Gus Casely-Hayford, the director of V&A East, outlines his vision for the new museum as a collaborative space designed specifically to re-engage young audiences. Highlighting a new commission by Cuban artist Tania Bruguera created with local youth, Casely-Hayford argues that museums must move beyond Victorian-era paternalism toward a model of co-creation. The institution has consulted over 30,000 young people to ensure its galleries, such as the "Why We Make" space, reflect contemporary concerns and community needs.
This initiative matters because it addresses a critical decline in museum engagement among adolescents and seeks to democratize institutional authority. By embedding local youth into the curatorial and operational fabric of V&A East, the museum is attempting to set a new global standard for how major cultural institutions can remain relevant in a post-pandemic, socially conscious landscape. It represents a shift from museums as passive repositories to active, community-driven creative hubs.