ZoieLogic’s Annual Report 25
Hometown: Bringing dance to your doorstep
This article is part of our Annual Report 25, tap below to see the full report
Driven by people’s stories, we are using dance to animate the places we call home, the places that are familiar to us, and illuminating what is important to each community. Our long term vision for HomeTown is to be nationally recognised in empowering communities to become the masters of creative activation.
1. Expanding Hyper-local Access to Dance
Across Southampton and beyond, Hometown delivered a total of 84 creative sessions, including 48 local dance and community sessions, 26 bespoke workshops, and 10 education partnerships. We engaged 496 participants, including 160 students through schools and 86 individuals outside of Southampton. Community partnerships were vital to our Hometown programme and included Blue Apple Theatre, Hampshire Community Heritage, Winchester Hat Fair and Wokingham Borough Council.
Monthly attendance exceeded growth targets, with a 27% overall rise in participation and 70% of refugee participants reporting improved mood and happiness. Through these diverse access points, we brought dance to people’s doorsteps, embedded creativity in local spaces, and empowered individuals of all ages and backgrounds to explore self-expression through movement.
2. Strengthening Community Connections Through Creativity
Through initiatives like The Hub Festival and Live at the Library, Hometown brought together 674 attendees in creative celebration, breaking down social barriers and building trust. The Hub alone drove a 77% increase in participation, with workshops in dance, arts, wellbeing, and storytelling. Holyrood activity and Bespoke Community Projects such as Hat Fair strengthened social connections through storytelling, shared creative experiences, and the visible celebration of local identity.
FuzzyLogic’s focus on performance development showed increased commitment, connection and reflective capacity, highlighting the wider personal and social development benefits of co-creation and sustained engagement.
“Thank you! My children didn’t like dancing before, but now they enjoy using moves to express themselves. You make such a difference.”
— Parent and audience member – Wokingham Refugee Project
“It was such an uplifting experience to be a part of The Hub community event”
— Holyrood Resident
“ZoieLogic’s is so well connected with the community here and especially young people, it made a huge difference to why people joined in. This is an excellent example of strong community relationships which have helped build trust and confidence.”
— Malkeat Singh Community Engagement Officer Southampton City Council
Watch The Adventures of the Holyrood Heroes, created by young people from Holyrood
3. Championing Underrepresented Communities and New Voices
Hometown intentionally targeted underrepresented groups. Partnerships with Hat Fair and Wokingham Borough Council ensured access for learning disabled dancers and refugee communities, ensuring creative ownership was placed in local hands. Engagement in We Are Holyrood reflects and celebrates the diversity of the community, welcoming people of all ages, backgrounds, neurodivergence and disability. The Adventures of Holyrood Heroes film project, enabled nine young people to lead on choreography, sound, design, and filming reaching 1,400+ viewers across in-person and digital screenings.
4. Creating Sustainable Impact and Pathways for the Future
Beyond engagement, Hometown invested in skills, careers, and education. Through 10 school partnerships, 160 students participated in workshops and one long-term programme, with 7 newly trained male facilitators joining the team. Creative projects fostered emotional wellbeing—70% of refugee participants reported improved mood—and Live at the Library reimagined the library as a vibrant cultural venue, with 73% of participants visiting it for the first time.