Your one and only creatively-inspired, community-run, organic, love-filled, not-for-profit, quirky, slightly wonky, homegrown, 100% original, local cafe / gallery / venue / home-from-home in Southampton, bringing inspiration, art, ethical food and creative joy to our city since 2008.
* Award winning, licensed organic cafe, open daytimes and evenings for food and drink (click here for our opening times and menu)
* Events calendar of world-class music, performance poetry, fringe theatre and more
* Clubs and groups to join where you can share interests with like-minded folk
* Crafts, Zines, prints, books and original art by local artists for sale
* A preloved clothes Boutique
If you are looking for a place that’s different from anywhere you’ve ever been, a place that welcomes the unexpected and unusual, you will feel very at home here.
We are staffed mostly by volunteers so you can get involved in that way, too!
Here are some event highlights coming soon…
(There is also a full calendar of events here)
Three Monkeys is a monthly event where Steve Lowis and The Art House introduce some of the best acoustic musical talent around. The format is ‘in the round’ with all three acts on stage together, taking it in turns, one song at a time. This month’s musicians are: Joe Hicks, Bronwyn Leonard, Zany Word & the Starry Prophecy (ft. Duncan Green and Fragile Lucy.) Sit back, relax, enjoy. The sound is first class, there’s a varied selection of craft ales, lagers and ciders in the bar downstairs, and a friendly audience who are there to enjoy the music, primarily. DISCOVER MORE & BOOK
POSTPONED due to unexpectedly low ticket sales. The Rose of Jericho. Violence. War. Love. Discovery. One man’s journey. | Written by Alex Martinez | Performed by Kevin Hely | Produced by Francesca Martinez | An ex-British army soldier casts a darkly humorous eye over his Irish childhood, relationships, experiences of war, and three events that have changed his life. He is still fighting but it’s a different war now | After the 55 min show, there will then be a break, followed an interview between Kevin and his partner, comedian Francesca Martinez. DISCOVER MORE & BOOK
A mathematical catastrophe is a point in a model of an input-output system, where a vanishingly small change in the input can produce a large change in the output. Is there a mathematical equation for love and the behaviour of a beating heart? What can be retrieved from life’s catastrophes and wounds? When our windshield is blurred with rain and we’re wearing our reading glasses, can we learn to look in the rear view mirror and smile? DISCOVER MORE & BOOK
An evening of music and film: Cat Eliza T – EP Launch, the debut of her music video ‘I Should Wait Around’ by Ben Grace Films, plus the short film ‘Antelope’ by Ben. To celebrate the official release of her EP Cat worked with the wonderful BEN GRACE FILMS creating a music video for the title track. The video features music, puppetry, gothic libraries and Romany Gypsy churches. Imagine it: all the madness from Cat’s brain-tank skilfully filmed and edited by Ben brought to the screen. DISCOVER MORE & BOOK
Zany Word & The Starry Prophecy are a new conjoin of legendary ukulele player, Lucy Smith (Fragile Lucy) and poet Duncan Green. Dan O’Farrell & The Difference Engine have been entertaining the world with their distinctive radical romantic folk-a-billy since forming in 2017. Driving through their set like a juggernaut over an ice field, The Lantern Parade are coming to town in their quest to take over the world. Carefully selecting their influences from across the entire musical spectrum, they then completely ignored them. DISCOVER MORE & BOOK
Canadian blues artist Manitoba Hal is widely regarded as one of the country’s most preeminent roots and blues multi-instrumentalists. Guitarist, ukulele master and singer-songwriter Manitoba Hal is a musical renaissance man. There will be a 90-minute ukulele workshop during the day and, later a full show, both within the cozy acoustic gorgeousness of our upstairs Gallery Performance Space. There is a discounted price for the workshop and show combined. DISCOVER MORE & BOOK
The Professor has created a unique neo-Victorian blend of hip hop and comedy, and is the man behind the world’s first steampunk rap album. His music charts subjects such as steam-powered flight, underwater discovery, and nice cups of tea. With a heart of brass and a fine pith helmet, he embodies the Victorian spirit of invention and exploration. His act has gone like clockwork at Steampunk events and music festivals around the world including White Mischief, the Steampunk World’s fair and The San Francisco Edwardian Ball. He was recently awarded Best Musical Act in the Brighton fringe as well as most Eccentric Englishman and most Eccentric artist. DISCOVER MORE & BOOK
Although there’s always been an element of music in his set, 2018 is the year when spoken word performer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Attila the Stockbroker prioritises his musical side for the first time after 37 years and over 3000 gigs primarily working as a poet. He’ll be touring all over the UK with his unique band Barnstormer. A description not used lightly. They literally don’t sound like anyone else. Barnstormer aim to do with early music & punk what the Pogues did with Irish music & punk. Attila describes their sound as ‘Roundhead Renaissancecore Baroque‘n’Roll’. There will be a spoken word set from Attila in the first half. DISCOVER MORE & BOOK
These are just some of the things going on at The Art House – we also have a busy programme of regular events, groups, workshops and live music.
What people who come to our events say…. (click to play silent slideshow)
Follow @TheArtHouseCafe on Twitter and find us on Facebook, too.
