This spring, Southampton City Art Gallery presents Everyone Involved, an immersive installation by artist Ian Giles, shown as part of the gallery’s celebration of new acquisitions. Originally commissioned by ‘a space arts’ and first exhibited at God’s House Tower in 2024, the work has now been acquired for the city’s permanent collection with support from Art Fund—marking a significant moment for Southampton’s cultural landscape.

At the heart of Everyone Involved is a powerful 4‑channel film centred on A Gay Song, widely recognised as the first LGBTQIA+ protest song ever pressed onto vinyl in 1972. In a remarkable act of artistic and historical reconnection, Giles brought the original band back together in 2024 to re-record the track—52 years after its debut. The film captures this reunion with tenderness and vitality, bridging generations of queer activism through music, memory, and collective joy.

Surrounding the film are Giles’ monumental wall hangings, crafted from vintage fabrics and found textiles. Each piece is embellished with hand-painted archival cartoons drawn from the visual language of the gay rights movement. These vibrant, tactile works celebrate the creativity, humour, and resilience that have long fuelled LGBTQIA+ communities, transforming the gallery space into a living archive of protest and pride.

Everyone Involved invites visitors to reflect on the stories, voices, and cultural labour that shaped the early gay liberation movement—and continue to shape queer life today. Through song, film, and fabric, Giles honours the people who stood up, spoke out, and sang loudly for change.