Young creatives and community voices living in East London are being given a rare opportunity to directly influence the development of one of the capital’s most prominent new cultural destinations. V&A East has officially announced the launch of the next cohort for the V&A East Youth Collective, inviting individuals aged 16 to 24 from the boroughs of Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets, and Waltham Forest to step forward and leave a lasting imprint on the institution’s newly established museum spaces.
The initiative seeks 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? To address this, the museum is assembling a dedicated team of curious, creative, and passionate young participants to collaborate closely with the V&A East team and various commissioned practitioners. This cooperative effort aims to ensure that both the V&A East Museum and the V&A East Storehouse remain genuinely welcoming, inspiring, and culturally relevant to the younger generation of East Londoners.
Applications for the upcoming cohort are scheduled to open on Friday, 16th October 2026, with the dedicated application link going live on the museum’s official web page on that day. Prospective applicants must submit their materials by the strict deadline of Sunday, 1st November 2026, at 11:59 pm. Organizers have emphasized that anyone with fresh ideas, strong opinions, or a desire to make a tangible difference within their local community is encouraged to apply and share their perspectives.
The Youth Collective programme is designed to be an immersive, eight-month journey running from January through August 2027. Participants will engage in a series of creative workshops, museum visits, and collaborative sessions alongside professional practitioners. The curriculum will build directly upon themes identified by previous cohorts, which ranged from identity, memory, and belonging to place, access, and decolonisation. A core focus for this new group will be exploring how the institution can effectively embed creative wellbeing and care for young audiences into its daily operations and physical environments.
Rather than acting as passive observers, members of the Youth Collective will be actively involved in shaping how V&A East welcomes visitors, connects with surrounding communities, and reflects the authentic lived experiences of young people in the area. The project is structured as a genuine learning exchange between the participants, visiting practitioners, and the museum institution itself, placing co-production at the very heart of the endeavor. This collaborative process will culminate in the creation of a tangible creative output that will be made publicly available to future museum visitors and the wider community.
The time commitment for selected participants involves attending 16 evening meetings held on alternating Thursdays from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. These in-person sessions will take place in East London, beginning with the inaugural meeting on Thursday, 14th January 2027, at the V&A East Storehouse. In addition to the regular Thursday evening gatherings, participants can expect occasional weekend activities, off-site trips, and dedicated days spent exploring the museum’s extensive resources.
V&A East represents a dynamic two-part cultural destination created as an ambitious new branch of the globally renowned Victoria and Albert Museum. The development comprises two distinct sites situated in the heart of East London. The V&A East Museum, located in Stratford, is designed to celebrate making and explore the profound power of creativity to drive social change. Developed in close consultation with young people and deeply rooted in East London’s rich industrial and cultural heritage, the museum focuses on examining the forces shaping the contemporary world through the lenses of the voices driving modern culture.
Complementing the museum is the V&A East Storehouse, also situated near the Stratford Waterfront. This innovative public facility houses over half a million creative works and collection objects, making them publicly accessible to all visitors in an unprecedented way. Featuring large-scale collection objects and specially curated displays, the Storehouse invites audiences to immerse themselves in a rich tapestry of stories and historical narratives that resonate across diverse communities.
The institution is searching for a diverse group of 12 young people who genuinely reflect the multicultural fabric of East London. Because the programme involves formal participation and collaboration, applicants must ensure they meet all necessary criteria, including having the legal right to work in the UK where payment considerations apply. The organizers have made clear that they want to hear from individuals who are eager to ensure that young East Londoners remain at the core of everything V&A East does as it establishes its roots in the community.
To help prospective applicants learn more about the programme, 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 with the institution. The afternoon will feature networking opportunities, hands-on risograph printing activities, short film screenings, and engaging panel discussions designed to provide a comprehensive look at what participating in the Youth Collective entails.
Further information regarding the specific practitioners leading the upcoming project, alongside additional details about the application process, will be published on the official V&A East website when applications open on 16th October. Individuals with specific questions or inquiries regarding accessibility, scheduling, or the application criteria can contact the engagement team directly via email at [email protected].