A NEW report is to be published to help free up some of the city’s empty buildings.

‘Pop Up Culture’ was commissioned to help independent artists get access to underused spaces across Southampton.

The £5,000 document, funded by Southampton city council, Arts Council England, Southampton and Solent universities and local businesses, was commissioned by Southampton Cultural Trust as part of the charity’s ‘core themes’ – to help generate Southampton’s cultural output and find spaces for artists to work and exhibit.

Working with the city council’s estate department and Capita, who manage the city’s properties, Southampton Cultural Trust have also produced a legal document that will make it easier for landlords and artists to work together.

Called a licence to occupy, the document allows landlords the right to give access to ‘meantime space’ in their buildings – space that is left empty usually before a building is developed.

The report could help artists like The Keepers find a new home.

The collective of 14 Southampton artists has been using the vacant 14 storey Duke’s Keep office block for two years at a reduced rate.

But now their period of grace is coming to an end as owners of the 1970s Marsh Lane building decide what to do with it next.

The tower block is home to just the artists and a few charity groups who have used the building since its owners failed to rent it out.

The Keepers, most of whom hold down part time jobs as well as running their artistic practise, banded together two years ago with the aim of building a support network for artists working in the city.

Artist Leo Deville said: “More than anything we want to do things for the people of Southampton and to get the community involved but it’s very difficult to show stuff in the city. There are hardly any places to show our work.

“Duke’s Keep has been great because it has fantastic light but we need somewhere we can make big works and somewhere permanent.”

Southampton’s director of culture James Gough said the aim of the Cultural Trust is to develop Southampton’s art scene.

He said: “The Trust is in conversation with a couple of key stakeholders within the city around proposals to develop more space for artists and creative industries to work but these capital building projects take time and resources.

“We hope that our conversations will lead to new spaces but as yet we have nothing concrete to report on.

“We continue to support groups such as The Keepers by highlighting their needs to landlords and unlocking space, such as East Street last year for the Pride of Place Gallery.”

The Keepers would like to hear from anyone who knows of an empty space they could use.