Young People Can Come and Have Life-Changing Moments at V&A East, a New Museum for Gen Z
When Gus Casely-Hayford was a child, his sister Margaret took him to the British Museum. He hadn't always enjoyed museums: "As much as I was attracted to them, they weren't places I felt wholly welcome in," he says – especially since they rarely told the stories of Black British people like him. But Margaret was determined. "She told me that these spaces belong to all of us. They may not tell our stories, but she would say to me 'That's something that you can change.'"
Now, as the director of V&A East, he's building a space in which "young people can come in and have those transformative moments that change the trajectory of their lives." The museum will live on two sites in London's Olympic Park: V&A Storehouse, which opened in May this year, and V&A East Museum, an exhibition and gallery space housed within a five-storey building designed by Irish architects O'Donnell & Tuomey on Stratford Waterfront.
The aim of the project is "to open the V&A's collection up in new ways to audiences which have historically been underserved by major cultural institutions." Director Tristram Hunt says that "we have radically reinterpreted the V&A's world-class collections through a contemporary lens, allowing us to explore topics that matter to our audiences, such as representation, identity, wellbeing, craft practice and social justice."
V&A East Museum's permanent collection is called Why We Make. It's composed of about 500 objects from more than 200 practitioners across more than 60 nations. The collection will be "unapologetically diverse," says Casely-Hayford, with objects that tell the story of human creativity through all the different mediums that the V&A is known for.
The museum will also host temporary exhibitions, including the first called The Music Is Black, an odyssey through 125 years of Black British music history. The exhibition will feature Seal, Shirley Bassey, Stormzy, and Little Simz, along with the first guitar owned by Joan Armatrading, a "personal hero" of Casely-Hayford.
Casely-Hayford has had a long and varied career, presenting the BBC series Lost Kingdoms of Africa, authoring books on West African art, and working as director of the Smithsonian's National Museum of African Art in Washington DC. He says that his first start in the museum sector came after he completed his PhD in African history from SOAS University of London.
While there, he staged Africa 05, the largest African arts season ever hosted in Britain, which engaged 150 cultural institutions to "contribute towards a particular moment in 2005 when we celebrated Africa and its history." This extravaganza also served as a disruption to the sector. Casely-Hayford says that he learned from pulling off this feat: "That you can make the changes that seem to be impossible."
V&A East, according to Casely-Hayford, is the greatest project of his career, in fulfilling his aim to make these institutions which were founded "for all of us" universally accessible. The arts, he says, are about making a mark that we hope will outlast us. And one of the few ways in which we can really know what other people are feeling, rather than thinking alone, is through creativity. Museums are repositories of the finest of those impulses.
Casely-Hayford has been a leading voice in the return of looted artefacts, an issue that the V&A is confronting. He says that "ethical funding is something that concerns everyone who works in museums." And he notes that some museum representatives have dismissed objections to museums taking money from companies which pollute the environment or worse as "relentless negativity."
Casely-Hayford's own background reflects his commitment to making these institutions accessible to all. His Ghanaian father was a trained lawyer, and his Sierra Leonean mother worked for the British Council. Both were immigrants to Britain. His elder siblings were all high achievers – his sister Margaret was chancellor of Coventry University, and brother Peter an executive producer of BBC's Panorama.
One of Casely-Hayford's brothers, Joe, who died of cancer in 2019 aged 62, was a pioneering fashion designer. The focal point of Somerset House's 2023 exhibition on Black fashion, The Missing Thread. Casely-Hayford becomes emotional when talking about him. "I absolutely adored him, he was my inspiration," he says.
Casely-Hayford is determined to find "equivalent figures" within younger generations and have V&A East as their point of access to the arts. He notes that young people are full of creative passion, but they don't necessarily feel at home in museums. The museum will be a space where they can come and experience art and creativity firsthand.
The project has consulted with about 30,000 young people, influencing every aspect of the institution, from the permanent collection to the staff uniform. Casely-Hayford says that "we've worked really hard to embed V&A East in local communities." This is a space that belongs to them, he notes.
V&A East will finally open its doors to the public on 18 April next year, marking a key part of East Bank, the mayor of London's £1.1bn cultural and education quarter designed to transform the former Olympic boroughs. It's a crucial component of the London 2012 legacy.
When Gus Casely-Hayford was a child, his sister Margaret took him to the British Museum. He hadn't always enjoyed museums: "As much as I was attracted to them, they weren't places I felt wholly welcome in," he says – especially since they rarely told the stories of Black British people like him. But Margaret was determined. "She told me that these spaces belong to all of us. They may not tell our stories, but she would say to me 'That's something that you can change.'"
Now, as the director of V&A East, he's building a space in which "young people can come in and have those transformative moments that change the trajectory of their lives." The museum will live on two sites in London's Olympic Park: V&A Storehouse, which opened in May this year, and V&A East Museum, an exhibition and gallery space housed within a five-storey building designed by Irish architects O'Donnell & Tuomey on Stratford Waterfront.
The aim of the project is "to open the V&A's collection up in new ways to audiences which have historically been underserved by major cultural institutions." Director Tristram Hunt says that "we have radically reinterpreted the V&A's world-class collections through a contemporary lens, allowing us to explore topics that matter to our audiences, such as representation, identity, wellbeing, craft practice and social justice."
V&A East Museum's permanent collection is called Why We Make. It's composed of about 500 objects from more than 200 practitioners across more than 60 nations. The collection will be "unapologetically diverse," says Casely-Hayford, with objects that tell the story of human creativity through all the different mediums that the V&A is known for.
The museum will also host temporary exhibitions, including the first called The Music Is Black, an odyssey through 125 years of Black British music history. The exhibition will feature Seal, Shirley Bassey, Stormzy, and Little Simz, along with the first guitar owned by Joan Armatrading, a "personal hero" of Casely-Hayford.
Casely-Hayford has had a long and varied career, presenting the BBC series Lost Kingdoms of Africa, authoring books on West African art, and working as director of the Smithsonian's National Museum of African Art in Washington DC. He says that his first start in the museum sector came after he completed his PhD in African history from SOAS University of London.
While there, he staged Africa 05, the largest African arts season ever hosted in Britain, which engaged 150 cultural institutions to "contribute towards a particular moment in 2005 when we celebrated Africa and its history." This extravaganza also served as a disruption to the sector. Casely-Hayford says that he learned from pulling off this feat: "That you can make the changes that seem to be impossible."
V&A East, according to Casely-Hayford, is the greatest project of his career, in fulfilling his aim to make these institutions which were founded "for all of us" universally accessible. The arts, he says, are about making a mark that we hope will outlast us. And one of the few ways in which we can really know what other people are feeling, rather than thinking alone, is through creativity. Museums are repositories of the finest of those impulses.
Casely-Hayford has been a leading voice in the return of looted artefacts, an issue that the V&A is confronting. He says that "ethical funding is something that concerns everyone who works in museums." And he notes that some museum representatives have dismissed objections to museums taking money from companies which pollute the environment or worse as "relentless negativity."
Casely-Hayford's own background reflects his commitment to making these institutions accessible to all. His Ghanaian father was a trained lawyer, and his Sierra Leonean mother worked for the British Council. Both were immigrants to Britain. His elder siblings were all high achievers – his sister Margaret was chancellor of Coventry University, and brother Peter an executive producer of BBC's Panorama.
One of Casely-Hayford's brothers, Joe, who died of cancer in 2019 aged 62, was a pioneering fashion designer. The focal point of Somerset House's 2023 exhibition on Black fashion, The Missing Thread. Casely-Hayford becomes emotional when talking about him. "I absolutely adored him, he was my inspiration," he says.
Casely-Hayford is determined to find "equivalent figures" within younger generations and have V&A East as their point of access to the arts. He notes that young people are full of creative passion, but they don't necessarily feel at home in museums. The museum will be a space where they can come and experience art and creativity firsthand.
The project has consulted with about 30,000 young people, influencing every aspect of the institution, from the permanent collection to the staff uniform. Casely-Hayford says that "we've worked really hard to embed V&A East in local communities." This is a space that belongs to them, he notes.
V&A East will finally open its doors to the public on 18 April next year, marking a key part of East Bank, the mayor of London's £1.1bn cultural and education quarter designed to transform the former Olympic boroughs. It's a crucial component of the London 2012 legacy.
I think it's amazing that V&A East is creating a space for young people to have life-changing moments, especially with a collection like Why We Make that showcases diverse and inclusive stories 
. It's about time museums acknowledged the lack of representation in their past collections and are now making a conscious effort to change that 
. I'm also loving the fact that they're working closely with local communities and involving 30,000 young people in shaping the museum's concept 
. Can't wait to see what this space brings! 
I think it's dope that V&A East is making museums more inclusive for gen Z 
. They've consulted with 30k+ young folks and got their input on everything from the permanent collection to staff uniforms 
. That's a major key to makin' museums more accessible and cool for this generation 
.
. You'll get to learn about Black British music history, West African art, and all that good stuff 
. It's like, a space where you can come in, be yourself, and enjoy some sick vibes 
.
. He's been in the game a minute, but he's still all about changin' the game 
. I'm hyped to see what V&A East has in store for us next year 
.
! As someone who's not super into museums, I always felt like they were for older people or not really relatable to me. But Gus Casely-Hayford seems like he's on a mission to change that and make these institutions more inclusive and accessible for everyone, especially Gen Z 
.
. I'm excited to see what kind of impact this museum is going to have on its visitors – it could be a game-changer for making art and creativity more accessible to everyone 
!
it's so cool that V&A East is creating a space for young people to have life-changing moments and be inspired by diverse collections 
! lets give a big round of applause to gus casely-hayford for making museums more accessible and inclusive 
as a parent, i'm super excited to see how they'll make art & creativity accessible to all young people 
I'm so hyped about V&A East! As a museum enthusiast, I think it's amazing that they're creating a space that caters specifically to Gen Z 
One thing that caught my eye was the "Why We Make" permanent collection - it's all about exploring human creativity through different mediums. I love how they're incorporating diverse perspectives and stories into their exhibits 
As someone who believes in the power of art and creativity to drive change, I'm excited to see V&A East become a hub for young people to explore their passions and interests. It's time for museums to be more inclusive and accessible, and I think V&A East is taking some amazing strides towards that goal 
What do you guys think about this new museum? Are you as stoked as I am? Let me know in the comments below! 
waiting for someone to fill them with their story 
and that's what V&A East is all about 
. I love how Gus Casely-Hayford is pushing the boundaries of what museums can be, making them more accessible and relevant to younger generations 
. The fact that they've consulted with 30,000 young people and included their feedback in the design is 
amazing. It's gonna be a space where they can come and learn about art and creativity in a way that feels authentic to them 
... she was so inspired by the art and history on display, it really sparked her interest! The idea that V&A East is doing something similar but specifically for Gen Z is amazing, I can imagine how exciting it must be to have a space where young people feel welcome and included 
They're finally making museums that are inclusive and representative of all cultures, including Black British people like Gus Casely-Hayford! 
The fact that they've consulted with 30,000 young people to make this space their own is just incredible! 
His sister Margaret taking him to the British Museum and saying "these spaces belong to all of us" really resonates with me 
. I'm excited to see the impact it'll have on people's lives, especially those who've been underserved by traditional museums. It's a step in the right direction towards making art accessible to all