If you’ve ever dreamt of adding ‘exhibition curator’ to your CV; we come bearing an opportunity that may be right up your street. The V&A museum are in the process of creating a brand new exhibition, dedicated to London’s legendary lost music venues. And they’re asking Londoners to help contribute towards its curation.
The exhibition, set to be titled ‘Lost Music Venues’will honour the iconic music venues that London has had to wave goodbye to over the years. With approximately 3000 venues across the capital having shut up shop since the pandemic, the exhibition will highlight the steep decline in independent and grass roots music venuesand shine a light on their importance and cultural significance in the capital city.
Now, how is it that you can help? I’m glad you asked. The museum is calling on Londoners (and beyond) to help curate the ‘Lost Music Venues’ exhibition. They’re on the look out for artefacts, images, and music memorabilia from independent London music venues that were in operation between 1988 and 2025.
From flyers, flooring, and film footage to pictures, paraphernalia and pieces of clothing; if it in some way remembers a closed-down London nightclub, gig space, or music venue – the V&A may well want to use it in some capacity. So, get rummaging through those memory boxes, Londoners. And if you have something that you think might fit the brief, send an email over to musicvenues@vam.ac.uk before Saturday, May 31.
There’s currently no official opening date for the V&A’s ‘Lost Music Venues’ exhibition, but it is expected to be at some point in 2026.
