Hugh Muir describes his experience at "The Music is Black" exhibition at the V&A East in London, where visitors wear headphones and move through galleries listening to different clips of Black British music, creating a shared, immersive encounter. The exhibition highlights the centrality of Black music to British culture, featuring reggae, lovers rock, and other genres, and coincides with the death of Kanya King, founder of the MOBO Awards.
This exhibition matters because it asserts that Black British music and culture are not peripheral but foundational to mainstream British society, challenging narrow definitions of artistic excellence. It also comes amid debates over public funding for culture and the leadership of institutions like the Southbank Centre, where Misan Harriman faces criticism for prioritizing diverse programming. The show affirms that taxpayer-funded art can and should reflect the full breadth of British identity.