When Mayflower Theatre took on the opportunity to develop a new creative hub in the cultural quarter of Southampton – mid pandemic and between lockdowns, it was a brave but nerve-wracking decision.

Not only did the application need to go through quickly – but we needed a new name and business case for it, in a week.

Never ones to shun such a challenge, we dressed up (for the first time in a long time, slicked on the lippy – well some of us did) and headed to center stage at Mayflower to conduct a naming and branding workshop with around 20 heads and key members of numerous departments.  Having completed a proprietary worksheet everyone was ready to embrace the objective and join in. Three hours later we had an almost unheard-of thing. A total consensus of opinion, a name, and a clear direction to take the brand. HOORAH!

In summary here’s what we concluded about our New Space:

• Not just a place to visit and watch productions
• An involving, inclusive, creative space, to introduce and empower a range of talents, skills, ideas, and enthusiasm to create new things for more people from a wider variety of backgrounds and experiences.
• For the city to be proud of what New Space will do and will offer to its citizens and visitors and, above all
• For people to be proud of New Space and its city

See our blog for more details of what we did and what was agreed – but MAST Mayflower Studios is born; a place in which to work, create, watch, learn, grown, and enjoy.

September 2020. Launched February 2021.

Mayflower Theatre

Workshops, Naming and Branding