Marvellous Mural Men

Winchester Poetry Festival – a registered charity – is a local and national poetry community that inspires and excites everyone to read, write, perform, and enjoy poetry in all its forms. Our work ranges from our acclaimed biennial festival and our popular competitions, to our wider year-round engagement work with community organisations and schools. We share, showcase, celebrate, and champion great poetry because we believe in its power to bring us all together and make a positive, enriching difference to our lives and to our society. We collaborate with a wide range of partners and businesses – including with Hampshire Cultural Trust and the work of the Hampshire Poet – and and we act as a local. national & international hub for poetry.

Culture in Common is a community-led arts and culture programme for the New Forest, funded by Arts Council England’s Creative People and Places initiative. Led by a consortium including Energise Me, Folio, The Handy Trust, New Forest District Council, and the National Park Authority, it aims to increase cultural engagement in underserved areas. Since 2022, it has reached over 45,000 residents through workshops, exhibitions, and creative clubs, co-designed with local communities to reflect their interests and needs.

Proteus is a touring theatre company and arts centre in Basingstoke, telling stories that foster empathy for the ‘other’ and supporting others to do the same. Our artist development, participatory programmes, and accessible performances at Creation Space nurture creative communities and inspire local audiences. We tour ambitious socially aware work across the UK, highlighting issues like PTSD, body dysmorphia, and domestic violence through award-winning and cross-artform projects. For 40 years, Proteus has built a reputation for high-quality shows, including internationally acclaimed productions. We prioritise casting artists from protected characteristic groups, especially in rural family tours.