RoadMap
2024-25
About roadmap
‘Roadmap’ is ZEST’s third major project, and focuses on looking at the future of ZEST, its artistic community, and how it relates to future of Old Northam Road (where it all began!). This project has been transformational, allowing us to expand our cultural offer, reach more people and communities, and build resilience for the future.
The ‘Roadmap’ project has enabled ZEST to dedicate time and energy to developing as a professional arts organisation. This includes:
1. Renewing our mission statement
2. Becoming a Community Interest Company
3. Undertaking professional consultation and training to support organisational development
ZEST have continued to support artists and communities through our biannual exhibitions and contributing to a range of public events, which you can see more about on our Exhibitions tab and Community Engagement project page.
roadmap projects
Throughout Roadmap, we were able to support and facilitate a range of projects for our artist networks and local communities. See below for more details:
‘The Whale Trail’, interactive sculpture trail in Old Northam Road by Stephanie Parker
zest artist commissions
ZEST commissioned 7 artists to create new artwork responding to the key themes of Roadmap, including creative mapping, the future of Old Northam Road, and the place of artists in the city.
Stephanie Parker, Jennifer Mon, James Hewins, Bryn Lloyd, Jenny Andrews, Lucie Smith were 6 of the 7 artists to exhibit their new commissions in the Roadmap showcase during May 2025.
Our 7th artist commission by Poppy Ash will be revealed after the Roadmap showcase as a new mural located in Old Northam Road.
Documentation of Mutual Mentorship between Alex Sutherland and Sasha Grom
mutual mentorships
Mutual Mentorships is a unique artist networking scheme created for the Roadmap project. ZING and ZEST artists collaborated in pairs, spending a self-directed day together, exploring ideas and learning from each other's practices. The scheme enabled artists to collaborate without any expectations or boundaries. The outcomes of the Mutual Mentorships were exhibited during the Roadmap showcase in May 2025.
The Mutual Mentorship pairs included: Alex Sutherland & Sasha Grom; Anna Marris & Edgar Lushaju; Sharlott Wardner & Jilly Evans; Amy Scott-Pillow & Will Woods; Sarah Filmer & James Hunter; Lucie Smith & Lewis Ford; and Alice Louisa & J Walters.
ZEST workshop at Ropewalk Community Garden Autumn Festival
Community workshops and Collaborations
Working with local communities has been a hugely important part of our Roadmap project. Throughout, ZEST have been able to facilitate a range of wonderful and highly creative activities at lots of different community-focused events happening across Southampton. All the workshops were free for the public to enjoy, learn new skills and experiment artistically with guidance from our artists.
Co-creations from our workshops at Love Where You Live, BBAM Festival, Ropewalk Community Garden Autumn Festival, and Ropewalk Community Garden workshop were exhibited at the Roadmap showcase in May 2025.
Showcasing Roadmap
In May 2025, ZEST hosted exhibitions and events to showcase and celebrate the outcomes of the Roadmap project. We have dedicated pages on our website for these shows. Find out more by clicking ‘Learn More’ , or check out our image gallery below.
Roadmap: Are we nearly there yet?
Featuring ZEST artists Jennifer Mon and Bryn Lloyd
9th May - 15th June
Roadmap
Featuring ZEST artists
ZING (ZEST Inclusive Networking Group)
and community collaborations
Roadmap image gallery
Roadmap impacts
Roadmap was made possible with support from an Arts Council England project grant. It also benefitted from support in kind from our friends and neighbouring arts organisation ‘a space’ arts, as well as from the community groups we have and will continue to work with in future.
We will be publishing an official Impact Report on this page towards the end of 2025. Watch this space!
