The South Coast has long been home to a thriving creative commercial scene, with creative agencies, architects, designers, music makers, marketers, filmmakers, creative technologists and more shaping industries and driving economic growth.

At a recent RSA Southampton event, ‘Supporting Our Creative Businesses’, local practitioners made it clear—it’s time to connect, collaborate, and push the sector forward with more focus. This inaugural gathering is the first step in that mission. It’s for leaders and practitioners of creative businesses—those who make their living from selling creative output—to meet, discuss opportunities, explore collaborations, and strengthen the industry in our region as a whole.

This Winchester event will be hosted at the legendary South Downs Social, right in the heart of Kings Walk—an area currently working towards Creative Enterprise Zone status as part of the Central Winchester Regeneration. Winchester isn’t just geographically central to the South—it’s also a thriving creative and cultural hub, with a dynamic concentration of advertising, marketing, and architectural practices, alongside exceptional academic institutions, as highlighted in recent reports commissioned by the University of Winchester.

We’re hoping this is the start of a movement to unite and amplify the creative commercial sector right across the Central South. If you’re in the business of creativity, we’d love for you to take a couple of hours to meet others who share your passion. Except for a few words about our ambition for the Southern Creative Catalyst the time will be spent meeting and building connections and sharing experiences across the commercial creative sector

Creatives from across the region are welcome at any of the events, so feel free to mix it up a bit!

Tickets are free, but it is essential to register – follow ‘reserve a spot’ above. The first 40 attendees will receive a free drink, courtesy of the University of Winchester.

If you would like details of this – or any of our future events – please sign up to the Southern Creative Catalyst mailing list here.

This event is organised by the RSA in collaboration with Creative Network South, VentureFest South, The University of Winchester and the South Downs Social.

Our first event in Southampton was enjoyed by over 80 people – so much so we’re going to hit repeat and host events in Winchester (15th May), Portsmouth (June, TBC) and Southampton (June, TBC).

Taking part in RSA in-person events

To participate in the event, you will need to register for a ticket so we can make sure we have an up-to-date list of those who plan on attending. If you wish to register another attendee, this must be done separately using a different email address. This is for capacity purposes. We encourage all attendees that are ill or showing symptoms of illness to stay home and to cancel your Eventbrite ticket if you are no longer able to join the event.

At the RSA, we strive to create inclusive and supportive environments for all Fellows. We recognise that individuals may require different forms of support to fully participate in our events and activities. Therefore, we welcome and encourage Fellows to bring the support they feel is necessary, whether it be a carer, an emotional support animal, or any other form of assistance. We ask that you fill out the accessibility requirements box in your Eventbrite booking form in advance of attending one of our events to ensure that the venues can accommodate such requirements. Our aim is to ensure that everyone feels comfortable and valued, and we are committed to accommodating diverse needs to foster an inclusive community.