Dinesh Mattu

Underneath the chatter, the clinks and hum, punters shuffle through the balconies and await a familiar figure absent from the stage for the better part of four years. The theatre’s crimson glow slowly rises and the noise dissipates. When the guitar-laden hero finally steps out, the reaction feels like a warm embrace rather than a rapturous explosion.

Glasper's monster work ethic is matched only by his boundless energy. So where better then, to host a week of creativity than an entire takeover of Camden’s iconic KOKO theatre and adjoining building? Post-restoration, KOKO’s newly transformed creative hub sprawls across four floors and sixteen uniquely designed spaces for multi-platform immersion. Stepping into the venue feels like entering an opulent, charming wonderland, conjoining at an apex where music, culture, and creativity connect.

Early in March this year, some of the UK’s top songwriters gathered courtesy of YouTube Songwriters, YouTube Black Voices Fund and Foundry. Held at Young Studios in London, the camp featured three days of writing sessions across nine rooms, with 15 songwriters, producers and artists taking part.