Young people aged 16 to 24 living in the London boroughs of Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets, and Waltham Forest are being invited to take part in a unique opportunity to help shape the future of two major new cultural institutions. The V&A East Youth Collective has officially opened applications for its upcoming cohort, offering local residents a direct role in influencing how the newly established V&A East Museum and V&A East Storehouse engage with contemporary communities.
Applications for the programme open on Friday, 16th October 2026, with the application link going live on the official V&A website on that day. The deadline for submissions is Sunday, 1st November 2026, at 11:59 pm. Organisers are seeking a diverse group of twelve curious, creative, and passionate young people who want to voice their opinions, share their ideas, and make a tangible difference in their local community.
The initiative aims to address fundamental questions about the cultural landscape of East London, specifically exploring what a modern museum and collections space should look, feel, and sound like for the younger generation. Participants selected for the Youth Collective will work collaboratively alongside the V&A East team and commissioned practitioners, engaging in regular workshops, discussions, and creative projects designed to make both the V&A East Museum and the V&A Storehouse welcoming, inspiring, and relevant.
As a dynamic two-part cultural destination rooted in Stratford, V&A East represents a major expansion of the Victoria and Albert Museum. The V&A East Museum is dedicated to celebrating making and the power of creativity to drive social change. Developed in close collaboration with young people and deeply rooted in East London’s rich industrial and cultural heritage, the museum explores the forces shaping our world through the perspectives of the voices that lead contemporary culture.
Meanwhile, the nearby V&A East Storehouse, located close to the Stratford Waterfront, houses over half a million creative works and collection objects in a space that is publicly accessible to all. Featuring a series of large collection objects and curated displays, the Storehouse invites visitors to immerse themselves in an extensive array of stories and narratives designed to resonate with diverse audiences.
The Youth Collective programme provides participants with a platform to ensure these spaces authentically reflect the experiences of local youth. Over an eight-month period starting in January 2027, members of the collective will take part in creative workshops and educational trips, meeting new people while developing valuable creative skills and gaining behind-the-scenes insight into potential careers within the cultural sector.
The curriculum of the new cohort will expand upon themes established by previous Youth Collective groups, moving through topics such as identity, memory, and belonging to broader societal discussions surrounding place, access, and decolonisation. A core focus of this year’s programme will be exploring how cultural institutions can effectively embed creative wellbeing and care for young audiences into their day-to-day operations and physical environments. This collaborative exploration will culminate in the production of a creative output that will be made publicly available to museum visitors.
Rather than following a traditional top-down educational model, the Youth Collective is structured as a mutual learning exchange between participants, visiting practitioners, and the institution itself, placing co-production at the very heart of the project. The schedule requires participants to commit to sixteen evening meetings held on alternating Thursdays from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm, running from January through August 2027 in person at locations across East London. The very first session is scheduled for Thursday, 14th January 2027, at the V&A East Storehouse. In addition to the regular Thursday evening meetings, the schedule includes occasional weekend activities, museum days, and educational trips.
Applicants must be aged between 16 and 24, reside in one of the four qualifying boroughs of Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets, or Waltham Forest, and possess the legal right to work in the UK to receive any applicable payments associated with the project.
To help prospective applicants learn more about the initiative before submitting their forms, V&A East is hosting a free public event on Sunday, 18th October, from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm at the V&A Storehouse. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear directly from alumni of previous V&A East youth engagement programmes, as well as field practitioners currently working in the creative industries. The afternoon will feature networking opportunities, hands-on risograph printing activities, short film screenings, and panel discussions.
Detailed information regarding the specific practitioners who will lead the project, along with the official application link, will be published on the V&A East website when applications open on Friday, 16th October 2026. Anyone with immediate questions regarding the application process or programme requirements can reach out to the organizing team directly via email at [email protected].