S for Southend 2025

Focal Point Galleries are proud to celebrate the community – the family – that has grown with us at Focal Point Gallery throughout 2024. From Children’s Art Club and Blank Slate to Contemporary Elders, Schools, and Creative Open Days, this exhibition reflects the relationships, creativity, and connections at the heart of our work.

Our learning programme spans ages 7 to 99, offering everyone the chance to get involved, try something new, and be inspired. We believe wholeheartedly in the transformative power of creativity to foster strong, sustainable communities.

Step into Gallery 1 and experience our exhibition as our house. From the living room to the kitchen, we’ve reimagined and replicated the structures of a home to bring the warmth and intimacy to the gallery. These rooms embody the connections we’ve built with the people surrounding the gallery, and in joining us here, you become part of that family. The artworks showcased seamlessly meld with the fabric of this home. All are pieces from the whole breath of our learning events, workshops and projects throughout the year. These pieces inhabit the space as living presences. They hold the autonomy and energy of the artists who created them, reflecting the vibrant exchange of ideas and creativity that makes this house a home. In Gallery 1, join our interactive activity by recording your answer to the question, “What is your safe space?” Is it a room, a park, a person, or even a beloved pet? Sit in the living room, take a moment to reflect, then lift the telephone and leave us your message.

In Gallery 2, we have partnered with South Essex Homes working with three housing schemes around Southend, to bring you ‘Through the Lens’ which gave residents the opportunity to share their perspective on life by capturing the moments that make everyday life extraordinary.

This project was self-led, allowing participants to pick up the camera whenever creativity strikes. A checklist was provided to inspire the photographs taken, encouraging residents to capture the world in surprising ways. All photographs show the lives and world surrounding these individuals. We hope to challenge stereotypes around social housing and to showcase life in a different light.

We’ve joined forces with SAVS – Southend’s Council for Voluntary Services – to spotlight the incredible lives, stories, and faces behind Southend’s grassroots charities through portraits of individuals working in these organisations. From the youngest to the oldest voluntary workers, we’re celebrating the remarkable people and organisations that inspire us and embody the pride of our city.

We encourage you to sit around our campfire and talk about life. Reflect on growing up, imagine the future, or simply chat about your plans for the day.