Every now and then, you’ve got to shut the laptop, silence the notifications and get out into the real world.
You know, where the air doesn’t smell like old tea cups and stale ideas. So that’s exactly what I did; I packed up my creative cobwebs and headed to London for a day of full-on, unapologetic arting about.
Destination: Tate Britain. Purpose: Inspiration. Outcome: Soul fed, eyeballs dazzled, brain buzzing.
There’s just something about standing in front of actual real-life art; big, bold canvases and tiny delicate sketches, that unlocks a different kind of energy. No deadlines. No to-do list. Just colour, texture, light, and a thousand different perspectives that make you go, “Huh. I hadn’t thought of it like that.”
I wandered. I stared. I got lost (twice). I found myself grinning at brushstrokes. I let my mind wander through galleries filled with stories, emotion, rebellion, beauty, chaos... basically everything I want my own creative work to have. And somewhere between Turner and the modern installations, I remembered why taking a break is not a luxury. It’s fuel.
Because here’s the thing: creativity doesn’t thrive on burnout. It doesn’t spark under fluorescent lighting or between back-to-back emails. It needs space. It needs play. It needs to be taken out for a walk sometimes and given a gallery sandwich if you’re really feeling it.
My Tate day reminded me that art isn’t just for artists. It’s for everyone. Whether you’re running a business, writing a brand, designing, making, coaching... exposing yourself to other people’s creativity gives your own a massive glow-up. It shakes things loose. It reconnects the dots. It pulls you out of your head and plonks you into possibility.
So here’s your official permission slip: Go see some art. Doesn’t have to be London. Doesn’t even have to be a gallery. Just find something someone made with their heart and let it fill you up a bit.
Lucy & the TSY Team
