This is Southbury Art Trail: Creative Workshops with Kingsmead Students

DYSPLA, a London-based arts studio dedicated to supporting and platforming neurodivergent voices, is the artist for a new public arts project, This is Southbury Art Trail.

As part of the wider Shaping Southbury Programme, and funded by UKSPF, DYSPLA is delivering a series of four collaborative workshops with students from Kingsmead School and Sixth Form. These workshops form a key part of the creation of a new art trail that will celebrate Southbury’s identity, community, and the richness of the people who live and work here.

The 1km art trail will be installed across 19 lampposts, starting on Southbury Road, continuing along Kingsway, and finishing in Queensway. It will feature 17 striking 3D portraits of Southbury community members, alongside original poetry written by Kingsmead students, as well as digital artworks and augmented reality experiences.

During the workshops, students are given transcripts from interviews between DYSPLA and the featured community members. The young people explore these stories creatively - highlighting words, themes, and moments that resonate with them most - and transform them into powerful, thoughtful poetry. Each poem is co-created in response to a person’s lived experience and will sit alongside the community member's portrait on the trail.

The project aims to meaningfully connect young people with their local community, giving space to younger voices while amplifying underrepresented stories. By combining visual art, poetry, and digital experiences, This Is Southbury Art Trail supports young people to build creative confidence and capacity in the area, offering an inclusive, community-led celebration of Southbury - told by the people who live, learn, and grow here.