Formed in 1981 in the decaying South London inner-city area of New Cross. Test Dept has always rejected the conventional and developed a style reflecting the decay of their surroundings. Taking, transforming industrial items to build a hard rhythm based sound Test Dept soon became involved in tpolitical action against the rising Conservative state.

From the very beginning Test Dept created a unique performance enviroment using slide, film projections in disused industrial settings. The scale of the performance events began to rise and other working artists became involved under the umbrella of the "Ministry of Power" Collaborations formed not only between filmmakers, sculptors and dancers but also politically active groups. These included working with the Miners in 1985, Printworkers in 1987 and Ambulance workers in 1989,90.

Test Dept became renowned for producing site specific sites in and around the United Kingdom. As well as these large productions Test Dept toured extensively in Europe and in 1985 were one of the only Western bands to tour in the then Eastern block. In 1992 NVA was formed in Glasgow to focus on theatre productions, the "Pain"most recent of which involving a founder member of Test Dept.

Recent work by the group has moved into the area of the underground dance scene which has been polititicised in the United Kingdom by the recent Criminal Justice Bill.