INTRODUCTION

Hazel Peters (she/her) is a journalist, poet, founder and creative director of No Permission Needed, a magazine and community platform dedicated to celebrating the cultures, creativity, and experiences of Black and People of Colour (BPoC) in Scotland. Hazel's work sits at the intersection of art, culture, race and gender and often is an act of self-exploration and reflection on the spaces she occupies as a Guyanese-Scottish woman. Throughout her work, Hazel is passionate about community building, social change, and contributing to the legacy of Black people in Scotland.

INTERVIEW

How did you get into your creative fields? What initially inspired you?

Honestly, I don’t think of myself occupying a specific creative field, perhaps because I’m still at the beginning of building a career in the creative industries. My creative practices have a few different strands, but writing is the thread that ties them together.

Creation, and writing by extension, has always spilled out of me, and this urge to turn intangible thoughts and feelings into art has always been too strong to ignore. My first sources of inspiration came from artists, writers, journalists, podcasters etc that I followed online, but most of them were London or USA based. I didn’t begin participating in the creative industries until I began connecting with creatives in Scotland. Having a closer point of reference encouraged me to publicly put my work out there and showed me that is possible to get paid while doing it.

In short, I got into the creative industries thanks to the nurturing of people I’ve been so lucky to connect with over the years.

I started poetry and spoken word through attending writing workshops held by Intercultural Youth Scotland and began performing because of opportunities they provided. I wouldn’t be the poet I am today without the nurturing of Bee Asha, who worked there at the time.

My interest in journalism was sparked by platforms such as Black Ballad and gal-dem (RIP) which were founded by and for Black and Women of Colour writers and journalists in the UK. These platforms, and the writers who made them happen, gave me something to reach for, showed me that there were places where stories I cared about could have a home. Despite this, I didn’t actually see a way into journalism until I took part in, and won, BBC Young Reporter for Scotland in 2021. Prior to the competition, journalism had been this far off aspiration. I didn’t know any journalists. I certainly didn’t know any BPOC journalists in Scotland.  

Lastly, I got into zine making and publishing through the opportunity to make a zine at Intercultural Youth Scotland (much love to Nic). That’s how No Permission Needed started, and from there both No Permission Needed and my confidence as an editor, publisher and creative director grew. Along the way I’ve received guidance from so many including, Rosamund West at The Skinny and subsequently Sally Hampton who I connected with through the Society of Young Publishers mentoring programme. What I love about magazines and zines is that they are a collaborative effort and bring together elements of art, design and writing into a little bundle of beauty.

What themes do you tend to interrogate in your work?

I interrogate different themes across the different strands of my work. My poetry practice is self-reflective. It is about my life experiences and is inextricably linked to my mental state. It tells my story, and so reflects whatever themes can be found in my life. Journalism allows me to explore more intellectual themes, and my work at NPN is rooted in collaboration and community. Throughout my work I’m passionate about examining systems of oppression within my own life and our wider culture.

Themes I interrogate also shift as I go through different phases. For example, there was a time when I was thinking and writing about themes of home, of what makes a home, of how a place shapes a person and how both Scotland and Guyana has shaped me. Recently I’ve been thinking about the role of community, of art, and artists in dismantling systems of oppression and if we overstate/are too complacent about our efforts. I’ve also been in my bell hooks reading bag recently, so I expect that many of the themes hooks explores, such as love, community, friendship, and women’s participation in patriarchy, will show up in my work some way, somehow.  

What is your favourite project you've ever worked on and why?

I don’t have a favourite project (yet), but a recent project that I loved being a part of was the 2023 Glasgow Zine Festival which took place in July this year. I was an associate producer alongside, Effua, Jodie, Nicole, Sueli, and together we programmed five events for the festival.  

We had so much fun. I love those people so much, and I love what we created together. Attendees also had a great time and made new connections with one another which brought me a lot of joy. The festival was especially enjoyable because we didn’t have to go through the process of applying for funding. Glasgow Zine Library handled that, and so for a change I was able to just plan and deliver the programme without financial stresses weighing on my mind.

What advice would you have for creatives of colour looking to get into the creative industries?

My advice is to build a supportive community of creatives. I think it’s important to connect with more experienced creatives, and not just your peers, because they will have access to more knowledge and resources within the creative industries. I would not be the creative I am today if I hadn’t sought out, and been taken under the wing, of those with more experience and industry knowledge. I make use of the connections I have. I ask for help and advice from those I trust and extend the same to others. From my experience ambition, talent, and passion can only take you so far especially when as creatives of colour we are up against structural and institutional white supremacy.

One way I expand my “network” is by going to events organised by other creatives of colour. Not only does this support those in my community, but I also almost always make a connection with someone new. If you’re reading this, and think there’s something I could help you with, please get in touch. I’m serious, send me a message on Instagram and we’ll take it from there.

What are you currently working on?

Submissions for No Permission Needed issue 03 The Art of Disruption are currently open, until 30th September. The Art of Disruption is an exploration of the role that disruption plays in our lives, in our cultures, in social movements and social change, both past and present. I’m so excited for this next issue! I think the theme will generate lots of interesting art and writing.

Also, as part of No Permission Needed, I’m delivering an events programme called Sound Up. Sound Up is focused on facilitating moments of connection and joy between Black and People of Colour (BPoC) young people in Scotland. The events are free to attend (thanks to funding from Tiny Changes) and aim to positively impact young people’s mental health through creativity and social connection.

I’m organising these events alongside my friend Grace Igbinoke. It’s been so lovely to work with one of my best friends. If you know Grace and I in real life, you know that we are the most unserious pair, but we also make a great team.

We’ve got two events coming up. On the 23rd of September we’re hosting Upcycle your life with Bamilek. A workshop where we’re customising and upcycling our clothes led by Bamilek, a sustainable, African Diaspora Streetwear Brand that’s based in Scotland. You can get tickets here. They are free of pay what you can.  

Then we’re in the middle of organising an event for the 6th of October which will be in collaboration with zines Anri and Zaza. This will be an evening or art, music, food, and community. Make sure to follow No Permission Needed on Instagram to keep up with all that.

DISCOVER MORE

Hazel Peters - Instagram
No Permission Needed Zine - Instagram
Upcoming Events
Submission form for NPN issue 03