LCF Archives Display Programme 2026: How you can get involved

Ever walked past the display cases in LCF’s Learning Studio and wondered how those exhibitions come together? Good news — you can be part of them. The LCF Archives team is inviting students to pitch ideas for collaborative displays for 2026, and this is your guide to getting involved.

What are the LCF Archives?

The LCF Archives hold a rich collection showcasing the history of fashion, design, making, and London’s influence as a global fashion capital. They’re a research resource for students, staff, and external researchers, and a place to explore themes across the full fashion cycle — from concept to creation to cultural impact.

Example collection: Footwear Archive

What is the Collaborative Display Programme?

The Learning Studio houses seven custom‑built display cases, and the Archives team runs a rotating programme of exhibitions that highlight themes, ideas, and creative work happening across LCF.

Students and staff are invited to pitch display concepts, and two are selected each year — usually one for Autumn and another spanning Spring/Summer.

Displays can be proposed by:

• Individuals
• Collaborative groups
• Entire course cohorts

What can your display include?

You can develop a display that focuses entirely on Archive objects — or combine them with your own work. The Archives team is especially interested in proposals that:

• Connect to a specific object or collection
• Explore the full fashion cycle
• Respond to London’s fashion history
• Link Archives material to studio projects, research, or course‑based work

What you’ll gain by collaborating

Taking part in the programme gives you the chance to:

• Showcase your work to the LCF community
• Work closely with primary archival objects
• Gain hands‑on skills in:
  • Object selection
  • Display design
  • Writing exhibition text
  • Installing a real display

Build experience valuable for curation, research, museums, and visual communication.

Timeline for Spring 2026

If you want to be part of the next display cycle, here’s what you need to know:

• Call for proposals: Open now
• Ideal submission window: End of January–February 2026
• Collaboration period begins: March 2026

Why you should get involved

This is a rare chance to shape a public‑facing display, develop curatorial skills, and collaborate with unique objects that aren’t available anywhere else. Whether you’re interested in fashion history, exhibition design, or simply want to share your creative perspective, the LCF Archives team wants to hear from you.

Find out more and apply

Scan the QR code below to explore previous displays and get full details of the programme:

To submit your idea, complete a proposal form and email it to:
archives@fashion.arts.ac.uk