V&A East Opening: Prue Leith & Vick Hope, East London 2026

Key Points

• Dame Prue Leith and Vick Hope attended the opening of the V&A East Museum on Tuesday at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
• The event brought together cultural and creative figures to unveil the museum’s second east London venue.
• Dame Prue Leith, 86, wore an orange top, matching trousers, geometric print blazer, colourful triangle earrings, and black trainers with fluorescent pink laces.
• Vick Hope, 36, chose an all-black ensemble with a tight bandeau dress featuring mesh details and hanging leather trim, accessorised with a quilted jacket with leather accents, matching black clutch, light make-up, and slicked back ponytail.
• Other attendees included comedian Amelia Dimoldenberg in a black leather-look jacket with studded funnel collar, leather mini-skirt, black-and-white heels, minimal jewellery, and simple make-up .
• Saltburn actor Archie Madekwe wore black jeans, burgundy polo shirt over striped long-sleeve top .
• Actress Nathalie Emmanuel wore a simple black dress, light-blue denim jacket, knitted headpiece, red handbag .
• Fola Evans-Akingbola from The Night Agent and Sheila Atim wore all-black looks; Sheila Atim in a maxi dress with long leather-look trench coat .
• Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan attended in a bright blue suit, white shirt, patent black shoes .
• Creatives present: artist Sophie Tea, designer Saul Nash, filmmaker Betty Bachz, sustainable fashion duo Vin and Omi .
• V&A East Museum opens to public on April 18, featuring permanent Why We Make galleries and inaugural exhibition The Music Is Black: A British Story on 125 years of black British music.

Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park (East London Times) April 15,2026 – Dame Prue Leith and Vick Hope were among the celebrities at the opening of the Victoria and Albert’s East Museum on Tuesday. The star-studded event at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park brought cultural and creative figures together to unveil the museum’s second east London venue, as reported across multiple outlets including the Evening Standard.

Who Attended the V&A East Museum Opening?

As detailed by the Evening Standard, former Great British Bake Off judge Dame Prue Leith, aged 86, arrived all smiles in a brightly coloured ensemble consisting of an orange top and matching trousers, accessorised with a geometric print blazer, colourful triangle earrings, and black trainers featuring fluorescent pink laces .

TV presenter Vick Hope, 36, opted for an all-black outfit with a tight bandeau dress that included mesh details and a hanging leather trim on the skirt; she accessorised with a quilted jacket boasting leather accents, a matching black clutch, light make-up, and a slicked back ponytail.

Comedian Amelia Dimoldenberg, 32, known for her Chicken Shop Date web series, also chose black attire, wearing a leather-look jacket with a studded funnel collar, paired with a matching leather mini-skirt, contrasting black-and-white closed-toe heels, minimal jewellery, and simple make-up .

Saltburn actor Archie Madekwe dressed down in black jeans with a burgundy polo shirt layered over a striped long-sleeve top .

Actress Nathalie Emmanuel, recognised from Game of Thrones, wore a simple black dress complemented by a light-blue denim jacket, a knitted headpiece, and a red handbag .

The Night Agent star Fola Evans-Akingbola selected an all-black look, while Ugandan-British actress and singer Sheila Atim wore a maxi dress with a long leather-look trench coat . Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan was present, dressed in a bright blue suit, white shirt, and patent black shoes .

Creatives such as artist Sophie Tea, designer Saul Nash, filmmaker Betty Bachz, and sustainable fashion designing duo Vin and Omi also attended the event .

What is the Purpose of the V&A East Museum Event?

The gathering aimed to unite cultural and creative personalities while marking the unveiling of the V&A’s second venue in east London, located at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

As noted in coverage by the Evening Standard, the event highlighted the museum’s role in celebrating making and creativity in a changing uk/world/">world . Yahoo News UK echoed this, describing it as a star-studded occasion to bring figures together for the launch.

When Does the V&A East Museum Open to the Public?

The museum opens to the public on Saturday, April 18, 2026, following the Tuesday preview event.

This timing aligns with details from the V&A’s official site and Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park announcements, positioning it as part of the East Bank cultural quarter.

What Exhibitions Feature at V&A East Museum?

The V&A East Museum will include two permanent Why We Make galleries providing insight into contemporary culture. Its inaugural exhibition, The Music Is Black:

A British Story, celebrates 125 years of black British music and examines its impact on modern British culture. These elements underscore the venue’s focus on creative opportunity, as per V&A descriptions.

Where is V&A East Museum Located and What is its Background?

Situated in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, the V&A East Museum forms the sixth V&A location in London and part of the East Bank development. It complements the adjacent V&A East Storehouse, which provides access to over 500,000 creative works through self-guided tours and displays.

The project, designed with input from young people and east London’s creative heritage, emphasises unprecedented access to the V&A collection.

How Does V&A East Contribute to London’s Cultural Landscape?

The new venue dedicates itself to creative opportunity and change, partnering with voices shaping global contemporary culture. Coverage from the Evening Standard highlights its aim to open up the V&A collection and archive in new ways, celebrating making in all forms .

Inkl news reiterated the exhibitions’ focus on contemporary insights and black British music history.

Background of the V&A East Museum Development

The V&A East project encompasses two sites: the Storehouse, opened earlier, and the Museum, with planning spanning over a decade including audience consultation and input from the V&A East Youth Collective. Architected by Diller Scofidio + Renfro, it integrates into East Bank, supported by the Mayor of London, to house over half a million works with experiential installations. Inspired by east London’s heritage, it creates free cultural destinations to foster discoveries for all.

Prediction: Impact on East London Cultural Audience

This development provides East London residents and visitors with free access to extensive V&A collections and new exhibitions focused on contemporary culture and black British music.

It can enhance local engagement through permanent galleries and events at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, potentially increasing footfall to the cultural quarter. Creative professionals and youth in the area may benefit from programmes tied to the museum’s emphasis on making and opportunity.