Join us for an afternoon of lively debates, music, a workshop and readings devised by Stance and part of London College of Fashion Arcade East Design and Politics season.

2pm Panel 1: Designing For the Night

Nightclubs offer people a place to experiment with new music, technology and identity. In this discussion, Stance will explore how these experiences are influenced by architecture and design. Stance will trace how nightclub spaces have evolved from the adaptation of unprepossessing and unwanted spaces – dank basements, ramshackle former theatres and warehouses – to the emergence of highly designed and architecturally specific nightclubs. What has been lost and what has been gained as the physical fabric of the nightclub has changed? Join Stance as we take a look at the changing nature of nightclub design.

Joining us on stage will be:

Josh Hepple, a disability rights activist and PhD candidate covering the intersections of human rights, neocolonialism and LGBTQI+ rights.

Dr Catharine Rossi is an Associate Professor in Design History at Kingston School of Art. Her interests range from post-war Italian design to craft and nightclubs and recent projects include the co-curation of Night Fever: Designing Club Culture 1960 to Today.

Neil Pinder is an award-winning teacher and former night club owner known for encouraging teachers to deliver architecture in the classroom. He is a trustee of the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust and is currently Head of Product Design at Graveney School in south London where he introduced architecture to the curriculum, winning various Open House competitions and being honoured as "Teacher of the Year".

These talks will be soundtracked by DJ Kaylee Kay, Resident DJ for club night Eskimo. She has a passion for Grime music and has been an avid supporter since the beginning. She loves to play R&B, Hip Hop, House and anything else with a dirty bassline.

4pm Panel 2: Shutdown: Beats, Racism and Strife

‘Black music’ continues to dominate the charts but why is it still so hard for artists to get gigs or for some black clientele to get into certain clubs? Stance will examine the way that music by black communities has long been perceived as a threat to the established order and how, from the Jazz age onwards, the prejudices of white society have constrained black creativity and participation. We will explore the legacy of the controversial risk assessment form for live events, Form 696, which, until it was scrapped two years ago, was seen by many as a tool by which the police targeted and excluded Black musicians. Join Stance as we ask: How do we challenge the institutionalised racism within our nightlife culture?

Joining us on stage will be:

Emma Warren, a writer and journalist known for covering contemporary culture for over two decades. Her work has appeared in national and international publications including The Face and she has made radio documentaries for The BBC. She worked on youth-run publication Live Magazine in Brixton for six years and has a monthly radio show on Worldwide FM. Her first book 'Make Some Space: Tuning Into Total Refreshment Centre' about the now-defunct London night came out this Spring. She will be reading an excerpt from her new book.

Marci Phonix, one of the early pioneers of grime. Part of Dynasty Crew, Marci was known for sets at Sidewinder and Eskimo Dance alongside Wiley and Dizzee Rascal.

Kartel brown, the leading member (UK Father) of the legendary vogue house of Comme des Garçon. The House of Comme des Garçon is an international vogue house that was founded in the USA and based on the principles of fraternity, education advocacy, and professional growth. The House exercises these principles through participation in ballroom competitions. Kartel is one of the co-founders of London’s first and only weekly ballroom events ‘Vogue Rites’, which is an inclusive and safe space for QTPOC members of the London Ballroom Scene.

Clive Curniffe, from the 80’s south London based Soundsystem Fieldmarshall Muzic Power. Stationed in Brixton, they were known for playing Culture Sounds, Revivals, Lovers Rock and Up Tempo.