Banksy’s phenomenal Cut & Run exhibition in Glasgow last summer forced me to put my phone in a bag and experience the work with just my eyes. And it was truly liberating. So now I always fight the urge to reach for my phone and look at everything on a digital screen and instead take a moment to stop and reflect on the works in front of me. It’s a fantastic way to leave the stresses of everyday life behind, find some inner peace and let your mind wander.

Besides the work itself, I also love the people you meet. Sometimes you are lucky enough to chat with the artist and learn first-hand how they created their works, what materials or techniques they chose or where their inspiration came from.

I also love chatting with complete strangers who just happen to be there. The shows I usually go to aren’t the elite ones, with white walls and champagne receptions, so you’re guaranteed to meet lots of like-minded people brought together by a common interest (or a free bar).

Many of the shows I will be attending are planned in advance. My hit list already includes Peter Kennard: Archive of Dissent at the Whitechapel Gallery, Henry Moore: Shadows on the wall at The Courtauld and the opening of the highly anticipated MOCO Museum London.

But my favourite and most memorable shows are usually the ones I didn’t know about and discovered by accident, or pop-ups that are announced out of the blue and disappear as quickly as they appeared, like Paul Insect’s recent three-day ‘This & That’ show in a Hackney junk shop.

So, to avoid the inevitable slump and maintain my creative curiosity, this summer I’m going to put down my laptop and phone and hit the streets to soak up as much art as possible.

I hope you have a fantastic summer and you’re someone I can have a casual conversation with at a future art launch party.