Resilience and joy: New London exhibition chronicles 125 years of Black British music

The Music Is Black: A British Story has been called a “​​landmark exhibition” tracing back more than a century, set to open on April 18 at the V&A East Museum in Stratford

Dubbed a “landmark exhibition” that puts the story of Black British music at the centre, Stratford’s V&A East Museum is set to be inaugurated this spring with its first display, The Music Is Black: A British Story. Chronicling Black music-making in Britain over the span of 125 years, the new exhibition promises to tell the tale of "excellence and struggle, resilience and joy”.

Opening on April 18, The Music Is Black exhibition celebrates those who have helped shape British music and culture over more than a century, from early greats such as composer and pianist Winifred Atwell – the the first Black artist to have a number one hit in the UK Singles Chart – to modern-day grime stars like JME, whose Super Nintendo used on early music experiments in the ‘90s will go on display.

“Music reflects and feeds emotions,” says Jacqueline Springer, curator of The Music Is Black. “It inspires, comforts, offends and entertains. It also awakens memory and punctuates our present. This exhibition provides another dimension in our celebration and understanding of how social and political histories are responded to by people and their cultures to provide the art we all enjoy. This exhibition speaks to modernity and long deep histories; of the legacies of identity and to the music that furnishes our collective and individual memories.”

The exhibition will be split into four parts in a “multi-sensory experience”, displaying over 200 objects from 1990 to today, including fashion worn by the likes of Little Simz, Seal, and Dame Shirley Bassey, as well as instruments, technology, personal writings, lyrics, paintings, and more. More than 60 “newly acquired” photographs of legendary artists like Kemistry and Storm, Mis-Teeq, and Skepta will also go on display, with pieces from across four continents highlighting a broad range of genres such as drum ‘n’ bass, lovers rock, jungle, trip hop, UK garage, grime, and much more.

“This is an important story, not just for Britain and British music, but for Black artistry globally, and it’s an honour to spotlight this in east London, home to the creation of some of the most exciting musical genres and performances,” says Gus Casely-Hayford, V&A East Director.

The Music Is Black: A British Story opens on April 18 at the V&A East Museum. Find out more here

Gemma Ross is Mixmag's Associate Digital Editor, follow her on X