Little Simz to curate evening of Tate Modern Lates this month

Little Simz has joined forces with the Tate Modern and is set to curate an evening of Lates this month.

Taking place on the last Saturday of the month (August 31), the collaboration will see the award-winning rapper, singer and actor take over the London gallery with a specially curated evening of music, workshops and conversations.

It comes as part of the ongoing series of Tate Modern Lates offered by the art gallery, which gives visitors the opportunity to attend for a free evening of art, music, film and more, “where like-minded people can come together in the heart of London’s cultural landscape”.

For one night only at the end of August, the exclusive night will be designed by Simz herself, and will also see her join broadcaster Clara Amfo to speak to visitors about her inspirations and her relationship with visual art.

“I’m incredibly excited to be curating an evening at Tate Modern. It’s going to be really special,” the rapper said in a new statement. “Being able to invite people from all different walks of life into the space to connect through art is powerful. I hope people feel inspired, uplifted and moved by the experience.”

At the event, renowned choreographer and movement director Kloé Dean will lead an exclusive dance workshop in the South Tank, and they can also put the moves to the test with a DJ set that follows, selected by Simz.

Visionary artist and stage designer Es Devlin will also be making an appearance, speaking about what inspires her as part of the night’s Art Chats, as well as other leading creatives including novelist Caleb Azumah Nelson and renowned painter, skateboarder & artist Slawn.

Other instalments for the evening include a Zine workshop hosted by multidisciplinary artist and illustrator Fiona Quadri, and a cartoon colouring session by Jadore Nicholas of JK Cartoon Studios.

Writer Caroline Adeyemi will unlock inner reflections through poetry and prose at the Tate, and visitors can also meet artist Elena Ooijman and take part in collective breathing and movement sessions.

Held between 6pm and 10pm on August 31, admission to the Lates with Little Simz is free, and tickets to the workshops, conversations and more can be accessed via a free ticket. Visit here to find out more.

The announcement of Little Simz’s collaboration with the Tate Modern comes just days after it was confirmed she will be featuring on Coldplay’s new single, ‘We Pray’, also starring Burna Boy.

The song was first brought into the spotlight after the Chris Martin-led band showcased it during their fifth time headlining Glastonbury.

As for her own set at the Worthy Farm festival, Simz wowed audiences with a headline-worthy set. NME’s Jordan Bassett wrote: “Since she emerged a decade-and-a-half ago, Simz has established herself as one of the country’s greatest contemporary artists – and, fortunately, she seems to know it.”

Last month, the rapper also joined forces with Sampha as part of his song ‘Satellite Business 2.0’ – an expanded version of his ‘Lahai’ track.