‘GHT – a reincarnation’ was devised and developed by Southampton based artist Sarah Filmer, with support from Arts Council England, Southampton Solent University and ‘aspace’ arts. The aim was to document and enrich the transformation of GHT (God’s House Tower) into a new arts and heritage venue for the city.

The artists of ‘GHT – a reincarnation’ responded to the told and untold histories of the building, the group and their inhabitancy of GHT as part of this history, and the significance of this building to the city and the people of Southampton. Supporting a group of artists to make new work inspired by GHT has been the central aim of the project, while also setting out to investigate how group-working methods have affected each artist’s individual practice.

The ultimate goal of GHT as an arts and heritage venue, which resonates in the work of ‘GHT: a reincarnation’, is to open up this historic space to the city and its visitors again welcoming everyone and anyone to inhabit it too. As a space, GHT encourages curiosity and engagement in that which is contemporary and unfamiliar, hand in hand with a telling and celebrating of the histories of Southampton and God’s House Tower. 700 years after this building was erected as a barrier encompassing the city, God’s House Tower has become a site that aims to deconstruct boundaries, inviting the city in.

Through an 18 month long series of events and exhibitions, Sarah Filmer, Jilly Evans, Deborah Gearing, Greg Gilbert, Celeste Ingrams, Libby Russell, Kirsty Smith and Jo Willoughby have offered GHT as a site of diverse engagement to more than 7000 people …

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