The MOBO Awards will mark 30 years since 1996 with a One special, a V&A East Storehouse display and a tribute to Kanya King CBE in November 2026. The run of events turns the anniversary into a three-part public rollout rather than a single broadcast night.
One will air MOBO 30: Iconic Moments at 10:40 pm on Wednesday 11 November 2026, with DJ Target presenting a programme that revisits memorable performances, defining moments and cultural milestones from the MOBO stage since 1996. The format gives the archive a primetime showcase and sets up the rest of the month as a wider look back at the organisation’s reach.
One at 10:40 pm
DJ Target said, “The MOBO Awards have brought us so many special moments over the last three decades and have been such an amazing platform for supporting and nurturing Black music. With the sad passing of Kanya King shortly after the 30th awards ceremony, it feels even more special and necessary to be celebrating MOBO’s legacy and impact on One,” The wording makes the broadcast feel less like a clip reel and more like a formal archive pass, with the 30th awards ceremony used as the emotional and editorial pivot.
MOBO said, “Thirty years ago, Kanya had a vision to create a space where Black music and culture could be celebrated and given the recognition it deserved. What she built went far beyond an awards ceremony” and “She created a movement that has opened doors, challenged perceptions and helped shape the careers of generations of artists.” The organisation also said, “This anniversary year has taken on a much deeper meaning for all of us following Kanya's passing.”
V&A East Storehouse display
The V&A East Storehouse will open a temporary display of memorabilia from the MOBO archive on Wednesday 18 November 2026, and it will stay on view until summer 2027. Dr Gus Casely-Hayford said, “It’s a privilege to be partnering with MOBO, an organisation which has been so vital in the uplifting and celebration of Black talent and culture,” and added, “This special display at V&A East Storehouse invites visitors to experience MOBO’s journey firsthand and reflect on Kanya King’s peerless contribution and impressive legacy.”
That display format matters because it moves the archive out of a single-night broadcast and into a longer public viewing window, where objects can do the work that televised highlights cannot. Dr Gus Casely-Hayford also said, “As we celebrate this anniversary, we hope to continue to inspire future generations by championing creativity and excellence.”
Queens Park Community College stone
Kanya King CBE will also be honoured with a special MOBO Paving the Way stone at Queens Park Community College on Wednesday 18 November 2026, the same date as the V&A East Storehouse launch. The unveiling will mark exactly 30 years since the first MOBO Awards ceremony took place, linking the founder’s legacy to the organisation’s original starting point.
The programme, the display and the school tribute work as one coordinated anniversary package: screen, museum and education all carrying the same story in different forms. For readers, the unanswered detail is which specific memorabilia items from the MOBO archive will make the cut at V&A East Storehouse, and that selection will define how the 30-year history is remembered in public.
