Dance Can't Nice: Exploring London's Black Music Spaces

Although the 696 risk assessment form made it harder for London venues to put on Black music events, many genres continued to flourish in private spaces.

Artists Naeem Dxvis and SignKid explored the language and spaces that have influenced the production and advancement of British bashment, garage, lovers rock, grime, gospel, jazz and soul.

Naeem Dxvis reimagined the bedrooms, barbershops, churches and living rooms that are home to Black music genres and the people who contribute to them.

A teenage bedroom, late 90s - early 00s. A place that encapsulates the bedroom DJ culture that birthed grime, garage and drum 'n' bass. Essential to development of bedroom producers and pirate radio DJs. It has served as a recording studio, a rehearsal  room, and even the club. 

Timeless. The original Black music space that birthed countless Black British musicians and genres. The church houses music that creates connected communities. This space continues to provide an environment for people to gather, mourn and rejoice through music.

A West-Indian living room, 1970s onwards. The original dance floor. A place of pride. Spaces like this often contain carefully curated collections of records charting the migration of basslines like lovers rock. Sound systems give a place to party and to practise.

A barbershop, current day. An arena for Black music debate, discussion and broadcast. A listening space. Somewhere sacred to hear and discover music. One of the few public spaces to play pirate radio out loud. A space for musicians producers, music lovers, critics and fans. 

Dance Can't Nice was a Black-led exhibition, an interrogation of the power and responsibility public spaces and organisations have in supporting local music.

By opening up the Horniman’s spaces to celebrate south London’s music scene, they hope others will do the same. 

An adaptation of the Jamaican Patois “Dance cyaan nice”. In both Jamaican Patois and Jamaican English, this means we’re not going to have a good time at the music event.

The Dance Can't Nice Exhibition was Shortlisted for Temporary or Touring Exhibition of the Year at the Museums and Heritage Awards 2022.