Southside, Wandsworth is celebrating Black History Month, with a programme of cultural events, live performances, and a community-led art exhibition for 2026’s event theme, Honouring Our Communities.
Celebrating the people, stories, and everyday contributions that shape Wandsworth, the centre has transformed into a vibrant cultural hub to honour shared heritage and empower the local community.
At the heart of the celebrations is a powerful photography exhibition featuring local Black students from Ark Putney Academy. Created by artist and researcher Kay Rufai, the exhibition showcases participants from his S.M.I.L.E-ing Boys and S.M.I.L.E-ing Girls project, following a series of mental health and identity workshops funded by Southside Shopping Centre.
The programme provided 27 young people with a safe, interactive space to explore identity, mental health, stereotypes, and belonging through games, poetry, photography, and open discussion.
The exhibition is the first time in the UK that portraits from the S.M.I.L.E-ing Girls programme have been displayed alongside those of the boys, with the images on display outside Waitrose throughout October. Scan the QR codes beside the images to hear and see what the young people had to say about the programme.
Alongside the exhibition, Southside will be hosting a vibrant lineup of events to highlight the creativity, culture and heritage within the community.
This month, the Black Culture Market will be showcasing a range of independent Black-owned businesses, offering unique crafts, fashion, beauty products, and artisanal goods.
On Saturday 17 October, Pointe Black, a non-profit community ballet company, will perform ‘Evergreen’ between 1pm and 4pm. Blending classical ballet with African and Caribbean influences, Pointe Black is a global movement with outreach projects spanning from South London to Guatemala. The ‘Evergreen’ performance will explore the duality of elements through dynamic choreography, as a representation of ancestral wisdom through the wonder of nature.
Shannon Reed, Centre Director at Southside Shopping Centre, said: “This year’s Black History Month theme, Honouring Our Communities, sits at the heart of what we’re about here at Southside, and our celebrations are designed to showcase the diverse culture, talent, and community spirit of our Wandsworth community.
“From hosting our month-long Black Culture Market and welcoming incredible live performances from Shumba Steelband and Pointe Black, to investing in the next generation through our partnership with Kay Rufai, we are proud to provide a platform where our community can come together, celebrate, and feel represented.”
Kay Rufai, Artist and Founder of the S.M.I.L.E-ing Boys and Girls project, added: “Seeing these images take up space at Southside brings that journey into the heart of their community, affirming that Black children’s joy, voices and wellbeing deserve to be seen and valued. For the first time in the UK, our S.M.I.L.E-ing Girls portraits stand alongside our boys, making this exhibition especially meaningful. Honouring our communities means investing in the young people shaping their future. I’m proud that our partnership with Southside has helped create both a space for that growth and a public celebration of who these young people are.”
For more information on the S.M.I.L.E-ing Boys and Girls Project, please visit: https://universoulartist.com/smiling-boys-project
