Hi, I’m Phoebe Minson. Some of my earliest memories are of experiencing and enjoying the arts, ever since seeing Rachel Whiteread at the Turbine Hall when I was 5. I grew up being taken to galleries and museums, and I’d always ask for paper and pencils from the assistants so my mum and I could draw together. Nothing quite lights me up like art, and so it felt really natural to study it at school and then at University. I loved the idea that by studying Fine Art I was also studying politics, sociology, literature, history, geometry, material sciences and so much else. I worked in galleries from the age of 16, and my current work in the art world is a mix of writing, talking and thinking about art - as well as nurturing my own practice and the practices of others. I feel strongly that creative health is something everyone should think about and look after; we are all creative beings, so just like we do exercise or regular movement to build physical strength and stay physically healthy, it’s important to build creative strength and creative good health. The more inviting and accessible the arts are for people, the more easily they can engage with them and experience the benefits. It’s also important for building people’s confidence, and their understanding of the importance of the arts to the individual and also society. October in the London art calendar is BUSY, but we’ve added one more event into the mix to spotlight the vibrant creativity on display in the area all year round; we’ve created a trail of galleries within the square mile of Soho - it’s an eclectic mix, you can dip in and out - but it takes the guesswork out of wondering if you can go in, what’s showing, and I hope there’s something for everyone! Alongside the art, we’re also happy to spotlight some of my favourite places to eat and drink (including where you’ll find the best lemon cannoli!). I can’t wait to encourage people to explore this creative little area in a bit more depth! I’m a bit obsessed with the history of Soho - it’s evolved from 17th-century farmland, to a bohemian hangout for writers, artists, and political thinkers, for everyone from William Blake and Francis Bacon to David Bowie and Karl Marx. In the 19th century, it was a refuge for political exiles, and hugely diverse immigrant communities, who brought with them crafts and creative practices, and then last century it emerged as this vibrant cultural hub known for its artistic and creative energy. Now of course it’s somewhat gentrified, but there are still traces of the past - it’s such a tiny pocket of London, right in the middle, sandwiched between four iconic main roads, and it’s just a big melting pot of old and new. Ok, let’s get into it… what did I choose!!?