COURTENEY FRISBY

“I’m a queer event photographer from Peterborough, now based in London. I work primarily within nightlife, shooting digitally with a sharp, high-contrast style saturated in bold, psychedelic colour. My creative approach is to find the weird and wonderful moments that feel euphoric, raw and slightly unhinged. I thrive in chaotic environments; the rave feels like a bubble from another world, a true world, and I believe it deserves to be documented that way.

“My work centres around intimacy, queerness and collective release. I’m drawn to bodies colliding under strobes and the tension and tenderness that coexist on the dance floor. Nightlife was the first place I felt I truly belonged, so documenting it feels both personal and archival. I want my images to feel immersive, like you’re inside the sweat and sound rather than observing from the outside.

“I’ve always been inspired by the early 90s rave era, particularly photographers like Dave Swindells, whose heavy use of colour and raw documentation shaped my visual language. I’m also deeply influenced by Molly Macindoe – I often revisit her work to study the way she captured a moment in time so honestly. Seeing a woman document nightlife in that era feels powerful. While I hold those references close, I’m constantly searching for a different approach and hope to inspire others through my own lens.

“This past year, working with Nike has been a highlight – merging my world with a brand I’ve long admired felt surreal and affirming. I’ve just returned from Brazil, which is already influencing the way I’m thinking about colour and community, and I’m continuing to document queer nightlife spaces across London. This year, I’d like to lean more into editorial shoots with magazines and collaborations, expanding my creative practice and visual knowledge while building toward a printed body of work centred on rave culture and collective memory” – Courteney Frisby

EMMANUELLA AKA EMSKI

“I’m Emmanuella, aka EMSKI: a DJ and producer from South East London. My mixes blend underground club culture with global electronic sounds, let’s say fusion-focused. I prefer playful sets to shake a leg to; think of me as a 90s music video director (Hype Williams) and you’re all my video vixens.

“I don’t remember a time without music. Growing up, Chanel AKA, 4Music and Clubland TV were on consistently. Even during school, I would blast my JBL speaker at the playground; sharing tracks, making up dance routines, and reciting verses. When I decided to get serious, CM Sounds – a community centre in Whitechapel – helped me lock in and translate my taste into energy, with production a result of my desire to shape my own sonic worlds.

“My recurring sonic themes are F-U-N! Bouncy rhythms, cheeky grooves, basically music that brings people in rather than showing off. In terms of influences, honestly, my big sis. I’m Gen Z – who do you think put me on to the highly millennial music channels? Her taste is my taste. Music-wise, I’d say: Kaytranada, SBTRKT, AlunaGeorge, J Rick, SOPHIE, Calvin Harris, Mura Masa & Ragz Originale (that Ragz bounce is infectious!).

“My scene is rooted in London’s club and community spaces; friends, collaborators, radio platforms, and much-needed community centres. I come from the same area as Darkoo and Odeal, so maybe there's something in the South London water…

“I’m releasing my debut EP this year. I host monthly soundscape mixes on YouTube via EMSKI TV, & hold a monthly DJ residency at Adidas Oxford Street. I’ve also recently completed writing camps with Grrls Club x Merky FC, sponsored by Adidas and another with Pizza Union. Oh, and a charity for Kinship Care experienced youth. My dream B2B is with IZCO. Listen to ‘breathe’ and you’ll understand” – Emmanuella aka EMSKI

GINNYPA

“I’m Gintautė, a London-based, Lithuanian-born, photographer and visual creator who uses film and imagery to explore moments and moods. My work blends intuitive storytelling with an eye for atmosphere, using everyday scenes to reflect deeper feelings and experiences. My work spans portraiture and press shots of artists to events and abstract photography.  

“Dreams is a series of moments created both with visual and moving imagery. I was inspired to create a story, which unfolds in three parts, by using my good friend Laura as the protagonist. I was inspired by my surrounding environment and created a story on the go whilst shooting, it then unfolded more deeply whilst editing it and adding music to complement it.  

“Recurring themes in my work centre around memory, intimacy, and the quiet poetry of everyday life. I’m drawn to dreamlike images that feel suspended in time; as if they’re playing against a perfect, invisible soundtrack. Sound is essential to me; it completes the image, deepens emotion, and makes the experience fully sensory. Without it, a scene can feel like an unfinished timeline. My creative scene is rooted in the underground music world, which I’ve been part of for almost ten years. It’s where I first started capturing energy, movement, and sound, and it continues to shape how I see and create. FOLD is where you’ll usually find me at the front, fully immersed. I rarely miss Cartulis, a party and label run by close friends; a space that feels more like community than event. 

“I’m currently working on my first solo exhibition, curated by Micol Ap for her salon artbl.a, which will happen in the fall, and photographing Laurita’s debut album cover (model of the dream series)” – Ginnypa

JADA VEERLE

“I’m a fine artist born and raised in East London. My work draws from lived experiences, intimate stories and cultural dynamics, using a rich colour palette to express raw, unfiltered emotion. My creative approach is instinctive and process-led, starting with a simple picture or idea and then letting the colour and texture decide the direction of the piece. 

“My work centres on identity and self-expression, exploring the tension between how we view ourselves and how society perceives us. I’m drawn to themes of racism, sexism and classism, often explored through everyday interactions, like men drinking on public transport (upcoming work!), to questioning who is allowed space and freedom. I use texture and vibrant colours to invite viewers in, before revealing the darker undertones.

“Two of my works, Control and Hamartia, complement each other. Control explores self-trust, reflecting a period in my life where I neglected my art for five years, instead turning to harmful vices. Hamartia shifts outward, observing those around me and the physical manifestations of addiction – protruding collar bones, dark circles under the eyes, and the slow act of fading away. Although these explore dark themes, they are also the most vibrant pieces I’ve ever painted, hence why they’re some of my favourites.

“Growing up with my dad blasting records through his sound system, attending Notting Hill Carnival and being immersed in arts and culture, I’ve always been influenced by what's around me. I connect deeply with hopeful yet critical work like that of Kerry James Marshall, whose recent exhibition I attended (actually cried at)” – Jada Veerle

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