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The Arts

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Ashleigh Kane

Melbourne native asked for a one-way ticket to London for her 21st birthday and wanting to figure it all out when the plane landed. In a city where anything is possible, Ashleigh Kane is the poster girl for working her way to the top. Starting out as a receptionist intern at Dazed - while waitressing at night - she is now Dazed's Art & Photography Editor-at-Large. Travelling the world on art escapes we could only dream of, Ashleigh continues to cement her name in London's art scene. 

Follow this guide as she takes us on a tour of her top London art galleries.

Beginning as a project space in 2011 before transitioning into a commercial gallery four years ago, Arcadia Missa actively champions young and contemporary female artists such as Phoebe Collings-James, Reba Maybury and Amalia Ulman

Anchored in its German and American roots, this multi-city gallery often hosts works from some of the biggest artists in the world; John Waters, Barbara Kruger and even Kraftwerk

Sadie Coles is a veteran of the London art scene and known for her connection to the YBAs - mostly Sarah Lucas. It has an incredible roster of international artists, with Martine Syms being a favourite of mine

Guest Projects is tucked away just around the corner from Broadway Market’s hustle and bustle (aka chaos). Founded by Yinka Shonibare, it offers the extremely rare opportunity for artists to have free access to the London space for a month. Here, multidisciplinary practices combine for residencies, parties and even supper clubs

Situated inside Piccadilly Tube Station and has done shows with Harley Weir, Ryan McGinley and more. The gallery never actually opens or closes, all the art you need to see is in its shop window

The ICA is a melting pot of both emerging and established underground artists that cover film, photography, performance, and installation, as well as talks, lectures and panels. Keep an eye out for its Friday night programmes which is when they host progressive events, club nights and other happenings

A stone’s throw from Peckham Rye Overground is the Hannah Barry Gallery. An incredible influence on the city’s contemporary art scene – particularly in pushing interest South-East. After hitting the gallery, climb the stairs at Peckham’s multi-storey carpark and experience Bold Tendencies. It's a not-for-profit art and cultural programme that takes place each Summer, organised by Barry, and featuring both local and international commissions. Bold Tendencies is also where you’ll find Simon Whybray’s 'hi boo i love you', the pink staircase which is actually a long letter to a long distance girlfriend

The Chisenhale Gallery in East London is an innovative contemporary space that regularly commissions artists to “pursue their most ambitious work to date”. The gallery is refreshingly progressive in the work and artists it shows. It also produces limited editions, so be sure to check out the shop and invest in the next generation's work

The Tate is literally next to my office, which is maybe why I have an affinity to it, despite also a lot of conflict with some of its practices. If you want to buy one of your fave artworks, likely Tate will have a postcard of it or something similar... I’m a sucker for collecting images and ephemera, so this is my first stop

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Galleries and Museums in London selected by Ashleigh Kane

Moxie

From local pirate radio to a world takeover, during the last ten years, London-based DJ Moxie has been on a journey of expansion, driving herself and an arsenal of talented women around the world. With a weekly NTS show, as label boss to On Loop, a voiceover artist and the supplier of eclectic dance music to parties across the globe, Moxie is one of the busiest women in music. Check her guide to London town below and have a listen to her 

The team room is stunning and I always visit it when ever i go and see an exhibition there. It’s covered with beautiful tiles from head to toe and has chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. If not to grab some tea and cake it’s definitely worth taking a look at.

Walking around the Tate is always fun. I especially love ending up in the book store and I love browsing what books they have on offer.

On a sunny day take a walk around Hampstead Heath. It’s huge and covers a few areas of North London, but the area I always love to chill out by is next to the dog pond. You can sit up on the hill and watch all the different types of breeds jumping in and out the pond.

If you like gelato, then I would highly recommend this spot.

A great record shop again in Soho, which specialises in dub, reggae and world music. You can find lots of beautiful Brazilian LPS in here and they also have a great book and dvd selection downstairs.

Renting a pedalo out for the afternoon at the Serpentine is always fun, especially so in Summertime.

If you would like to see some culture but are strapped for cash, The British Museum is great because the entry is free. They have permanent exhibits of Egyptian & Greek artefacts which are always fascinating to go and look at.

I often get asked where to go out clubbing in London and my answer is always Corsica Studios. It’s such a reliable club for the music and the sound is great in there too.

My new favourite restaurant to go to in London. It’s french bistro and they serve great natural wines. They switch up the menu every week so it’s always something different when you go.

London with Moxie

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 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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

Tate Modern

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