SOUTHAMPTON'S Summer in the Square event is to make a comback this year, it has been revealed.

The decision to bring back the programme of city centre arts events comes after figures showed that it attracted thousands of people.

The month long series of events was a bid to drive footfall to Guildhall Square in August.

The 42 events - which included specially commissioned work by international artist David Batchelor - saw 350 performers take to the stage, with 3,000 people attending the live events and 4,000 trying on Rhona Byrne's 'wearable art' in the 'Huddlehood'.

Now organisers are in the early stages of planning next year's programme - with the city's business improvement district getting involved as well.

Director of the John Hansard Gallery Woodrow Kernohan said: "Summer in the Square 2017 was a great experience.

"Working together with our new neighbours in Guildhall Square, meeting over 4,000 people who interacted with Rhona Byrne’s ‘Huddlehood’ and David Batchelor’s project for Southampton ‘P-A-R-A-D-E’ which continues along Above Bar Street was great.

"His new commission ’Sixty Minute Spectrum’ is currently lighting up London’s Southbank Centre. We learnt a lot within a very short timescale and look forward to building on what was begun and working with our partners again next year".

He added that next year's events will also have a participatory theme in a bid to get the public involved, increase the gallery's audience and bring footfall to the square.

And he hinted that the popular bright yellow 'wearable art' could make a comeback when the gallery officially opens.

As reported Nuffield Southampton Theatres are in the process of moving into the north building, which will be officially opened next mont.

The John Hansard Gallery and film education charity City Eye are moving into the South building, And early summer will see the official launch of he gallery withan exhibition by one of the world's "most significant" contemporary artists.

Work by Gerhard Richter will go on show from May 12 at the new Guildhall Square venue - which sees the gallery triple in size from its former location at Southampton University.

A spokesperson for Go!Southampton said: "GO! Southampton is looking forward to building on the relationships made during Summer in the Square 2017 and contributing to an exciting programme of events in Guildhall Square in 2018".