The Black British School of Joy – New Exhibition at SET Stage Gallery

The Black British School of Joy is the first exhibition of the new year at SET Stage Gallery, curated by new director Ayiesha Sankoh and presented by artist Tia Tshabola.

Staged as a classroom set within a garden-like environment, this immersive exhibition brings together moving image, CRT televisions, sound, and spatial installation. The work explores how joy operates within Black British youth culture as a source of resilience, informal learning, and collective imagination. Drawing on music, friendship, memory, and community, the exhibition positions joy as both a personal and political force.

Set within the social space of SET Social in Peckham, the exhibition invites audiences to gather, reflect, and experience the work within an active, lived-in environment. Visitors are encouraged to spend time with the installation, encountering joy as a shared practice shaped through everyday life.

Exhibition details

Opening night: Friday 16 January, 7-10pm
Exhibition open: Saturday 17 January, 2-9pm

Location: SET Stage Gallery at SET Social, 55a Nigel Road, Peckham, SE15 4NP

Visiting information

• Free entry
• Drop-in, no booking required

About SET Stage Gallery

Launched in 2023, SET Stage Gallery is a volunteer-led, non-profit contemporary art space based at SET Social. The gallery prioritises artists with limited access to exhibition opportunities and supports a programme of monthly workshops, talks, screenings, reading groups, and exhibitions. All proceeds go directly to participating artists, supporting accessibility and sustainability within the space.

Artist: Tia Tshabola (@souljas)
Curator: Ayiesha Sankoh (@thereturnofshe)

Contact

For questions, please email setstagegallery@gmail.com