Step Inside Romford’s Rave Past As Unique Interactive Artwork Comes To Town

26th June 202626th June 2026 Francesca Lilleystone 0 Comments Arts, AX Admission, Born Slippy, BOSH, Cassette, Club, Collection Days, Curator Katherine Green, England, Fairkytes Arts Centre, Fairkytes Avenue Hornchurch RM, Flyers, Havering, Havering Unearthed, Historic England, London Borough, Lottery Heritage Fund, MEGA MEGA, MEGA MEGA Collection Days, Party Line, Personal, Photographs, Pirate, Posters, Romford, romford BID, Romford's, Rosie Strickland, Suburban Sound Revolution, Tell Romford's Story, There's, Town Romford's, Underworld's, Unique Interactive Artwork Comes, Volkswagen Golf min read

Romford’s legendary rave and clubbing history is set to take centre stage this summer as a unique interactive artwork invites residents to relive the soundtrack of a generation.

A specially modified Volkswagen Golf, transformed into an immersive art installation called BOSH, is coming to the borough as part of MEGA MEGA, a major new exhibition celebrating Romford’s rich electronic music, pirate radio and club culture.

Created by artist Rosie Strickland, BOSH takes inspiration from Underworld’s iconic anthem Born Slippy and combines sound, voice and vibration with recordings collected across Romford to recreate the excitement, energy and anticipation of a night out during the borough’s clubbing heyday.

But this isn’t just an exhibition visitors can look at.

Residents are being invited to step inside the vehicle and become part of the project by leaving their own memories through The Party Line voicemail system. Every story, memory and experience will help create a living archive celebrating Romford’s vibrant nightlife and music heritage.

Help Tell Romford’s Story

The artwork forms part of MEGA MEGA Collection Days, where former ravers, DJs, MCs, pirate radio broadcasters, promoters, record collectors, dancers and clubbers are being asked to help preserve an important chapter of Romford’s history.

The exhibition, titled MEGA MEGA: Romford’s Suburban Sound Revolution, will open in October 2026 and will explore how Romford became a major force in rave, hardcore, jungle, drum and bass and UK garage during the late 1980s and 1990s.

Project organisers are looking for:

• Photographs

• Flyers

• Posters

• Club tickets

• Cassette tapes and recordings

• Pirate radio material

• Club memorabilia

• Personal memories and stories

There’s no need to permanently donate treasured items. They can be professionally digitised and safely returned on the same day.

Curator Katherine Green said:

“Many of the photographs, recordings, objects and memories that tell Romford’s music history remain in people’s lofts, cupboards and personal collections. These Collection Days are an opportunity to bring that history together, help shape the exhibition and ensure it is preserved for future generations.

“Whether you have a box of flyers, a cassette recording, a photograph or simply a story to tell, we’d love to hear from you.”

Whether you spent your weekends on the dancefloor, behind the DJ decks, broadcasting from a pirate radio station or simply enjoying unforgettable nights out with friends, organisers want to hear your story.

Collection Days

Wednesday 22 July

11am to 7pm

Saturday 1 August

10am to 4pm

Fairkytes Arts Centre

51 Fairkytes Avenue

Hornchurch

RM11 1AX

Admission is free.

MEGA MEGA forms part of Havering Unearthed, a cultural heritage project supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Historic England, Romford BID, Arts Council England and the London Borough of Havering.

If Romford’s nightlife played a part in your life, this could be your chance to ensure those memories live on for future generations.