Interactive art for everyone!

Coming to Southampton Guildhall Square August 2026

Inspired by the essence of movement and the ways we interact within our urban environment, Scribble is a playful and interactive art project brought to life by Steve Bega, Rich Holland and John Hansard Gallery.

Our city is a playground, and through Scribble we continue to explore how art can be exhibited, experienced and interacted with in ways that encourage community engagement, promote physical literacy, strengthen connections with culture and support positive mental wellbeing.

As a follow-up to #RESHAPINGTHESQUARE, John Hansard Gallery provided the opportunity for Steve Bega and Rich Holland to develop and realise this new concept.

By exploring how creative opportunities and artistic interventions can be introduced into different locations across our cities, we believe we can inspire new conversations and fresh approaches to how we interact with one another and the spaces we share.

Through a combination of workshops, events and interactive sculptures, Scribble invites people of all ages and backgrounds to play, create, connect and reimagine public space.

This is interactive art for EVERYONE!

Take part in our public space survey

FREE SKATEBOARDING LESSONS

Always wanted to try skateboarding but never had the chance?

WE GOT YOU!

1st August // 10-12pm // John Hansard Gallery

Learn to skate in a supportive, fun environment, choose from either a marginalised gender lesson (with other women, girls and non-binary skaters) or a mixed lesson (open to all) .

Coaches Emily and Ida will be there to cheer you on and show you the fundamental skills you need to get rolling.

In this small group lesson, arranged as part of ‘Scribble’, you’ll cover pushing, turning on your board and a few other things to get you feeling really comfy on a board.

The lesson is suitable for both total beginners and those that have rolled a bit but want to focus on key skills. Age 10+. All equipment can be provided if needed.

'Scribble' Public Art Workshop Ticket

£0.00

‘Scribble’ in the square with @begadesignco and express how you feel on the new sculptures.

6th August // 10-12pm // John Hansard Gallery

Free and open to all ages, we invite you to join in and decorate the sculptures in any way you want using chalk as part of this interactive open air workshop.

'Scribble' Street Photography Workshop Ticket

£0.00

Grab your cameras (or phones) and join us for a FREE street photography workshop with @infocusico

13th August // 10-12pm // John Hansard Gallery

Learn 3 top tips on how to take your street photography to the next level using the ‘Scribble’ sculptures.

Open to everyone.

'Scribble' Zine Making Workshop Ticket

£0.00

@artizineuk is back in Southampton to host the best zine making workshop you will ever see and it’s FREE!

20th August // 10-12pm // John Hansard Gallery

Cut and stick your way through 2 hours of fun hands on making, transforming your thoughts and ideas about public space into a one of a kind zine.

Open to everyone.

IF YOU ARE A BUSINESS & WANT TO ARRANGE A SESSION FOR YOUR TEAM OR EXHIBIT SCRIBBLE, PLEASE GET IN TOUCH…

Learn more: british science festival

The Story of Scribble - By Steve Bega

Scribble is an evolution of community lead, public space re-thinking work inspired by SAFESPACESSOTON, CLUBHOUSE, SPACETOCREATE, #RESHAPINGTHESQUARE and CO-CREATING PUBLIC SPACE.

It started when I took a ride into Southampton with a roll of black-and-white film in a medium-format camera to photograph twelve public spaces across the city.

After developing the negatives by hand at home, I printed copies of each location and began scribbling over them with tracing paper and acrylic pens.

I picked three colours and approached the process with the idea that one would represent an object or sculpture placed within the space, one would capture the movement of people interacting with the area, and the other would convey a feeling or emotion.

The tracing paper allowed any illustration to be placed upon any space, enabling me to create visual representations of how we might utilise public space and explore the impact of embellishments, interventions and added forms within these environments.

It was extremely abstract, but incredibly fun, and it sparked an idea of how this work could be brought to life with physical objects in real spaces, with real people and real emotions.

Scribble has since evolved into a collection of workshops and physical sculptures inspired by the original 2D concept. The sculptures can be reconfigured in endless ways and are exhibited to encourage creativity, movement and play, while creating new interactions and opportunities for conversation within public spaces.

This has been made possible through the support and funding of John Hansard Gallery, enabling Rich Holland and me to explore how we could bring the project to life. As part of this process, we have explored—and continue to explore—new ideas and opportunities for public interventions, utilising a variety of mediums including illustration, sculpture, virtual reality and photography. At the heart of the project is a commitment to accessibility, modularity, durability and innovation.

Our workshops, events and participatory activities create opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds to interact with art in public space in meaningful ways—through play, making, discussion, movement and shared experiences. These activities are an important part of the project's ongoing development, helping us understand how people respond to the work while creating opportunities for creativity, connection and community ownership.

Phase One launches in summer 2026 in Southampton and combines free public art sessions with an exhibition of custom-fabricated weathering steel and concrete sculptures outside John Hansard Gallery. Phase Two is also in development in the New Forest in collaboration with Fluid Motion Theatre Company and The Handy Trust.

Every conversation, interaction and contribution provides inspiration and helps shape what comes next. Your participation will directly influence future public art interventions in these spaces and beyond.

'Scribble' is a metaphor for movement, creativity and play.

So scribble—in whatever way that means to you.

This is public art for EVERYONE!