Young residents aged 16 to 24 living in the London boroughs of Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets, and Waltham Forest are being given a unique opportunity to help shape the future of two major cultural institutions. The V&A East has officially announced the launch of the next cohort for the V&A East Youth Collective, inviting passionate, curious, and creative individuals to collaborate directly with museum staff and professional practitioners.
Applications for the upcoming programme will open on Friday, 16th October 2026, with the application link going live on the official V&A East website on the same day. Prospective applicants have until Sunday, 1st November 2026, at 11:59 pm to submit their applications. The initiative aims to answer a fundamental question: what should a museum and collections space look, feel, and sound like for young people growing up in East London today?
A Collaborative Approach to Cultural Spaces
The V&A East Youth Collective is designed to be a genuine learning exchange between participants, commissioned practitioners, and the wider institution, placing co-production at the absolute heart of its mission. Over an intensive eight-month programme running from January to August 2027, a selected team of 12 young people will work together to ensure that the V&A East Museum and the V&A East Storehouse are welcoming, inspiring, and fully relevant to young East Londoners.
Participants will take part in a series of creative workshops, museum visits, and collaborative projects. The programme will build upon important themes identified by previous Youth Collective cohorts, ranging from identity, memory, and belonging to place, access, and decolonisation. Furthermore, participants will explore how creative wellbeing and care for young audiences can be deeply embedded into museum environments. This collaborative effort will culminate in a tangible creative output that will be made publicly available to museum audiences.
The schedule requires commitment, featuring 16 evening meetings held in person in East London on alternate Thursdays from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm between January and August 2027. The very first session is scheduled for Thursday, 14th January 2027, at the V&A East Storehouse. In addition to the regular Thursday evening sessions, participants can expect occasional weekend activities, cultural trips, and dedicated days spent exploring the museum spaces.
Roots in East London Communities
The programme is tailored to the evolving needs, interests, and themes that emerge throughout the course, ensuring that the direction of the project remains driven by the young participants themselves. By joining the collective, members will have the chance to meet new people, develop valuable creative skills, and gain rare, firsthand insight into careers within the vibrant cultural and heritage sector.
To be eligible for the programme, applicants must be between 16 and 24 years old, reside in Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets, or Waltham Forest, and reflect the rich diversity of East London. Additionally, participants must have the legal right to work in the UK to receive any applicable payment associated with the project.
The initiative is part of the broader mission of V&A East, a dynamic two-part cultural destination established as a new branch of the renowned Victoria and Albert Museum. Designed to celebrate making and creativity’s power to drive change, V&A East consists of two distinct sites rooted in the heritage and contemporary culture of East London.
Exploring V&A East Museum and Storehouse
Based in Stratford, the V&A East Museum celebrates making and the power of creativity to effect social and cultural change. Created in close collaboration with young people, the museum explores the forces shaping our world today, amplifying the voices that lead contemporary culture and supporting critical and conceptual learning through hands-on making.
Just a short distance away near the Stratford Waterfront lies the V&A East Storehouse. This innovative facility houses over half a million creative works and collection objects, making them publicly accessible to everyone in a novel way. Featuring a series of large collection objects and carefully curated displays, the Storehouse offers visitors an immersive journey through a rich tapestry of stories and narratives relevant to diverse audiences.
Free Open Event and Next Steps
For those interested in learning more about the Youth Collective before applying, V&A East is hosting a free open 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 and field practitioners. The afternoon will feature networking opportunities, hands-on risograph printing workshops, short film screenings, and engaging panel talks.
Detailed information regarding the specific practitioners who will lead the project will be published on the V&A East website alongside the application link on Friday, 16th October 2026. Anyone with immediate questions about the application process or the programme schedule can reach out directly to the engagement team via email at [email protected].