect with young people, it was also an invaluable opportunity for teachers and educators to network with creative organisations, sparking opportunities for new collaborations. As Kath Page said, “Today is about connection, between ideas, between disciplines, and most importantly, between people who care deeply about the future of learning.”

We’re excited to be connecting cultural experts with educators and influencing the education of Southampton’s young. One attendee noticed the educators’ passion for supervising young learners in the creative arts; it’s encouraging to know the future of the city is being guided by the right people!

Upcoming Events

On Wednesday 6 May 2026, the SCEP will be attending Your Future: Careers Fair at the O2 Guildhall, and we look forward to meeting students and parents to inspire them to explore creative careers.

Exploring Creative Careers with Cantell School

Hi! I’m Philippa and joined as the SCEP’s new communications assistant in late February: you might have seen me on a few social media posts. The first two events I attended so far have been at the wonderful Cantell School. I’d love to showcase what I’ve been up to.

First, Lucy Marder (SCEP Lead) and I attended Cantell’s Future Focus Evening on Wednesday 25^th February. This was aimed at Year 9 and 10 students, we attended with Silva Chega from Mayflower Theatre and used the opportunity to spread the word about the creative and cultural industries to more than 30 students and their families. We discussed a diverse range of routes into creative futures and shared leaflets that exhibited a variety of our members’ offerings. It’s so important to showcase the variety of opportunities that are out there for young people interested in the creative and cultural sectors.

Whilst at the Future Focus Evening, we asked the question,

“What will you create in your career?”

And received a variety of brilliant responses from young people. Some of our favourite answers were,

‘Healthy hearts’; ‘Queer cinema’; ‘Helping others capture moments’

It was a pleasure to talk to aspiring cardiologists, cinematographers, photographers and many other aspiring young professionals!

For National Careers Week, me and Lucy returned to Cantell School (Thursday 12^th March) with an assembly. Here, we had the opportunity to represent the cultural industry to over 200 Year 8 students. We signposted them to Discover! Creative Career‘s brilliant resource, whilst showcasing the many creative careers out there. We also had the opportunity to answer a variety of thoughtful questions, that we hope encouraged them to pursue a career they’re passionate about. Thanks for having us!

As I continue my work with the Southampton Cultural Education Partnership, I look forward to spotlighting the incredible work of our members and connecting with you through regular updates and newsletters.

See you at the SCEP/Southampton Education Forum (SEF) Expo at Redbridge Community School on Thursday the 23rd April!

A Summer Full of Colour: What Made Southampton’s Cultural Offering This Summer So Successful?

As a new school year begins and we all settle back into our familiar routines, summer is already beginning to feel like a distant memory. But before we get swept up in plans for the year ahead, I’d like to reflect on what’s been a busy three months for Southampton’s cultural sector.

This summer, creative organisations from across the city showcased Southampton’s thriving arts and culture scene. For locals and visitors alike, there were a plethora of workshops, exhibitions, pop-ups, and festivals to explore. And you don’t have to scroll far on social media to see the smiling faces of organisers, participants, and attendees. But what was it that made these events so successful?

1. A commitment to co-creation

Co-creation is something we talk about a lot in SCEP meetings, and it was good to see organisations putting this into practice over the summer. A brilliant example of co-creation was the Emerge Youth Festival delivered by SoCo Music Project and Southampton Forward. They worked with young people from across the city to create an exciting new festival with live music and local vendors.

Turner Sims also engaged young people when planning their Summer Festival. Their collective of young music programmers, The Vibe, hosted two events at the festival, brining a new perspective to Turner Sims’ already eclectic musical offering.

Co-creation will look different depending on the activities and opportunities you have on offer, but some easy options include working with young people to choose performers for events, design marketing materials, and develop creative programmes and projects.

2. A celebration of local talent

One of the values that our SCEP members share is their passion for cultivating and showcasing local talent. Southampton-based creatives were celebrated at a variety of events this summer, from stallholders at the Mela Festival to performers at Southampton Pride.

While it can be tempting to think that big household names are the best way to capture the attention of your audience, emerging and established local creatives play an important role in keeping your event relevant. And, as an added bonus, these individuals and companies often do a lot of heavy lifting when it comes to ticket sales and marketing. So, if you’re not already taking advantage of Southampton’s abundance of makers, performers, and creative practitioners, this is definitely something to consider in the year ahead.

3. A chance to work together

At our last Members’ Meeting, we spoke a lot about creating opportunities for collaboration, and it was great to see so many of our members partnering on projects and events this summer. There are lots of great reasons to team up with other organisations in the sector, from sharing resources and pooling budgets, to sharing expertise and reaching new audiences. And it’s not just official partnerships that can have an impact. Inviting local charities and businesses to run stalls at your event is a simple yet effective way of introducing young people to the variety of arts projects and programmes on offer in the city.

Looking forward

As the autumn term gets underway, many of us will be turning our attention to the challenges facing the sector over the next academic year. In the midst of writing reports and balancing budgets it can be easy to lose sight of what we’re all working towards. But in those moments, let’s reflect on the summer and all the hurdles that we overcame to showcase the very best of Southampton’s arts and culture scene.

Delving Into the Data: What the #BeeWell Survey Tells Us About Southampton’s Young People

Understanding the experiences of young people can be challenging. We are often forced to rely on anecdotal evidence, conversations with parents and educators, or our own instincts developed over years working in the sector. Even when high quality quantitative data does exist, the findings aren’t always relevant to the young people in our local neighbourhoods. That’s where programmes like #BeeWell come in.

What is #BeeWell?

#BeeWell is a youth-centred programme that exists to improve the wellbeing of young people across England. #BeeWell listens to the voices of young people through an annual wellbeing survey delivered with secondary schools. They work closely with young people, schools, partner organisations, local government, and health systems to act on the results.

Last autumn, #BeeWell surveyed just over 22,000 Year 8 and 10 pupils in 103 secondary schools across in Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth, and Southampton. The survey covered numerous topics including health, relationships, hobbies, school, and much more.

The findings, released in March, give us a better idea of how our young people are feeling.

What about arts and culture?

The hobbies and entertainment section asked young people about the time they spent on various activities, including those linked to arts and culture.

Cinema and Theatre

When asked how often they go to the cinema or the theatre, 19% of the young people surveyed said they go to at least once a month, 45.8% go occasionally, while 35.2% go once a year or less. The picture in different Southampton neighbourhoods varies slightly, with 22.2% going at least once a month in Southampton South, compared to 16.2% in Southampton West. The data also shows a slight increase in visits for those with Special Educational Needs (SEN) compared to those without.

Reading for Pleasure

When asked how often they read for pleasure, 26% of young people said they read at least once a week compared to over 60% who read several times a year or less. The data shows that boys, those in older year groups, those who received free school meals and those with SEN are all less likely to read often compared to their peers. When broken down by area, the number of young people reading often was lower than average in Southampton East, North, South, and West, but higher than average in Southampton Central.

Making Things

When asked how often they draw, paint or make things outside of school, 40.4% of young people said they do this often or sometimes compared to just under 60% who did this occasionally or rarely. When looking at how gender affects these figures, the number of young people doing these activities often drops from 50.2% for girls to 28.8% for boys.

What next?

When we compare the findings above to the high number of young people regularly engaging in sports outside of school (71.4%), we can see that there’s still a long way to go to improve engagement in arts and culture. However, quantitative data can only ever tell us part of the story, to fill in the blanks we need to continue to engage in conversations with young people and other stakeholders. We need to keep evaluating ourselves and asking the challenging questions. Are our services affordable, accessible, and inclusive? Are we visible enough to the communities we aim to support? How can we collaborate with other sectors like sports or healthcare? How can get better at referring to other services in our area?

But you don’t have to do it alone. Through our blog and our Member Meetings, the SCEP is here to help you find creative solutions to the issues facing our young people.

Further Reading

#BeeWell Neighbourhood Data Hive

HIPS Headline Findings 2024

The #BeeWell team also completed a research briefing on PACE, where conclusions show that engagement in a wide range of activities is beneficial for wellbeing. Read more here.

To discuss the programme in more detail the team can be contacted at hiow.beewell@hants.gov.uk

You Said, We Did

We surveyed Southampton Cultural Education Partnership (SCEP) members in the spring of 2023 about the future of the SCEP. Key things you said you valued about the SCEP were:

The generosity of spirit SCEP engenders and how egalitarian our spaces feel
How our meetings increase your understanding of the cultural sector in Southampton and new policies and strategies
That our work improves your practice through sharing approaches, projects and training
Developing your networks which feeds into new projects and work
That we extend the reach of the cultural sector into other areas in the city e.g. Youth and Health services

You said you liked the meetings being a mix of online and in person, and that the SCEP newsletter was useful for finding out about new funding and activities, although you asked for bullet points at the top of each newsletter on its contents.

We also asked about your priorities and the areas you felt the SCEP should focus on. You told us children’s health and wellbeing was a key concern, how young people’s employability skills were supported, and how we ensure that it was easy for children in Southampton to know what was on offer and access arts and culture. As a result the SCEP Steering Group agreed our three strategic aims which are:

Increasing Health & Wellbeing for children and young people through arts engagement
Pathways & Progression: testing out new approaches to conserve capacity and resources including referrals processes
Building a workforce for the future: providing inclusive training and skills development opportunities for young people and the cultural sector

Over the past year, as well as concentrating on how the SCEP delivers our strategic aims, we have focused on delivering the things you value about the SCEP. We have:

Set up termly member meetings that are online (October 2023) and in person (February 2024)
Planned in extra time to in-person meetings for networking
Added a section to meetings for members to present emerging practice
Added bullet points to the top of our newsletters

We look forward to continuing our work with you to nurture creative and cultural education for all children and young people in the City over the next year.