A Poet’s Guide on Where to Find Inspiration in London
A Poet’s Guide on Where to Find Inspiration in London
Chloe Carterr With 2 Rs has steadily built a reputation over the past few years as a highly sought after poet and creative.
In June 2022, she founded Underground Barz – a platform for poetry events and performances. In her own writing, her work encompasses spoken word and poetry in particular, using her memories as a focal point. The multi-hyphenate operates within the field of broader online content too, stitching together digital campaigns with social activism. Her most recent work in this field is a Black History Month campaign for TikTok, celebrating the beauty of Black hair.
Online, Chloe Carterr With 2 Rs is an influential personality who, in her own words, portrays her life as a “glowing Black woman enjoying her soft life era” on Instagram. It’s exactly the kind of inspiration we need.
Her Trippin guide features her favourite spots in London, particularly the spaces where she draws creative inspiration from. If you’ve been experiencing a creative block, head to the places listed below.
Underground Barz
“Underground Barz is a place that speaks to me poetically. It’s one of London’s spoken word poetry nights and in my experience, it is the best. It’s a culmination of concert level performances and living room intimacy. When it comes to the line-up of performances, you witness some of the most exciting emerging musicians and poets – you don’t just hear it, you feel it! Everyone leaves with something. What makes this place special is that the foundation of the event is Black love. Underground Barz began in a home and it still has the essence of where it started. The place is extra special because at the one-year anniversary celebration of the event, I got proposed to.”
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Tate Modern
“To the person who wants to travel without leaving the city, take on Tate Modern! My most memorable exhibit was seeing Zanele Muholi’s artwork who rewrites Black queer and trans visual history of South Africa. My favourite part about the gallery is that because it’s so huge, there are so many places where you can find solitude and connect with yourself. There’s a drawing room for those who want to create, and every summer they have a giant participatory artwork in the Turbine Hall which allows you to be a part of something collaborative. My favourite place is on the second floor in the Blavatnik Building, where there are seats carved into the window and you get to see a view outside of the Tate. Right now you can also see Yoko Ono’s incredible Wish Trees there too. Most of the gallery is free with temporary exhibitions only costing five pounds if you’re part of Tate Collective. Sign-up is free for 16-25 year olds and you get discounts in the shops and cafes too.”
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Hackney Marshes
“A suburb retreat without leaving the city. It is my quiet place. It carries so many memories because as a kid I used to bike ride every Saturday with my cousins and Uncle Gregg. We all learned how to ride a bike there. Now this place is a huge part of my cycle. It’s where I take advantage of solitude and write my poems. It’s less packed than other national parks and filled with nature uninterrupted, and the most beautiful sunrises and sunsets. Perfect for a girls paint and picnic, and somewhere to bring your girl dinner!”
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Flo Vortex
“Founded by Floacist from the duo Floetry – an incredible poet, songwriter and mentor for me. Flo Vortex is the roots of the poetry world in London, it’s one of the longest running events with its recent 10-year anniversary. This has been the starting point for so many poets. I go here for inspiration and to perform at their monthly events every last Wednesday. Its collective is called Flo Poets and I’m one of them. For me, this means I’ve carved my identity in the spoken word poetry scene. Like other Flo Poets, I have my own signature style of poetry. It’s a place where I love to test out my new poetry.”
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Sip N Stroke
“For the painters and party-goers, Sip N Stroke UK is for you. From Florida to London, Sip N Stroke has brought Miami flavours to the art scene. It’s more than just painting, it’s partying with games, music, vibes and so much more. Tickets average at £35 for the event with space for group bookings too. I would recommend you celebrate your birthday or hen night here.”
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