Morgan Stanley Lates at Somerset House

Morgan Stanley Lates at Somerset House is a series of special one-off nights giving you exclusive after-hours access to exhibitions with one-off events, screenings and workshops.

All the activities in Somerset House’s courtyard are free of charge to everyone, while after-hours exhibition entry to The Missing Thread is free to those aged 25 and under. Admission to exhibitions for those over 25 has an entry cost.

What's On

Free to all

THE HANDSON FAMILY presents HERITAGE 18.00 - 22.00
Heritage is a celebration of intergenerational Black British club music culture and has hosted one of the most popular music stages at south London’s Cross The Tracks for the past three years. This Late will feature MC Lyric L plus guests - DJ Fraggle, Glade Marie, The Handson Family and The SheJay, with sets that celebrate the different genres which defined and shaped each era, from the 1970s to the present day.

THERESA WEBER: CYCLES OF UNMASKING
You can also take in Theresa Weber's installation Cycles of Unmasking, which aims to connect Somerset House's many layers and levels in new ways, and stands as a counterpoint to the hierarchical and complex relations that can be drawn from our centuries-long history.

YOU CAN KNIT WITH US, PRESENTED BY COLÈCHI | 18.00 - 21.00
YKWU (You can Knit With Us) is a knitting club run by collective Colèchi, which launched at Tate Britain in January 2022 and has since travelled across London communities. YKWU began as a way to encourage people to take part in the art of producing fashion through knitting and to change the idea of who can knit.

Collaborating with knitwear designers, yarn producers and educators, YKWU allows an explorative reconnection with traditional clothes making. Each free session emphasises skill sharing, multigenerational learning and making new connections.

LONDON PREMIERE SCREENING: THE TINY SPARK (DIR. POGUS CAESAR, 2023)
One of the most traumatic events in post-war Britain – the 1985 Handsworth Riots – receives its London premiere as part of the Late. at Somerset House with the Courtauld on 4 October.
The Tiny Spark is a 17-minute film, utilising the poetry of Benjamin Zephaniah and mesmerising artworks from director, Pogus Caesar. A single channel projection reimagining the 1985 Handsworth Riots, the film takes the viewer on a journey that bears witness to those fateful days on the streets of inner-city Birmingham.
There are haunting and emotive performances from spoken word artists Juice Aleem, Chauntelle Madondo and Samiir Saunders, while the film features a specially composed soundscape by the eclectic underground artist TabaCayon.

NORMSKI: MAN WITH THE GOLDEN SHUTTER BOOK SIGNING 19.30 - 20.30
Normski was a vital witness to the period known as the Golden Age of Rap, when big US artists like Run DMC, LL Cool J and Public Enemy started to play in the UK. At the same time, a British music scene born of Black music and myriad multicultural influence was developing, giving birth to Jungle, Garage and Techno.

Normski: Man with the Golden Shutter presents the photographer’s personal journey through that world from the mid-1980s to early 1990s and includes previously unseen photographs of Public Enemy, N.W.A., Cypress Hill, De La Soul, Goldie, Ice-T, Run DMC, Wu-Tang Clan plus many others, alongside stories and anecdotes from the centre of what would become a hugely influential cultural movement.

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Free to Under 25s

THE MORGAN STANLEY EXHIBITION: THE MISSING THREAD | FROM 18.00 (LAST ENTRY 21.00)
The untold stories of Black British fashion are explored in this major new exhibition curated by the Black Orientated Legacy Development Agency (BOLD). Spanning from the 1970s to the present day, The Missing Thread charts the shifting landscape of Black British culture and the unique contribution it has made to Britain’s rich design history.

Untitled 1, Afro Hair and Beauty, 1998 © Eileen Perrier

The exhibition examines how the cultural, counter-cultural, political and socio-economic backdrop of the 20th and 21st centuries have shaped the identity of Black style and in turn mainstream fashion culture. Extending far beyond the realm of the catwalk, the exhibition spotlights and contextualises the profound impact of Black creativity through music, photography, art and design.

THE MISSING THREAD NAIL BAR WITH THE GELBOTTLE INC™ | 18.00 - 21.00
The Nightlife zone of the exhibition celebrates the spaces that provided the freedom and opportunity, beyond the boundaries of mainstream cultural status quo, for Black creatives to meet, network and express individual and collective identity safely, from parties and clubs to gigs and raves. Nails are a huge part of the contemporary fashion and beauty industries, but it's rarely acknowledged that the artform grew out of styles pioneered by Black communities. By creating a nail bar at the heart of the exhibition, The Missing Thread spotlights another central contribution Black fashion and beauty has made to British style culture.

The GelBottle Inc™, who celebrate joy, education and self-expression through their vegan and cruelty-free gel nail varnishes, will activate a nail bar during the Late. Subject to availability and first come first served (no reservations), free manicures will be available for visitors who present a valid ticket issued at the entrance desk of The Missing Thread from 18.00.