Shape the Future of Culture: V&A East Launches Call for Next Youth Collective Cohort

The Victoria and Albert Museum’s ambitious new cultural destination in East London, V&A East, has officially announced that it is seeking a new cohort of creative, curious, and passionate young people to join the V&A East Youth Collective. This unique opportunity is open to individuals aged 16 to 24 who are currently living in the boroughs of Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets, or Waltham Forest. By participating in this program, local youth have the chance to directly influence how the museum interacts with its community and to help shape the future of two landmark institutions: the V&A East Museum and the V&A East Storehouse.

The application window for this transformative eight-month program opens on Friday, 16th October 2026, with the official link to the application portal going live on the V&A East website on that date. Aspiring candidates have until Sunday, 1st November 2026, at 11:59 p.m. to submit their applications. This initiative represents a significant step forward in V&A East’s commitment to co-production, ensuring that the voices of young East Londoners are not just heard, but are foundational to the museum’s development.

A Mission to Redefine the Museum Experience

At the heart of the Youth Collective program is a fundamental, provocative question: What should a museum and a collection space look, feel, and sound like for the youth of East London? V&A East is looking for a diverse team of twelve young individuals to work closely with the museum’s core team and a group of commissioned practitioners. The objective is to ensure that the V&A East Museum and the V&A East Storehouse are not only welcoming and inspiring spaces but are also deeply relevant to the lived experiences of those growing up in the surrounding boroughs.

The program is designed as a dynamic, two-way learning exchange. It is not merely a youth advisory board, but an active collaborative project where participants will engage in creative workshops, site visits, and regular meetings. The curriculum for the eight-month term will build upon the thematic foundations established by previous cohorts, which have explored complex and essential topics such as identity, memory, belonging, place, access, and decolonization.

For the upcoming 2027 cohort, the program will invite participants to share their perspectives on how to embed "creative wellbeing" and care for young audiences within the museum environment. The culmination of this collaboration will be the production of a creative output—a tangible project that will be made publicly available, showcasing the collective’s vision and contributions to a wider audience. Because the program is tailored to the evolving interests of its members, the specific direction of the project will remain fluid, driven by the themes that emerge during the sessions.

Understanding the V&A East Destination

To understand the scale of the impact that the Youth Collective members can have, it is essential to look at the two sites they will be working with. V&A East is a two-part cultural destination, envisioned as a powerful, modern branch of the world-renowned Victoria and Albert Museum.

The V&A East Museum, located in the heart of Stratford, is built on the philosophy that making and creativity have the power to drive meaningful societal change. It is intentionally rooted in the rich, multifaceted heritage of East London. The museum is designed to be a space where the voices that lead contemporary culture are amplified, and where the questions shaping our world today are explored through exhibitions and public discourse. By involving young people in the very structure of the museum, the institution aims to maintain its status as a space that is authentically connected to its local environment.

Complementing this is the V&A East Storehouse, also situated near the Stratford Waterfront. This is an innovative, publicly accessible site that houses over half a million creative works and collection objects. Unlike traditional, closed-off museum storage, the Storehouse is designed to immerse visitors in a vast array of stories and narratives. Through large-scale object displays and curated installations, the Storehouse makes the immense depth of the V&A’s collection available for everyone to explore, providing a unique backdrop for the Youth Collective to consider how history and artifacts can be made accessible to younger generations.

Commitment, Structure, and Development

The Youth Collective program is a significant commitment, but it is one that offers substantial personal and professional rewards. Participants will meet in person in East London for 16 evening sessions, held every other Thursday from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The program will run from January 2027 through August 2027. In addition to these regular evening sessions, members should expect to participate in occasional weekend activities, site visits, and dedicated days within the museum spaces.

For those who join the collective, the benefits extend well beyond the project outcomes. The program is designed to facilitate career development, providing participants with valuable insights into the cultural and museum sectors. Members will meet new people, build professional networks, and develop their creative skills under the guidance of industry-leading practitioners.

The organizers are particularly keen to ensure that the group reflects the true diversity of East London. Interested applicants should be aware that to be eligible for payment, they must have a legal right to work in the United Kingdom. The inaugural session for the 2027 cohort is scheduled for Thursday, 14th January 2027, at 6:00 p.m. at the V&A East Storehouse.

How to Engage and Apply

For those who are interested in the program but want to learn more before committing, V&A East is hosting a special, free event on Sunday, 18th October. Taking place at the V&A East Storehouse between 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m., the event offers a chance to meet current and former members of the youth engagement programs, as well as the practitioners leading the work.

The event is designed to be highly interactive, featuring panel discussions, short film screenings, and hands-on activities like risograph printing. It is an ideal opportunity for prospective applicants to get a feel for the culture of the museum and to ask questions about the expectations and goals of the Youth Collective.

V&A East has emphasized that they are looking for young people who have ideas, opinions, and a desire to make a tangible difference in their community. Whether you are an aspiring artist, a history enthusiast, or simply someone who wants to ensure that the cultural spaces in your neighborhood are truly representative of your generation, this program is designed to give you a platform.

For further inquiries regarding the application process or the program details, interested individuals are encouraged to contact the team via email at [email protected]. Additional information, including comprehensive biographies of the practitioners who will be leading the project, will be updated on the official V&A East website on Friday, 16th October, coinciding with the opening of the application window. As the project gears up for its 2027 start, the focus remains firmly on ensuring that young East Londoners are at the very heart of the next chapter in the museum’s history.