Museums have a duty to inspire the creatives of the future. At V&A East, I've made that my mission | Gus Casely-Hayford

"The stained glass window, Towards a Civic Museum, created by Tania Bruguera, is a map of the four boroughs that bound our site on the Olympic Park and a list of wishes, a contract between east London and V&A East."

"Created in the post-pandemic period, it advances aspirations for museums to be open, accessible, useful, relevant, and engaged, reflecting the needs of the communities they serve."

"The somewhat patrician Victorian vision of how to achieve meaningful engagement with young people's lives no longer sits comfortably with what many want from museums."

"We want public institutions that inspire and reflect us, all of us; institutions that are not just made for us, but that are created with and by us, too."

The stained-glass window, Towards a Civic Museum, created by Tania Bruguera, symbolizes a connection between V&A East and the local community. It represents a map of the four boroughs surrounding the Olympic Park and lists community wishes. This work emphasizes the importance of museums being open, accessible, and relevant to the communities they serve. It reflects a shift from traditional museum practices to a more collaborative approach, aiming to inspire and engage young people in meaningful ways.

Read at www.theguardian.com