This summer the Art at the Heart partners present a city celebration like no other with a festival of theatre, film, music, visual art and dance. Art at the Heart celebrates the 50th anniversaries of both Nuffield and the City of Southampton and will take place at the unique pop-up venue, Nuffield Playing Field, located in Guildhall Square at the heart of Southampton’s Cultural Quarter. The festival and pop-up venue are precursors to the opening of the new arts complex in 2016.

Construction has already begun on the temporary theatre - Nuffield Playing Field which will house the Art at the Heart Festival in August. The 450-seat pop-up structure, which is being made from Douglas fir, has been designed to feel like a cross between a football stadium and a Jacobean theatre, and is being built by design and architecture collective Assemble.

Click here to see the brilliant promotional video from City Eye.

Nuffield Playing Field will be home to a range of events by the Art at the Heart partners

City Eye will present film screenings of Jaws, Brazil, The King and the Mockingbird, and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.

Turner Sims present Red Priest-putting the rock into baroque, and the most celebrated gypsy guitarist of the last thirty years - Fapy Lafertin, playing with his quartet.

Art Asia present an afternoon of global music from India, Afghanistan and Africa in Global Rhythms.

The Mayflower celebrate 50 years of musicals with Five of the Best, performed by their youth summer project; and present contemporary dance by Zoielogic - Stolen Wishes.

There will also be an evening of poetry (with a chance to sign up for the open-mic) with the ever exciting 451 from Apples and Snakes.

Nuffield at the Art at the Heart Festival