Lou Mensah is the founder of Shade Media, the space for Black artists and creative practitioners to talk about their work in their own way. Shade’s first venture, the critically acclaimed Shade Podcast launched in 2019 and has run for 12 seasons to date. Shade Art Review, which debuted in September 2023, is a biweekly arts and culture magazine.

Lou also creates audio works for clients including the British Council, Hauser and Wirth, Frieze, Tate, Bloomberg, Iniva, Freelands Foundation, The Runnymede Trust and South London Gallery and has collaborated with artists including Liz Johnson Artur and Ming Smith on installations and recordings.

Lou is a disability and accessibility consultant, an associate lecturer in Communications at Central St. Martins University and a home educator.