Young creatives aged 16 to 24 living in East London are being given a unique opportunity to help shape the future of two of the capital’s most anticipated cultural spaces. The V&A East has officially announced that applications will soon open for the next cohort of the V&A East Youth Collective, inviting passionate residents from the boroughs of Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets, and Waltham Forest to step up and leave their mark on the institution.
The callout invites applications starting Friday, October 16, 2026, with the application window remaining open until Sunday, November 1st, 2026, at 11:59 pm. Selected participants will join a collaborative team working alongside the V&A East staff and commissioned practitioners to ensure that the newly established V&A East Museum and V&A East Storehouse are welcoming, inspiring, and thoroughly relevant to the young people of East London.
The initiative poses a fundamental question to the next generation of cultural leaders: What should a museum and collections space look, feel, and sound like for young people in East London? Organizers are seeking curious, creative individuals who hold strong ideas, unique opinions, and a genuine desire to drive positive change within their local communities.
What to Expect from the Youth Collective Programme
The Youth Collective is structured as an immersive eight-month programme running from January through August 2027. Participants will attend 16 evening meetings held on alternating Thursdays from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm in person across East London venues, supplemented by occasional weekend activities, museum visits, and creative trips.
Working collaboratively alongside professional practitioners, members will take part in hands-on workshops designed to influence how V&A East welcomes visitors, connects with local communities, and reflects the authentic experiences of young people in the area. Beyond expanding their creative skillsets, participants will gain valuable, first-hand insight into potential careers within the wider cultural sector while meeting like-minded peers from across the four boroughs.
The upcoming programme builds directly upon themes established by previous Youth Collective cohorts, tackling complex topics ranging from identity, memory, and belonging to place, access, and decolonization. To tie these critical discussions together, the new cohort will be invited to explore and share collaborative ideas on how creative wellbeing and genuine care for young audiences can be embedded directly into the museum’s daily operations and physical spaces.
This collaborative effort will ultimately culminate in a public-facing creative output, ensuring that the voices and perspectives of the Youth Collective are shared directly with museum audiences. Emphasizing co-production at its core, the programme is designed as a dynamic learning exchange where participants, practitioners, and institutional staff continuously shape the direction of the project based on shared interests and emerging themes.
Roots in East London: V&A East Museum and V&A East Storehouse
V&A East represents a dynamic, two-part cultural destination created as a bold new branch of the world-famous Victoria and Albert Museum. Designed to celebrate the act of making and unlock new possibilities, the institution supports critical and conceptual learning rooted firmly in East London’s rich heritage, while elevating the voices that lead contemporary culture.
The V&A East Museum, situated in Stratford, is dedicated to celebrating creativity and exploring its profound power to drive social change. Developed in close collaboration with young people, the museum examines the forces shaping the modern world through the lens of East London’s diverse communities.
Meanwhile, the nearby V&A East Storehouse, located close to the Stratford Waterfront, offers a radically open approach to cultural preservation. Housing over half a million creative works and collection objects, the Storehouse is publicly accessible to all visitors. Through a series of large-scale collection objects and specially curated displays, guests can immerse themselves in a vast repository of stories and historical narratives designed to resonate with diverse audiences.
Program Logistics and Getting Involved
The museum is looking to recruit 12 young people who authentically reflect the vibrant diversity of East London. To be eligible for the programme, applicants must be between the ages of 16 and 24, reside in Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets, or Waltham Forest, and hold the legal right to work in the UK in order to receive payment for their participation.
The inaugural session of the programme is scheduled to take place on Thursday, January 14th, 2027, at 6:00 pm at the V&A East Storehouse. Prospective applicants with questions regarding the application process or programme requirements can reach out directly to the engagement team via email at [email protected].
For those eager to learn more before submitting an application, V&A East is hosting a free public event on Sunday, October 18th, from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm at the V&A Storehouse. The event offers attendees the chance to hear directly from alumni of previous V&A East youth engagement programmes and field practitioners. Visitors can look forward to networking opportunities, risograph printmaking workshops, short film screenings, and panel discussions exploring the future of youth involvement in the arts.
The application link, along with further details regarding the commissioned practitioners leading the project, will go live on the official V&A East website on Friday, October 16th, 2026.