Shaping the Future: V&A East Calls for New Youth Collective Members to Redefine Museum Spaces

The Victoria and Albert Museum’s ambitious new venture, V&A East, has officially launched a call for applications for its next cohort of the V&A East Youth Collective. Designed for young people aged 16 to 24 living in the London boroughs of Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets, or Waltham Forest, this initiative invites local residents to take an active role in shaping the identity and accessibility of the museum’s newest sites. As the institution prepares to solidify its place within the East London cultural landscape, it is turning to the next generation to help determine what a modern, inclusive, and relevant museum should look, feel, and sound like.

The application period for the upcoming programme opens on Friday, 16th October 2026, with a final deadline for submissions set for Sunday, 1st November 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Interested applicants are encouraged to visit the official V&A East website, where the application portal will go live, to share their perspectives on how a major cultural institution can better serve its immediate community.

A Collaborative Vision for East London

At its core, the V&A East Youth Collective is an eight-month programme dedicated to co-production. The project seeks to build a diverse team of curious, creative, and passionate individuals who will work directly with the V&A East staff and a roster of commissioned practitioners. The objective is clear: to ensure that the V&A East Museum and the V&A East Storehouse are not merely passive exhibition spaces, but welcoming, inspiring, and deeply relevant hubs for young people across the region.

The programme is built on the philosophy of a "learning exchange." It is not a top-down instruction; instead, it is a collaborative space where the institution learns from the participants just as much as the participants gain professional experience. The themes for the upcoming cohort build upon the critical work of previous members, who have explored complex subjects ranging from identity, memory, and belonging to the more structural challenges of place, access, and decolonisation.

For the 2027 cohort, the conversation will expand to include the integration of creative wellbeing and institutional care. Participants will be tasked with exploring how the museum can embed a sense of care for its young audiences within its physical and digital spaces. This collaboration will culminate in a tangible, creative output that will be made available to the public, providing a lasting testament to the collective’s influence on the institution’s future direction.

The Commitment and the Experience

The programme is designed to be rigorous yet accessible, ensuring that participants can balance their involvement with other commitments. The core of the experience consists of 16 evening meetings, held every other Thursday from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. These sessions will take place in person across various East London locations between January and August 2027. In addition to these bi-weekly meetings, participants will engage in creative workshops, excursions, and occasional weekend activities, including immersive days spent on-site at the museum.

Beyond the satisfaction of shaping a major cultural landmark, the Youth Collective offers a unique pathway into the professional world of arts and culture. Participants will have the opportunity to develop their creative skills, network with industry professionals, and gain a firsthand understanding of how a major national museum functions. The V&A has noted that to ensure accessibility and professional recognition, participants will be compensated for their contributions, provided they possess the legal right to work in the United Kingdom.

The inaugural session of the 2027 programme is scheduled for Thursday, 14th January 2027, at the V&A East Storehouse. The institution has encouraged anyone with questions regarding the logistics or the application process to reach out to the engagement team via email at [email protected].

Understanding V&A East: A New Cultural Destination

To fully appreciate the significance of this programme, it is essential to understand the two pillars that define the V&A East destination. V&A East is a two-part cultural project born from the Victoria and Albert Museum, specifically tailored to celebrate the spirit of making and the potential for creativity to foster social change.

The V&A East Museum, located in the heart of Stratford, is designed as a space that reflects the local heritage of East London while providing a platform for the voices that are currently shaping contemporary culture. It is intended to be a place where critical and conceptual learning are supported through the act of creation, ensuring that the museum remains a dynamic, living institution.

Complementing this is the V&A East Storehouse, also situated near the Stratford Waterfront. This facility serves as a vast repository of human creativity, housing over half a million objects from the V&A’s world-renowned collections. Unlike traditional, closed-off archives, the Storehouse is designed to be publicly accessible, offering visitors an immersive experience where they can encounter curated displays and delve into the diverse narratives behind the collection. By bringing these objects into the public eye, the Storehouse aims to provide a rich, accessible resource for all, regardless of background or prior museum experience.

Opportunities for Prospective Applicants

For those interested in learning more before committing to the application process, the V&A East is hosting an open event on Sunday, 18th October 2026. Taking place from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the V&A East Storehouse, the event is designed to demystify the programme and provide a glimpse into the work of previous cohorts.

Attendees will have the opportunity to hear directly from past members of the V&A East Youth Engagement programmes, as well as from the professional practitioners currently working with the institution. The afternoon will be packed with interactive elements, including opportunities to create original risograph prints, view short film screenings, and listen to panel discussions that explore the intersection of youth voice and institutional change. This event is free to attend, though interested parties are encouraged to check the V&A East website for further details and registration information.

The V&A East team is explicitly seeking 12 young people who can bring a broad range of experiences and perspectives to the table. By recruiting a cohort that reflects the rich diversity of the East London boroughs, the museum hopes to ensure that the future of its programming is representative of the community it serves.

As the deadline approaches, the call to action remains focused on the power of individual and collective contribution. Whether one is interested in the curation of collections, the mechanics of community engagement, or simply looking to make a meaningful difference in the cultural life of their local area, the Youth Collective offers a platform to turn those interests into action. Further information regarding the specific practitioners who will be leading the project and additional programme details will be published on the V&A East website on Friday, 16th October, coinciding with the opening of the application window. For those looking to ensure that the next chapter of the V&A East is defined by the needs and aspirations of local young people, the coming months represent a significant opportunity to participate in the evolution of London’s newest cultural destination.