Dancing Man Brewery
Southampton – Gateway to the World
The Projection
Southampton, Gateway to the World celebrates the city’s long history as Britain’s leading ocean passenger port – a place shaped by journeys, exchange and global connection.
The projection draws on archival film, photographs and ephemera to evoke both the excitement of ocean-liner travel and the everyday realities of life linked to the docks.
Images of glamour sit alongside quieter moments from the city’s past, reflecting how Southampton’s identity is linked to the people who worked, travelled and dreamed along its waterfront. The piece honours icons such as the Queen Mary while shining a light on the human stories behind the ships.
Find this show
The Wool House, Town Quay, Southampton, SO14 2AR
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The Dancing Man Brewery
Now home to The Dancing Man Brewery, this striking building began life in the 14th century as The Wool House – a fortified warehouse at the heart of Southampton’s medieval trading quarter.
Built to store wool destined for export across Europe, it later served many roles – from customs house to museum – reflecting the city’s long maritime history.
Positioned on Town Quay, and facing the former site of the Royal Pier, the building has long been connected to Southampton’s life by the sea, making it a fitting backdrop for a projection that explores the city’s passenger-liner heritage.
Access Notes
The projection at the Dancing Man Brewery is viewed from outside, on the side wall of the building. The approach to the main viewing area involves a gentle slope with loose gravel, which some visitors may find uneven underfoot. Seating consists of large stones and fixed outdoor benches with traditional slab paving, which is also uneven in places.
Inside the Dancing Man Brewery, a sloping ramp leads to the bar area, with a lift to upstairs seating. A small accessible toilet is available during opening hours. The pub serves food between 12–3pm and 6–9pm, including vegetarian and gluten-free options.
British Sign Language (BSL)
A British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter will be present at each projection location every evening from 6–8pm for the full duration of the projections.
Audio Description
Listen to an audio description of this projection, created to support blind and partially sighted visitors. Audio descriptions offer a spoken overview of the visual artwork and key moments within the projection.
audio description
Curator and Community Spotlight
Stephen Muldowney-Mizen is the Community Curator assigned to the Dancing Man Brewery, exploring the theme of ships and shipping.
Through his role at Communicare – a Southampton charity supporting isolated and older residents – he worked with members of the charity to gather memories, stories and insights about Southampton’s maritime heritage, drawing on a mix of phone-based and in-person engagement, as well as visits to archives and museums. Communicare also collected oral histories from local residents. Stephen is also a professional creative writer and has authored – and voices – the script heard in the projection.
Stephen Muldowney-Mizen
Interview
Archive Spotlight
Name of spotlight item
Credits
Produced by:
Southampton Forward, in partnership with Southampton City Council
Creative Partners:
Double Take Projections and Light Up Trails
Supported by:
Arts Council England, The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation
Collection Credits & Copyright:
Archive Material from Southampton Cultural Services
Joe Low Photography.
For images or other media from the collections held by Southampton Cultural Services, great care has been taken to identify all copyright holders correctly. Where copyright is unknown, or credited incorrectly, we welcome any information that might lead to the copyright holder. In cases of errors or omissions, please contact [email protected] so that we can ensure images are correctly credited in future.
Narration and Script:
Written and voiced by Stephen Muldowney-Mizen.
