Artwork’s guide to the perfect party

‘I like partying in places that look a bit different. For Art’s House, we decorate the venue with stuff from charity shops. Which is great because you’re giving to charity. But people started demanding the decorations. They‘d come up to the decks and go: “Can I have that picture there?” And I’m like, “Fuck it, go on, then.’’ But now people turn up early and try and bagsy, say, a china rabbit. It’s like getting requests, which I don’t mind – all the people that come to my parties are cool, they’re not idiots.’

‘I’ve always gone for playing stuff that just makes you wanna dance: disco, house, techno – it doesn’t matter. But it’s always got to be fun. And the warm-up slot is the most important part of the night. The first ten people on the dancefloor need to be having a great time so the next 20 catch the vibe from them. The first people through the door are usually there at the end. They’re my favourite people.’

‘Lighting is so important. Bad lighting can ruin a night. I always have a chat with the lighting engineer before I play anywhere and see what they’re about. The lighting guy at Phonox is a genius – he’s got a keyboard, three screens and he knows exactly what’s happening. Disco balls are also the best things in the world: I’m getting one in the kitchen.'

‘The DJ isn’t the whole part of the party, it’s also about the people there. At Pikes in Ibiza [the legendary hotel-cum-club where Artwork had a weekly residency this summer] you can sit and chat to a group of people and someone will be 20 and another person will be 60, and you’ll be chatting about the same stuff. Who would I have at my perfect party? Ooh, Freddie Mercury, Grace Jones and my mate Mehmet Mustard. Mem should be at every party.’

‘It’s the number one rule (second to making sure there’s enough loo roll). We got someone singing “White Christmas” at Art’s House last year and we’d hired this amazing confetti cannon that was gonna fill the entire room with snow. She held up the mic up to sing and the cannon went [makes farting noise] and ditched about a handful of confetti. It was shit.’

‘Art’s House tends to feature London drag legends like Lucy Fizz and Chester Hayes [drag queens from Savage and Little Gay Brother, that's Chester above]. The energy they bring to a party is incredible, they’re like dynamite. When the queens come on to the stage you get young guys nudging each other like, “What the fuck is this?” but by halfway through they’re on the stage dancing with them. Even if there’s ten people that go home with a different perception to when they arrived, then that’s amazing.’