A HISTORIC Southampton ruin is set for a new lease of life when artists move in.

The remains of Canute's Palace will be the site of a one month arts show.

Organisers at 'a space arts' have chosen south coast creatives to put on a series of events inspired by the building's history.

This latest edition of ArtVaults - which last ran ten years ago in the city's underground caverns - will run from September 1.

The now ruined merchant’s house was constructed around 1160 and is being adapted by artist Amanda Moore with an ambitious installation that reimagines the building’s roof line.

The structure will make use of tensile strings, strung across at a high level to support vessels filled with water from the nearby Solent top be suspended above the heads of the viewer. As daylight shines through the water receptacles, it will cast reflections onto the floor, which change throughout the day, producing extraordinary light effects within the architecture.

The installation will be in place for one month and play form the backdrop to a programme of exciting live art events across five weekends throughout September.

ArtVaults: Live will launch at 6pm on September 1 with a spectacular performance of music, poetry and comedy by Mad King Ludwig.

Local micropub, the Butcher’s Hook, will be on hand to provide refreshments for the opening night. The following day sees artist Sarah Filmer lead a relaxed knitting and wondering session as part of her on-going Knit the Walls project.

Performances and collaborative events then follow for the next four weekends by artists Vivian Chinasa Ezugha, Wilfred Tomescu, Noemi Lakmaier, Amy Scott-Pillow, Daniel Tebano, Sarah Siddons Fan Club, and Svetlana Ochkovskaya.

The programme culminates with a collaborative project, Spontaneity Knotting, by artists Robin Price, Kane Applegate and Andy Jones on September 30.

Four previous seasons of ArtVaults were organised by Southampton based arts organisation ‘a space’ arts and attracted over 70,000 visitors.

Following a ten year hiatus this new programme focuses solely on Canute’s Palace as they prepare to reopen God’s House Tower as a new arts and heritage venue in 2019.