A NATIONAL newspaper is helping to put Southampton on the map after they produced a special edition magazine authored by young local writers and creatives.

Announced today, The Big Issue has turned the spotlight on the UK City of Culture-longlisted city of Southampton with a special supplement.

The social enterprise has created a free 24-page mini-magazine in partnership with GO! Southampton BID, written and designed with the help of local writers and creatives.

The magazine will be distributed nationally by vendors alongside this week’s edition of The Big Issue.

A total of 125,000 copies of the special edition were dropped through letterboxes in Southampton ahead of the Re:Claim Street Festival in September.

Now, as Southampton celebrates reaching the final eight in the running for the 2025 City of Culture title, it is being shared for free with regular copies of The Big Issue UK-wide in the October 18 edition.

The magazine will include several exciting features, including: an exclusive ‘Secret Southampton’ walking guide and map, showing lesser-known art and culture spots in the city: top street artists’ guide to graffiti and getting started in creating street art, with JXC, Latchkeykid and My Dog Sighs; my Southampton’ feature with young people from the city sharing what makes it a vibrant, diverse, artistic and cultural place to live: and a profile on Southampton FC’s charity, Saints Foundation, and the great opportunities they create for young people in the city through sport.

Giles Semper, Executive Director of GO! Southampton, said: “This is the second time we’ve collaborated with The Big Issue.

"We do it because we firmly support their ‘a hand up not a handout’ philosophy, because we feel they are an authentic voice for British cities and because we think the writing is about as good as you can find.

"I feel they ‘get’ Southampton and its cultural life in this magazine, but I look forward to hearing what others think.
“As we press on with our UK City of Culture bid, it’s brilliant to feel we have the backing of a ground-breaking institution like The Big Issue.

"This is another thing we’ve done that puts us ahead of other competing cities. Let’s hope the judges take notice.”