V&A East Launches Call for Next Generation of Youth Collective to Shape East London’s Cultural Future

The Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) is calling upon the creative voices of East London to help define the future of its newest venture, V&A East. Applications are set to open on Friday, October 16, 2026, for the next cohort of the V&A East Youth Collective. This unique program invites young people aged 16 to 24, who live in the boroughs of Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets, or Waltham Forest, to take an active role in shaping the identity, accessibility, and programming of the museum’s two ambitious new sites: the V&A East Museum and the V&A East Storehouse.

The initiative represents a fundamental shift in how large cultural institutions engage with local communities. Rather than simply being visitors, the members of the Youth Collective will act as co-creators. The program is designed to explore a central, provocative question: What should a museum and collections space look, feel, and sound like for the young people of East London? By building a team of curious, creative, and passionate individuals, the V&A East team intends to ensure that their new facilities are not just physically located in East London, but are culturally rooted in the lived experiences of those who call the area home.

A Program Built on Collaboration and Co-Production

Over the course of an intensive eight-month program, the successful applicants will work alongside commissioned practitioners and the V&A East staff. This is not a passive internship; it is a collaborative project that centers on the principle of co-production. Participants will spend their time engaging in creative workshops, attending specialized trips, and participating in 16 evening meetings held in person in East London. These sessions are scheduled to run on alternating Thursdays from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm between January and August 2027.

The curriculum of the Youth Collective is designed to be as dynamic as the city itself. It will build upon the foundational themes identified by previous cohorts—such as identity, memory, and belonging—while pushing into new territory regarding place, access, and decolonization. A significant focus for this upcoming cycle is the integration of creative wellbeing and care within museum spaces. Participants will be tasked with developing a public-facing creative output, ensuring that the work produced during the program is shared with the wider community and becomes a permanent part of the museum’s ongoing dialogue with its audience.

For those selected, the program offers more than just a seat at the table. It provides a rare opportunity to influence how a major national museum connects with its local environment. By providing participants with a platform to voice their opinions and share their ideas, the V&A East aims to break down the barriers that have historically separated large institutions from the youth of the neighborhoods they inhabit. It is also a professional development opportunity, offering participants insights into the mechanics of the cultural sector and a chance to meet, collaborate, and network with leading practitioners in the field.

Defining the V&A East Identity

To understand the scale of the impact the Youth Collective will have, it is necessary to look at the two sites they will be influencing. V&A East represents a major expansion of the Victoria and Albert Museum’s mission. Based in Stratford, the V&A East Museum is designed to celebrate the act of making and the transformative power of creativity. It is intended to be a space that reflects the contemporary culture of East London, actively engaging with the voices that are currently shaping the world.

Complementing this is the V&A East Storehouse, also located near the Stratford Waterfront. The Storehouse serves a different but equally vital purpose. It is a massive, publicly accessible repository housing over half a million creative works and collection objects. It is designed to be an immersive environment where the public can engage with narratives, stories, and objects that might otherwise remain behind the scenes. The Youth Collective will play a critical role in determining how these vast collections are interpreted and presented, ensuring that the stories told within the Storehouse resonate with diverse, modern audiences.

How to Apply and Engage

The application window for the 2027 cohort is brief, beginning on Friday, October 16, 2026, and closing on Sunday, November 1, 2026, at 11:59 pm. The institution is specifically looking for 12 young people who reflect the rich, intersectional diversity of the East London boroughs. While the program is open to anyone within the age range who meets the geographic criteria, it is essential that applicants have the legal right to work in the UK to receive payment for their contributions to the program.

For those who are interested but would like to learn more before committing to an application, the V&A East is hosting an information event. This free session will take place on Sunday, October 18, 2026, from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm at the V&A East Storehouse. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear directly from alumni of previous youth engagement programs and meet some of the practitioners who lead the sessions. The event will feature a range of activities, including panel talks, short film screenings, and hands-on workshops where attendees can create their own risograph prints. It is designed to be a networking space as much as an information session, providing a clear window into the culture of the institution.

The first official session for the new cohort is scheduled for Thursday, January 14, 2027, at the V&A East Storehouse. The organizers have emphasized that they are looking for individuals who are genuinely invested in making a difference in their community. Whether through a passion for history, a drive for social change, or an interest in the arts and design, the program is built for those who want to ensure that the future of the V&A East is defined by the people of East London.

As the launch date approaches, further details regarding the specific practitioners leading the 2027 project will be published on the V&A East website. Potential applicants are encouraged to visit the official site on October 16 to access the application link and review the full program requirements. Any specific questions regarding the application process or the nature of the program can be directed to the engagement team at [email protected]. By inviting young people into the inner workings of the museum, the V&A East is not only creating a program for the next generation—it is helping to build a more inclusive and representative future for the cultural sector as a whole.