The discussion will be on participants’ experiences, ideas and expectations of what could be a happy place, or where they have been happy. Exploring the social and cultural ideals of happiness, how it is threatened or thrived due to the imposing geographical constitutions and how it is distorted or reflected in political campaigns. Looking closer at where we can be happy will give us an understanding of our own values and what we seek in life, as well as an awareness to make more conscious decisions. Is it that the circumstances predetermining the space of our activity also could manipulate our emotions? Let us discuss aspects of place-bound happiness in our everyday lives, all examples, narratives and observations are welcome!

The host for this session, Negar, encourages you to reflect on your interaction with place and urban fabric, and where you have been happy or where you imagine you will be. Photos, illustrations, words and poems are all welcome, and could be shared during the online meet up. Share what you are happy with sharing, express your thoughts and feelings in any way that you'd like. Let your inner artist get to work! Anything that comes to your mind about Happy Places, just get your creative juices flowing!

In case you need special assistance to partake, please feel free to let us know and we will do our best to accommodate you.

About the Host

Negar Ebrahimi is an architect with a Master of Science in Spatial Design; Architecture and Cities from The Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL. Currently, she is completing her PhD in Architecture while teaching at the University of Edinburgh. Negar is passionate about promoting people’s wellbeing through architecture and urban design and her ongoing research interests focus on the correlation between happiness and spatial design. Her work has been exhibited in the Royal Scottish academy of Art and Architecture 195th annual exhibition (2021), London Festival of Architecture (LFA) 2017 (in collaboration) and at the UCL Doctoral School exhibition in London as The Best Hundred Research Images of 2018. She was awarded multiple grants for her research; including Social Responsibility and Sustainability Award (UoE SRS) 2020, IAD Action Fund (Institute of Academic Development) 2019, Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) funding award for the FoSS 2019, and Festival of Creative Learning (FCL 2019) Award. In 2020, as a Young Women Lead (YWCA @youngwomenscot) committee member she worked on an equal rights and inclusion report with The Scottish Parliament (@ScotParl); and also received the Clinton Global Initiative recognition of Commitment to Action (CGI U). When she isn’t working, you’ll find Negar reading Persian poetry or doing origami. www.linkedin.com/in/negar-ebrahimi

About Futures Forum

Futures Forum looks to create a safe, supportive environment for global majority artists at all stages of their careers. In creating this space we recognise that there is currently a serious imbalance in the representation of global majority artists in Southampton’s cultural offer as well as further afield. Futures Forum was created to address this imbalance and provide a space for artists of all disciplines to share ideas, meet other creative people and hear from sector leaders. This space exists to serve the needs, ambitions and aspirations of its members.

Futures Forum #1: Where is my Happiness?