So, you think that house warming parties can’t be of the cultural type? On this post, I will prove to you that it is possible to have party and some culture at the same time. Ready? Go!

This party had all of the ingredients of the usual parties:

• Music, varied.
• Drinks.
• Some animated drunk people (only one or two, though).
• (A tiny amount of) food.

The main difference lies in the venue. That was the most awesome of it all. No, maybe the music in that venue or a combination of it all.

I’m talking about the Tate Britain in London.

Now, everything is coming together. Let me explain.

The Tate Britain opened a few days ago its rejuvenated spaces after five years. There were a series of activities throughout the day to celebrate it. Da house was crowded, and there were people of all ages.

Who was going to think that this Grade II listed building used to be a gaol until 1890! It opened to the public as an art gallery in 1897, and it has hold the national collection of British art since 1500 until now ever since. During it’s existence, the various architects have all added their bits without considering the whole of the building. Adam Caruso and Peter St John have tried to avoid this. But, have also added some flourishes, such as the staircase in the Millbank entrance area, which is beautiful.

The whole of the building is worth a visit. But, on Saturday, light and other elements enhanced it all. There were a series of talks and other events, mostly for free, such as a treasure hunt or a workshop with designer Emma Yeo. The curators also made it easier for the public to see the whole of the collection in a different way through the Queer Britannia talk or the Digital Hijackers event.

The digital thing intrigued me. The V&A have recently hired their first digital person to create a game to bring to life their collection. I wondered if the Digital Hijackers event is a result of that and whether we should expect some further digitalisation.

The music was brought by Alexis Taylor, from Hot Chip, and Richard Blackshaw in the evening.

Alexis Taylor (and a little helper) did two different dj sets. Such a pity he didn’t sing! The first set was electro pop, whereas the second was more ravy.

The usual party goers were at the front, trying to get people to dance – and they got it!

Twelve-string musician Richard Blackshaw played in between both Alexis’ sets. The room was big, but crowded, and boucers were having a bit of trouble to keep people queueing at the entrance.

The party finished at 10pm, and it was a great, different way to spend your Saturday.

Thanks for reading this post!

A Londoner from Afar