esea contemporary

esea contemporary is the UK’s only non-profit art centre specialising in presenting and platforming artists and art practices that identify with and are informed by East and Southeast Asian (ESEA) cultural backgrounds.

esea contemporary is situated in an award-winning building in the heart of Manchester, home to one of the largest East Asian populations in the UK. Since its inauguration as a community-oriented visual arts festival in 1986, esea contemporary – previously named Centre for Chinese Contemporary Art – has continuously evolved to establish itself as a dynamic and engaging space for cross-cultural exchanges in the British art scene, as well as in a global context.

esea contemporary aims to increase the visibility of contemporary art practices from the East and Southeast Asian communities and their diasporas. It is a site for forward-thinking art programmes that beyond exhibitions also include commissions, research, residencies, publishing, and a wide range of vibrant public events. esea contemporary values creativity, compassion, interconnectedness, and collectivity in implementing its mission.

esea contemporary’s tracks

• Insomnia (2025), Xin Liu by esea contemporary
• The Moon Is Wet (2025), Charmaine Poh by esea contemporary
• Resonance–1 and Resonance–2 (2025), Minoru Nomata (ENG SUB in Track Description) by esea contemporary
• Some place, within here (2024), Nicole Coson by esea contemporary
• Smooth Sailing, 一路順風, 'Hope and Fear' by esea contemporary
• Smooth Sailing, 一路順風, ‘Love, Labour, Loneliness’ by esea contemporary
• Smooth Sailing, 一路順風, 'Abandonment' by esea contemporary
• Smooth Sailing, 一路順風, 'Spirit of Labour’ by esea contemporary
• ‘Three Contemporary Prosperities’ by esea contemporary
• That dark, sugary sea by esea contemporary