Young people aged 16 to 24 living in the London boroughs of Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets, and Waltham Forest are being offered a unique opportunity to help shape the future of two major new cultural institutions in East London. The V&A East has officially announced that applications will soon open for the next cohort of the V&A East Youth Collective, inviting creative, curious, and passionate individuals to directly influence how the newly established museum and its vast storehouse connect with local communities.
Applications for the prestigious program will open on Friday, 16th October 2026, with a direct link to the application form going live on the V&A East website on that day. Prospective applicants must submit their materials before the strict deadline of Sunday, 1st November 2026, at 11:59 pm. The initiative forms a central pillar of the institution’s ongoing commitment to grassroots co-production, ensuring that the voices of contemporary youth remain at the very heart of East London’s cultural landscape.
The overarching question driving the Youth Collective is deceptively simple yet profoundly challenging: What should a museum and collections space look, feel, and sound like for young people in East London? To find the answers, the museum is assembling a dedicated team of twelve diverse young participants to collaborate closely with the V&A East team and a roster of commissioned creative practitioners. Together, this cohort will work to ensure that both the V&A East Museum and the V&A East Storehouse serve as welcoming, inspiring, and culturally relevant spaces for the younger generations of East London.
The initiative is designed not merely as an advisory panel, but as an immersive, eight-month learning exchange rooted in creative exploration and practical experience. Participants will take part in a series of dynamic workshops, collaborative sessions, and cultural trips designed to expand upon themes established by previous Youth Collective cohorts. These historical themes have ranged from identity, memory, and belonging to place, access, and decolonization.
Building on this foundation, the upcoming cohort will be invited to collaboratively explore and share ideas on how the institution can effectively embed creative wellbeing and holistic care for young audiences within its spaces. This collaborative effort will culminate in the production of a tangible creative output, which will be made publicly available to future museum visitors. By placing co-production at the center of the project, the program aims to foster a genuine exchange of knowledge and perspectives between the young participants, the visiting practitioners, and the permanent institution itself.
The time commitment for selected participants involves attending sixteen evening meetings held on alternating Thursdays from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. These in-person sessions will take place in East London between January and August 2027, with the very first session scheduled for Thursday, 14th January 2027, at the V&A East Storehouse. In addition to the regular Thursday evening gatherings, the program will feature occasional weekend activities, immersive trips, and dedicated days spent working directly within the museum spaces.
Through these activities, members of the Youth Collective will have the chance to meet new people, develop their creative skill sets, and gain invaluable, behind-the-scenes insight into the inner workings of careers within the cultural and heritage sectors. To ensure broad accessibility and recognize the value of the participants’ time and labor, the program is structured to support young people from diverse backgrounds, though applicants must ensure they possess the legal right to work in the UK to receive any applicable payments.
The initiative is deeply intertwined with the identity and mission of V&A East, a dynamic two-part cultural destination established as a prominent new branch of the Victoria and Albert Museum. Designed to celebrate making and unlock creative possibilities, the institution is rooted directly in the rich industrial and cultural heritage of East London. V&A East comprises two distinct sites in Stratford, each serving a unique purpose within the community.
The V&A East Museum, located in the heart of Stratford, celebrates making and the transformative power of creativity to drive social change. Developed in close consultation with young people, the museum explores the forces shaping our modern world by centering the voices that lead contemporary culture. Meanwhile, the V&A East Storehouse, situated nearby at the Stratford Waterfront, offers an unprecedented level of public access to over half a million creative works and historical collection objects. Featuring a series of large-scale collection objects and meticulously curated displays, the Storehouse invites visitors to immerse themselves in a rich tapestry of stories and narratives designed to resonate with any audience.
For those curious to learn more about the Youth Collective before submitting an application, 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 programs and industry practitioners. The afternoon will feature networking opportunities, hands-on risograph printing workshops, short film screenings, and engaging panel talks.
Comprehensive details regarding the project, including specific information about the creative practitioners who will lead the upcoming cohort, will be published alongside the application link when it goes live on Friday, 16th October 2026. Anyone with immediate questions regarding the application process or the program structure is encouraged to reach out to the organizing team via email at [email protected].