For our Sweet Harmony project, we have teamed up with YOUTH CLUB, Museum of Youth Culture as our archive partner.

YOUTH CLUB is a not-for-profit organisation, funded by National Lottery Heritage Fund, working to preserve, share, educate and celebrate youth culture history through a network of photographers and creatives.

They celebrate youth culture through curated events, exhibitions, collaborations and consultancy, and are working towards the goal to open the world’s first Museum of Youth Culture in London.

Where we find great photographs and flyers, and with the owners’ permission, the images will be submitted to the Youth Club archive.

Youth Club Archives were kind enough to provide us and our volunteers with an introduction to their archive and training in our to use archives.

They are based in the former Print Works at Surrey Quays. We were led through a maze of corridors to reach their offices and studios, which are packed with filing cabinets full of slides and photographs.

Following an introduction to archiving, we were able to explore their collection online as well as the most fascinating collection of amazing photographs on slide, with drawers labelled with things like ‘Sound Systems’, ‘Pirate Radio’ and ‘Clubs’. They’re gradually working through the mammoth task of scanning and cataloguing these.

As well as exploring the archive online, it’s possible to book a visit to the space and explore the physical archive. For more information and details of their events and exhibitions, see their website.