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Frequently Asked Questions | 2025 Exhibitors | Arts and Humanities Day

 

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ABOUT ARTS AND HUMANITIES DAY
  1. What is Arts and Humanities Day?
  2. Who are the Arts amd Humanities Day audiences?
  3. Who can contribute to Arts and Humanities Day?
  4. Who is the event team for Arts and Humanities Day?
  5. What type of activity can I contribute as an exhibitor?
  6. Is there an Exhibitor Mailing List I can join to receive exhibitor information straight to my inbox?
  7. How can I stay connected on social media with Arts and Humanities Day?
  8. How do I get in touch with the UoS Festival event team?

 

THE REGISTRATION PROCESS
  1. How does the registration process work for SED?
    1. Where can I find the ID and password?
    2. Why is the registration process in three stages?
    3. Can I save the deadline dates on my calendar?
    4. What are some of the top tips when making a submission?
    5. How can I make a change to my submission?
    6. When is the deadline for making changes?
  2. When will I find out if my submission has been accepted?
  3. I am returning exhibitor; can I access information from my submission last year?

 

EQUIPMENT AND SUPPORT
  1. What support is available to exhibitors?
  2. Will there be Arts and Humanities Day meetings which are compulsory to attend?
  3. Which material can be supplied upon request?
    1. Tables
    2. Poster boards
    3. Power requirements
    4. Tablecloths
    5. Arts and Humanities Day (#UoSArtsHumFest) lanyards
    6. Others (e.g. outdoor space, AV equipment)
  4. Branded material:
    1. I am a returning exhibitor, can I reuse the Arts and Humanities Day (2024) t-shirt I own?
    2. I am a society/group, can we use our branded t-shirts?
    3. I am a society/group, can we use our own tablecloths?
  5. Where can I find out more about ‘risk assessment’?
  6. Where can I find out more about ‘evaluation’ for my activity?

 

LOGISTICS AND OPERATIONS
  1. Who plans activity locations and when will I find out where my activity has been located?
  2. I have a large exhibit/specific space requirement; how can I inform the event team?
  3.  Are there any additional documents required for external exhibitors?
  4. I am a freelance professional; how can I express my interest in contributing?
  5.  I have additional needs; how can I inform the event team?
  6. How is accessibility considered at Arts and Humanities Day?
  7. On the day how many exhibitors should run each interactive stand?
  8. What times should exhibitors be on site on the day?
  9. How is Arts and Humanities Day advertised?
  10. How is Arts and Humanities Day evaluated?

 

 

ABOUT ARTS AND HUMANITIES DAY

 

1. What is Arts and Humanities Day?

Arts and Humanities Day (ArtsHumDay), formerly known an Hands-on Humanities Day, is a FREE family-friendly day event filled with interactive activities, workshops, live shows, art performances and talks. In recent years, we have welcomed up to 600+ visitors on the day, coming as far as the Isle of Wight.

In 2025, Arts and Humanities Day will take place on Saturday 8th November 2025, from 10:30 – 16:30, at the Southampton Cultural Quarter.

PLEASE NOTE: Arts and Humanities Day usually takes place a week before a recruitment Visit Day at WSA. Please make sure to liaise with your School/Department Admissions team to avoid any conflict and support other members of staff and of the student body to contribute to Arts and Humanities Day if you cannot take part yourself.

You can find out more about Arts and Humanities Day and get a taste of the Festival by watching the Hands-on Humanities Day 2023 video.   

Arts and Humanities Day is part of Southampton Arts and Humanities Festival, running from Thursday 6th to Saturday 15th November 2025. Southampton Arts and Humanities Festival is the University of Southampton's annual celebration of Humanities and the Arts. It is a 10-day programme of digital and in-person events taking place across the University and the City of Southampton.

The Festival currently runs every year in parallel with Being Human festival, the UK’s national festival of the humanities. 

More information is available on the Public Engagement with Research unit (PERu) website.  

 

2. Who are the Arts and Humanities Day audiences?

At Arts and Humanities Day, we welcome people of all ages and backgrounds.

Visitors are mainly from Southampton and surrounding areas, but also from the Midlands and Southern England. As well as families with young children and teenagers, we usually welcome schools, youth, and community groups. Most adult visitors, including senior citizens, often have a keen interest in humanities disciplines and the liberal arts. In the past our audiences also included prospective students, University of Southampton alumni, teachers, and employees from community groups, charities, research councils, government, and professional organisations.    

 

3. Who can contribute to Arts and Humanities Day?

Arts and Humanities Day is open to all members of the University of Southampton:

  • researchers (PGRs, ECRs and academics),
  • technicians,
  • student societies,
  • members of professional services,
  • national and international collaborators.

If the proposed content is relevant to the festival’s theme and values, we welcome:

  • local community groups (including CIC and VCSE),
  • primary and secondary schools,
  • colleges,
  • charities,
  • freelance public engagement professionals and artists,
  • community libraries,
  • cultural organisations and venues, and
  • other higher education institutions

to contribute to the richness and interdisciplinarity of Southampton Arts and Humanities Festival.

We appreciate from experience that different disciplines and groups will have varied approaches to public engagement. Talk to us about how you could best adapt your subject to meet your and the festival’s audience needs. For more information about approaches to public engagement, browse the National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement website.

STUDENT AMBASSADORS: For Arts and Humanities Day, we also recruit a substantial team of Student Ambassadors to help with the running of the event. Students will be briefed, trained and co-ordinated by two Student Ambassador Leads, who will run the coordination and operations of the day. responding directly to the Sn Public Engagement Manager (Ops). Available roles will range from visitor support including, yet not limited to, checking-in, providing directions, media team and exhibitor support, setting up venue/stands, van/car loading and crowd management.

 

4. Who is the event team for Arts and Humanities Day?

Arts and Humanities Day is organised by the UoS Festival team - part of the Public Engagement with Research unit (PERu) at the University of Southampton - who organises all sides of the event from planning and curation to delivery and evaluation. The UoS Festival team is composed of:

  • a Festival Manger (Senior Public Engagement Manager - Ops), who primarily oversees the festival management, curates its content and trains all operational teams;
  • a Festival Support and Administrator, who primarily liaises with suppliers, and coordinates and supports the delivery of all administrative tasks and logistics;   
  • a Festival Officer, who primarily liaises with exhibitors and corporate teams, and coordinates internal and external communications.  

The team reports directly to the Southampton Arts and Humanities Festival Steering Group, chaired by Professor Helen Spurling.

Closer to delivery time, the UoS Festival is supported by other members of the PERu team and professional services across the University. 

On Arts and Humanities Day, the UoS Festival team is supported by an Operational Team composed of trained volunteers from different departments across the University, and a crew of student ambassadors, led by two expert student ambassador leads.    

 

5. What type of activity can I contribute as an exhibitor?

At Arts and Humanities Day we welcome:  

  • hands-on activities,
  • interactive talks,
  • workshops,
  • debates,
  • exhibitions,
  • installations,
  • art performances.

The activity/event will need to be accessible to a wide range of audiences, including children and adults, with no expectation of previous knowledge or experience. Accessibility will need to be considered, from conceptual design to delivery, to allow participation by all, regardless of ability. Core values of the University of Southampton must be upheld including integrity, accessibility, inclusivity and sustainability.

 

6. Is there an Exhibitor Mailing List I can join to receive exhibitor information straight to my inbox?

To be among the first to find out when the exhibitor's registration opens, sign up to the UoS Festival Exhibitors mailing list:

  • For external exhibitors, please click HERE,
  • For UoS students and members of staff, please click HERE.

 

7. How can I stay connected on social media with Arts and Humanities Day?

To stay connected with the UoS Festival team, you can follow UoS Engagement on our social media channels, on Instagram, Bluesky, X and Facebook.

You can also follow #UoSArtsHumFest on social media for updates and news.

 

8. How do I get in touch with the UoS Festival event team?  

If you are a member of the University of Southampton, you can use the Public Engagement Network channel in MS Teams to get (or share) advice, tips and suggestions.

Alternatively, and for any external enquiries, please email the core UoS Festival team at festival@soton.ac.uk  - This inbox is monitored regularly from Monday to Friday, 9:00 – 17:00, but response time may be slower at busy times e.g. just before and during the Festival.

 

 

THE REGISTRATION PROCESS

 

9. How does the registration process work for Arts and Humanities Day?

The call to contribute to Arts and Humanities Day will open around 1st July 2025. Announcements will be made on SUSSED, on the UoS Engagement social media channels, on the Public Engagement Network MS Teams channel and through the UoS Festival Exhibitors newsletter.

Submission will be a 3-stage process, which is ID and password protected:

  • Stage 1 | for Basic information about your activity, including space requirements;
  • Stage 2 | for Logistics, including team requirements, live event key information and supporting material;
  • Stage 3 | for Risk Assessment submission.

Guidelines: To find out what each stage of the registration process requires and to prepare all required material in advance of your submission, you can access the Registration Guidelines. These will be available after the call opens on the Registration page. 

After submitting each stage: you will receive an automated confirmation email with a summary of your input. Check your spam folder and contact the UoS Festival team if the email does not come through.

What’s next: the UoS Festival team will review your entry after the deadline and approve your activity or in some cases request amendments. You will receive an email with a customised link, password and ID for you to continue to the following stage or edit your entry.

9.1 Where can I find the ID and password?

ID and password will be included in the Registration Guidelines that will be provided after the call opens on the Registration page. 

9.2 Why is the registration process in three stages?

Each stage of the registration process is essential as it populates the festival official website and the operational database.

Deadlines have been set for us to deliver the best experience we can for both exhibitors and visitors, and to make sure that all requirements and expectations are met for the locations too, while accounting for suppliers/professional services’ demand.

9.3 Can I save the deadline dates on my calendar?

All stage deadline dates are available to view and save to your calendar on the Registration page. Just click on the calendar icon next to each date to download a calendar file. The file also includes a notification reminder and information to assist with exhibitor submissions.

9.4 What are some of the top tips when making a submission?

  • Activity Description - Avoid the use of jargon and acronyms in the activity description of the website. Consider a 30 second introduction including the benefits of your activity, the problem you're looking to solve and the benefits you aim to deliver from this.
  • Address website visitors by using the word 'You' as opposed to 'the audience'.
  • Consider the detail of the information you provide and reinforce why you feel people would be interested and what they should expect from your activity.
  • Website/social media - Include full URL's (https://) on the website/social media section and avoid using broken or incomplete links to ensure people are directed to the right page.
  • Activity Image – Images are required to be square (rather than rectangular), with a maximum dimension of 150 x 150 pixels. Avoid using images that have text as the text will not be seen as part of the image.
  • Timed Activities – Enter the times of your activity and avoid using a start time before 10:45 am to allow for visitors to check in once the festival opens at 10:30 am.

9.5 How can I make a change to my submission?

To make a change after your submission, please email the UoS Festival team at festival@soton.ac.uk as soon as possible so that we can do our best to accommodate your changes. The Festival team may also contact you directly to request you make changes yourself.

9.6 When is the deadline for making changes?

Changes should be requested as soon as possible by emailing the UoS Festival team. Changes for Stage 1 and Stage 2 cannot be made 15 days after the set deadline. Exceptions may vary, depending upon the type of request and the feasibility. These will be at discretion of the UoS Festival team.  

 

10. When will I find out if my submission has been accepted?

The UoS Festival team will start reviewing all entries after each stage has closed. Due to the number of entries this might take up to 2 weeks for Stage 1 and 2. For Stage 3, time might be extended up to 20 days as we are supported by the University Health and Safety’s team, who reviews all submitted documents and directly contacts activity leads in case additional information is required.

PLEASE NOTE: a delay in accepting your submission does not mean that your activity has been rejected.

      

11. I am returning exhibitor; can I access information from my submission last year?

You should be able to access submitted data from past years (2021-24) entries by searching your inbox for your previous automated email communication.

You can also request a copy from us by emailing festival@soton.ac.uk, stating your activity name and stage you need access to.

 

 

EQUIPMENT AND SUPPORT

 

12. What support is available to exhibitors?

The UoS Festival team can provide some support for your event, depending on the demand, resources, and timescale, as follows:

  • Training: depending on demand, we offer ad-hoc seminars to UoS members to help craft their event/activity. These are usually advertised on the Public Engagement Network MS Teams channel (restricted to UoS users).    
  • Drop-in sessions: we offer 60-minute drop-in sessions on MS Teams, from Wednesday 17th September 2025, 13:00 – 14:00, for all UoS members to discuss their event/activity, without the need to book a 1-2-1 meeting. A calendar invite for each session will be emailed to all activity leads closer to the time. The sessions will be advertised on the Public Engagement Network MS Teams channel (restricted to UoS users).
  • Consulting: we can provide 1-2-1 support for events or activities, from planning and design to delivery and evaluation. Please get in touch at festival@soton.ac.uk if you want to discuss your ideas with us.
  • Exhibitors' SharePoint site: access provided to all activity leads, with all essential documentation and information on how to prepare and what to expect on the day, from accessibility recommendations to safeguarding, marketing and code of conduct. Activity leads and their team must familiarise themselves with all the information provided in advance of the event.
  • Arts and Humanities Day: the UoS Festival team curates the programme, leads on the organisation and coordinates the delivery of the event.
    • Locations and spaces will be assigned after the Stage 1 submission has closed. Trestle tables, poster boards, access to main power, branded lanyards and lunch vouchers will be provided to all exhibitors who made a formal request through the registration form. Student Ambassadors support will be automatically assigned to activities that require check-in (through the UoS Festival’s Eventbrite account).
    • Special requirements for activity location and delivery (e.g. marquee, crowd barriers, access to water, desired alteration to the room/location), must be requested at Stage 1 of the registration process, so these can be assessed and actioned in advance.
    • The UoS Festival team can support a very limited number of activities that have no access to other funds to cover minor costs (up to £100), but we strongly encourage everyone to seek support first from their School, Department, Institute or Faculty. Any small financial support must be agreed in writing with us before the activity takes place.
    • The UoS Festival team will NOT provide any type of logistic and financial support for

a) the employment of student ambassadors/helpers for specific activities;

b) for the employment of photographers or video makers for specific activities;

c) for any type of catering for single activities/events;

d) and for the management of competitions connected to single activities.

  • PLEASE NOTE: in line with our event being free to all, selling of merchandise, including books, CDs and memberships is prohibited.
  • Eventbrite: we have a dedicated UoS Festival Eventbrite account, which is the platform we use to advertise event booking and activities. This is our main channel of communication for event booking, tickets, feedback and reminder emails to ensure consistency and management of the Arts and Humanities Day programme for our guests.

 

For enquiries regarding any other type of support, please email the UoS Festival team at festival@soton.ac.uk

 

13. Will there be Arts and Humanities Day meetings which are compulsory to attend?

There are two online meetings before the event take place, where attendance is mandatory. A calendar invite with a link to the online meeting will be sent ahead of time by the UoS Festival team.

These meetings are essential to gain a basic understanding of the event, and to provide activity leads with what to expect during the event, including the set up and pack down of the event. Key information will also be provided regarding health and safety, security and safeguarding. The activity lead is responsible for reporting the information to all members of their team.

If the activity lead cannot attend, they should delegate a member of the team to take part and report back.

 

14. Which material can be supplied upon request?

14.1 Tables

In most cases, we will provide wood or plastic trestle tables through a supplier (dimension approx. 3 x 6 ft). However, in case of activities taking space in common learning spaces or along certain corridors and foyers, tables in the classrooms will be used; these tables might be rectangular or round.   

14.2 Poster boards

Poster boards for indoor use will be provided through a supplier and will be able to host an A0 poster each. We will ask whether you prefer a portrait or landscape poster.

We will also have access to a limited amount of poster boards for use outdoor. These will require assembling before the event start.

PLEASE NOTE: Due to the expense and time required to set these boards up, please carefully consider the number you require.

14.3 Power requirements

We will try to do our best to accommodate your requirements, but some areas might have a limited amount of wall sockets available.

Please be specific if you need to work next to water and make sure your electrical equipment is PAT tested and within the “pass” period.    

14.4 Tablecloths

We will have access to a limited amount of fabric UoS Branded and unbranded tablecloths. Before requesting, please check if your school/department have any available for use.

For messy activities, we can supply a small number of blue plastic tablecloths. In the interest of sustainability, please consider your order for plastic tablecloths carefully.

14.5 Arts and Humanities Day (#UoSArtsHumFest) lanyards

In the interest of sustainability, we no longer supply pink branded t-shirts. We will provide instead pink lanyards to all with branded ID cards to be worn throughou the day. 

PLEASE NOTE: After the doors close and before leaving the venue, please return your lanyard and plastic card wallet to the UoS Festival team.

14.6 Others (e.g. outdoor space, AV equipment)

Any other major request should be reported to the UoS Festival team during the Stage 1 registration. These include e.g. access to water, access to backstage, use of outdoor spaces, rental of marquees, use of additional areas of campus, use of special equipment.

AV equipment should be requested through iSolution directly, as the UoS Festival team does not provide laptops, screens, tablets, projectors, microphones, speakers.

PLEASE NOTE: all Lecture Theatres and Seminar Rooms have access to basic equipment for presentation, including microphone and speakers for large rooms.

 

15. Branded material

15.1 I am a returning exhibitor, can I reuse the Arts and Humanities Day (2024) t-shirt I own?

Yes, please feel free to wear your pink Arts and Humanities Day (2024) t-shirt. However, if you own a pink Hands-on Humanities t-shirt, please refrain from wearing it on the day.  

15.2 I am a society/group, can we use our branded t-shirts?

Yes, please use your branded t-shirts for you and your team members.

15.3 I am a society/group, can we use our own tablecloths?

Yes, you can use your own branded tablecloths.

 

16. Where can I find out more about ‘risk assessment’?

If you are a student or staff at the University of Southampton, you can visit the Health and Safety Sharepoint site to find out more and download a template. 

If you are an external contributor and require assistance, please contact the UoS festival team at festival@soton.ac.uk.  

 

17. Where can I find out more about ‘evaluation’ for my activity?

All Arts and Humanities Day exhibitors should consider the evaluation requirements for their own activities, and design/run evaluation accordingly (in line with their specific engagement purposes). For further information, please explore support resources on the PERu SharePoint site (restricted to UoS users) or visit the NCCPE website for more guidance.

 

 

LOGISTICS AND OPERATIONS

 

18. Who plans activity’s location and when will I find out where my activity has been located?

Location of the activities and the timetable of ticketed events are managed by the Festival Manager. The decisions account for multiple factors, including relevance of the activity for a theme, security, health and safety requirement, building manager’s approval, feedback from past event visitors and teams, including Zone Leaders, Student Ambassadors and former exhibitors.

The Festival Manager will try their best to accommodate everyone’s requests and will try to find the best compromise to support everyone in the process.

Activity’s location will be chosen after the Stage 1 deadline and the website will be updated with the selected locations soon after. Locations will appear on your activity/event preview page within approximately 20 days after the Stage 1 deadline. The unique link to the preview your activity/event page will be in the Stage 1 acceptance automated email that you will receive by the UoS Festival team.

If your activity has not been assigned a location within 20 days after the Stage 1 deadline, it might mean that the Festival Manager is still trying to find the best location for your activity/event and will get in touch with you soon.    

 

19. I have a large exhibit/specific space requirement; how can I inform the event team?

If your activity/event has specific space/equipment requirement that requires additional support, please contact the UoS Festival team at festival@soton.ac.uk before Stage 1 submission to discuss this further.

 

20. Are there any additional documents required for external exhibitors?

Yes, on top of the risk assessment required in Stage 3, we kindly ask all external exhibitors to provide a copy of their public liability insurance.

 

21. I am a freelance professional; how can I express my interest in contributing?

Please email festival@soton.ac.uk and provide the UoS Festival team with

  • a summary of the activity/event you would like to propose
  • a breakdown of costs, including any associated travel costs
  • any additional information including videos and photo gallery to help the Festival Manager consider your contribution.

Alternatively, you can sign up to the Southampton Arts and Humanities Festival Exhibitors Mailing list at www.southamptonartshumfest.co.uk/subscribe-exhibitor to find out once the call for exhibitors has open. Please still include a list of the breakdown of costs in Stage 1 to ease the selection process.  

 

22. I have additional needs; how can I inform the event team?

If you have additional needs and would like to discuss support further, please contact the UoS Festival at festival@soton.ac.uk team. You can also include details in the dedicated space in Stage 2 submission form. We will try our best to accommodate your needs and provide you with a good experience on the day. 

 

23. How is accessibility considered at Arts and Humanities Day?

We do our very best to make Arts and Humanities Day accessible to everyone.

  • The official website has tools to enhance contrast, by inverting colours, and increasing/decreasing font size.
  • All the activities will be coded for accessibility and age suitability.

We ask all exhibitors to keep accessibility in mind when designing their online or in-person events and activities, and to provide alternative options (e.g. handouts) to ensure no one misses out.

For Arts and Humanities Day, the website has a dedicated Accessibility page. Maps, name badges, stickers, ear defenders and quiet rooms are part of the range of support measures in place on the day.    

If you have further questions or recommendations regarding accessibility, please email the UoS Festival team at festival@soton.ac.uk

 

24. On the day, how many exhibitors should run each interactive stand?

We kindly ask all activities to be run by a minimum of three members, as all interactive stands must have exhibitors running the activity for the whole duration of the event. This number can be higher depending on the type and number of hands-on activities at your stand or in case of team members with additional needs. A good balanced team will allow each exhibitor to take regular breaks, do networking and have the opportunity to see other activities at the festival.

Arts and Humanities Day is popular, and some areas tend to be very busy, so each exhibitor’s stand needs to be ready to interact with 80 – 120 visitors approx. during the day, hence the need to have enough support across your team. 

 

25. What times should exhibitors be on site on the day?

We ask all exhibitors to be on site from 8:30 on Arts and Humanities Day, until 17:00 – 18:00 to complete pack down and returning your area to its original configuration.

Doors will open to the public from 10:30 until 16:30, but it’s highly likely that some visitors will be around campus from 10:00.

There will also be time to set up your activity on Friday afternoon/evening, usually starting from 18:00. More details will be provided at the pre-event meetings.

 

26. How is Arts and Humanities Day advertised?

The UoS Festival team and the UoS Engagement and Advancement team will advertise the event through several channels to maximise reach locally and nationally.

Social media is a major channel for events promotion, with the support of other relevant teams across the University, including Marketing and Communications, Alumni, and Students Communication.

We also ask for each exhibitor’s support to advertise their own activities or events through their social media, blogs, web sites or other communication channels. This helps market the event to different audiences in the UK. 

In-person and digital events are advertised through the UoS Festival mailing list (3.8K+ subscribers), as well as on regional event websites.

Some exhibitors will also be invited to promote Southampton Arts and Humanities Festival and Arts and Humanities Day on local radios and televisions. These opportunities will be supported by the UoS Media Relations team.

For Southampton Arts and Humanities Festival, posters and flyers will be distributed in few venues across the Southampton. The team at Widening Participation and Social Mobility will distribute copies at several local schools and post announcements on national websites.

Printed copies of poster and flyers can be requested at festival@soton.ac.uk

 

27. How is Arts and Humanities Day evaluated?

The Public Engagement with Research unit evaluate Arts and Humanities Day against its core objectives:

  1. Provide a platform for engagement with public groups around research/activity at institution.
  2. Provide an opportunity for researchers/staff/students to develop and improve their skills in interacting with public groups. 
  3. Enable involvement and new voices/perspectives in research.

As well as more generic monitoring, we consider formative and summative evaluation questions to support understanding of the value of the event and how to improve. Data collected will be used to improve our events, report to internal stakeholders and themes may be used to report to external stakeholders. All data collected is either anonymous at collection or anonymised at processing stage.

If there are specific outcomes you would like to measure from your activities/events, we suggest building it into your plans. We can provide advice on how to do this, if needed. We cannot carry out evaluation for your specific activity/event.

Current approaches:

  • Arts and Humanities Day: An anonymous survey sent after 24 hours in the ‘Thank you’ email to all visitors that checked-in on the day (online).
  • Exhibitors, event team and student ambassadors: at the end of the festival, all exhibitors, student ambassadors and the event team will receive a dedicated Evaluation form, where they can provide useful insights and feedback to the UoS Festival team.
  • Systems/Social Media analytics: via booking system, Eventbrite, hashtags, platform insights, etc.