Today we catch up with Lou Mensah, photographer and host of Shade Podcast. Shade Media was founded in 2019 by Lou to create a space for Black artists and creative practitioners to talk about their work in their own way. The critically acclaimed Shade Podcast, has run for 11 seasons to date, and has featured interviews with artists, critics, writers and visionaries. Lou also created the Shade Art Review, which debuted in September 2023, as a bi-weekly arts and culture magazine on Substack.

Lou is also a visiting lecturer in audio at Central St Martins, and has been named Producer of the Year by the UK Audio Network, Best Art Podcast in the British Podcast Awards and Most Loved Podcast by Apple Podcasts.

What inspired you to start Shade Podcast in 2019? Was there a particular event or personal experience that drove you to create a platform focused on Black and PoC voices in the arts?

Lou: As a self taught artist I learnt about art from books, artist biographies, visiting galleries and by listening to artist interviews on the radio. The audio interviews especially, inspired me hugely. I knew that there was a lack of Black and global majority artists and cultural workers represented in the media. Through Shade Podcast I created a space for us all to talk about our work in our own way.

The podcast started as a platform for conversations and it has evolved into a space of creativity and I have a growing team of talented audio artists and writers working with me on different projects from creating soundscapes for commercial galleries to sound installations for clients like Tate and audio guides for organisations like Bloomberg Connects. Our work has also evolved into talks and workshops. I started recording without experience or even a mic, from my bedroom so the expansion has been exciting.

As an independent podcast host and producer, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced? Have those challenges shaped the content or direction of Shade in any way?

Lou: Getting funding and practical support to grow the podcast has been the biggest challenge. The clients are there waiting to work with me but I don’t have the time or a permanent team to fulfil demand. I do all jobs myself for the most part - a funding injection would help support expansion in a sustainable way.

How has navigating the production side of podcasting independently influenced your creative process?

Lou: I find producing so exciting and as the Shade Media grows, so do my skills in this area. I have pretty tight production processes in place, and work with people who work in a way that suits me, which opens the doors for creative exploration. I also work creatively with people whose work inspires me and whose communication style matches mine. It takes a while to find a crew, but now I have one and we have production systems in place that work for us - we have space to expand into the creative side of the work more easily.

Who are some artists, writers, or creators that have profoundly influenced your perspective on art and representation? How do their voices resonate in your work on Shade?

Lou: Axel Kacoutié expresses the human experience in a way that profoundly resonates with me. Dale Berning Sawa is a brilliant writer and Shade contributor, her generosity of spirit inspires me to open up to new projects and artist’s work that I would not have come across otherwise. Anne Kimunguyi writes with such curiosity that I am always introduced to new ideas through her words. Tess Davidson is the most brilliant editor who shows me that having experience but also a profound understanding of the human experience is what makes a great edit.

Are there any recent conversations or guests on Shade who have shifted or deepened your views on cultural representation or equity?

Lou: Shade guest, the photographer Ming Smith showed me that we’re all just “finding our way.”

Can you walk us through your creative process for curating episodes and selecting guests? What themes or qualities do you look for when bringing people on the show?

Lou: It’s a simple process. I need to be inspired by their work. I reach out to them, send them ideas for talking points and get to the conversation.

What do you hope listeners take away from Shade, especially those who might not be directly part of the communities you represent?

Lou: That they are inspired by the conversations in some way. That they feel that they are in community with me, my guests and of the artists whose work I share.

Shade has made a substantial impact in highlighting Black and PoC voices in the arts. As you look forward, are there any new projects or directions you’re excited to explore? And How do you envision Shade evolving in the coming years to continue amplifying these conversations and possibly reach new audiences?

Lou: Shade Media is now a production company and so we will be building our offering beyond podcasting to more gallery sound installations, artist collaborations and audio projects for arts organisations.

Thanks again to Lou Mensah for taking part in Pod-Folio. You can discover more about Lou and Shade Podcast HERE