V&A East Director Champions Youth Engagement Through New Museum Vision
Gus Casely-Hayford, the director of V&A East, has articulated a profound mission to bridge the gap between museums and young people, emphasising the institution's duty to inspire future creatives. His vision is embodied in the new V&A East museum in London, which opens on 18 April, and is designed to be a collaborative space created with and for younger generations.
Art as a Catalyst for Community Connection
One of the standout commissions at V&A East is Towards a Civic Museum, a stained-glass work by Cuban artist Tania Bruguera. This exquisite piece, featuring indigo, cobalt blue, and cyan hues, was developed in extensive consultation with a dozen young east Londoners from the V&A East Youth Collective. It serves as both a map of the four boroughs surrounding the Olympic Park site and a list of wishes, forming a contract between east London and the museum.
Created in the post-pandemic era, the work advances aspirations that Casely-Hayford believes all museum professionals should champion: openness, accessibility, usefulness, relevance, and engagement. It underscores the need for institutions to care for and reflect the communities they serve, promoting transparency, advocacy, generosity, equity, accountability, sustainability, and collaboration.
Reimagining Museum Engagement for the Modern Era
Casely-Hayford reflects on his own childhood museum experiences, recalling the awe of seeing dinosaur fossils at the Natural History Museum or Holbein's drawings in the royal collection. However, he notes a disheartening trend in adolescence, where many young people become disengaged, often preferring mobile devices over the cultural treasures around them. He stresses that this is not due to a lack of curiosity but rather a disconnect that the cultural sector must address.
At V&A East, the approach has been to consult over 30,000 young people on every aspect of presentation and operational delivery. Casely-Hayford personally visited 100 secondary schools to listen to the hopes, dreams, frustrations, and concerns of east London's youth. This feedback has shaped the museum's offerings, from the Why We Make galleries to new work commissions by artists like Carrie Mae Weems and Rene Matić.
Exhibitions That Reflect Youth Priorities
The opening exhibition, The Music is Black: A British Story, was chosen to showcase compelling narratives of creativity, featuring hundreds of creatives from Samuel Coleridge-Taylor to Little Simz. It also includes new acquisitions, such as a Super Nintendo console used by Jamie Adenuga (JME), which played a pivotal role in his journey to becoming a grime artist and co-founder of Boy Better Know.
This story exemplifies the museum's goal: to provide that crucial catalyst of support and inspiration for young people, whether they pursue creative careers or simply develop a passion for the arts. Casely-Hayford emphasises that V&A East aims to be a creative home for all, reflecting the diverse worldviews and concerns of its visitors.
A Timeless Mission with Contemporary Relevance
While the Victorian founder of the V&A, Henry Cole, shared a similar aspiration to impact young lives, Casely-Hayford argues that today's vision must be more inclusive and participatory. Museums must not only be made for the public but created with and by them, ensuring they remain relevant and inspiring for generations to come.
Through initiatives like the Youth Collective and collaborative art projects, V&A East is setting a new standard for how cultural institutions can engage with and empower young people, fostering a lifelong connection to creativity and community.
