The Facts
On October 7, 2026, V&A East Museum announced the extension of its free Thursday-night DJ residency series, upperground, running until December 17, 2026, with a new line-up featuring Cheza Lucina, Drybabe, sweetestcape, Elijah, Crash Tracy, and Ryan Lovell. The series, inspired by the exhibition 'The Music is Black: A British Story,' transforms the museum's Upper Ground level into a late-night dancefloor with genres spanning Caribbean rhythms, grime, garage, house, disco, dubstep, and global club sounds. The new line-up kicks off on October 8 with Cheza Lucina, a London DJ and cultural curator known for high-energy sets blending amapiano, soca, jungle, and UK funky. Every Thursday until 10pm, visitors can also enjoy after-hours exhibition access, a Café Jikoni pop-up bar, and panoramic terrace views across London.
The Signal
The extension of upperground signals V&A East Museum's commitment to positioning itself as a cultural hub beyond traditional museum hours, leveraging its East Bank location to attract younger, music-oriented audiences. By tying the series to the critically acclaimed exhibition on Black British music, the museum deepens its engagement with contemporary club culture and diaspora sounds, a strategy that may strengthen its relevance among collectors and artists interested in the intersection of visual art and music. The partnership with BBC Introducing and 1Xtra for a special event on November 12 further underscores the museum's effort to embed itself in London's live music ecosystem, potentially drawing new visitors who might not otherwise attend a museum.
- Artists: Cheza Lucina, Drybabe, Sweetestcape, Elijah, Crash Tracy, Ryan Lovell
- People: Phoebe Bitmead-Hill, Rubén Salgado Pérez, Josephine Small
- Museums: V&A East Museum
- Locations: London
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