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About Us

The UK’s only non-profit institution specialising in presenting and platforming artists and art practices that are informed by East and Southeast Asian (ESEA) heritages.

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We are open today from 10am to 5pm.
We are open today from 10am to 5pm.
We are open today from 10am to 5pm.
We are open today from 10am to 5pm.
We are open today from 10am to 5pm.
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What's On

Exhibitions
Slavs and Tatars: The Contest of the Fruits
Current
Upcoming
Past
Exhibition
Slavs and Tatars: The Contest of the Fruits
from
14
June
2025
until
14
September
2025
'The Contest of the Fruits' is the first UK institutional solo exhibition by the internationally acclaimed art collective Slavs and Tatars. It is an exploration of language, politics, religion, and humour through the lens of a 19th-century Uighur poem, reimagined as a vibrant animated film and rap battle.

What's On

Events
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What's On

Residencies
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What's On

Projects
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Luka Yuanyuan Yang
Residency
Luka Yuanyuan Yang
from
24
July
2025
until
28
July
2025
2025-07-24
During her residency at esea contemporary, Luka Yuanyuan Yang will expand her interdisciplinary exploration of Chinese diasporic histories through community engagement and a special screening event.
No items found. Check out our Exhibitions Page?
No items found. Check out our Exhibitions Page?
Moving Forwards, Sideways
Project
Moving Forwards, Sideways
from
29
May
2022
until
31
July
2025
2022-05-29
An annual creative workshop series supporting the Hong Kong BN(O) community in Greater Manchester
Moving Forwards, Sideways
Project
Moving Forwards, Sideways
from
29
May
2022
until
31
July
2025
2022-05-29
An annual creative workshop series supporting the Hong Kong BN(O) community in Greater Manchester
Voicing the Archive
Project
Voicing the Archive
from
15
January
2025
until
25
May
2025
2025-01-15
Originally commissioned as a series of audio-visual works, 'Voicing the Archive' reimagines the histories of early Chinese migration to Britain—a narrative often marginalised in official records and excluded from dominant historical discourse.
Voicing the Archive
Project
Voicing the Archive
from
15
January
2025
until
25
May
2025
2025-01-15
Originally commissioned as a series of audio-visual works, 'Voicing the Archive' reimagines the histories of early Chinese migration to Britain—a narrative often marginalised in official records and excluded from dominant historical discourse.
esea Talks: 'Art in Hong Kong: Portrait of a City in Flux' by Enid Tsui
Event
esea Talks: 'Art in Hong Kong: Portrait of a City in Flux' by Enid Tsui
from
until
18
September
2025
18:00 - 19:30
2025-09-18
Join us as part of the esea Talks series for Enid Tsui’s book talk, exploring the shifting landscape of Hong Kong’s contemporary art scene.
'Something Misplaced': Artist Talk and Film Screening with Ye Wuji
Event
'Something Misplaced': Artist Talk and Film Screening with Ye Wuji
from
until
23
July
2025
18:00 – 20:00
2025-07-23
Join us for a special event with London-based artist Ye Wuji—taking place alongside Slavs and Tatars’ inaugural UK institutional solo exhibition 'The Contest of the Fruits' at esea contemporary.
'Echoes of Elsewhere': Film Screening and Book Talk with Luka Yuanyuan Yang
Event
'Echoes of Elsewhere': Film Screening and Book Talk with Luka Yuanyuan Yang
from
until
27
July
2025
14:30 - 16:30
2025-07-27
Join us for a special screening event with artist-filmmaker Luka Yuanyuan Yang, featuring three of her short films and a talk on her latest book, 'Dance in Herland.'
Saturday Guided Tour: Slavs and Tatars: 'The Contest of the Fruits'
Event
Saturday Guided Tour: Slavs and Tatars: 'The Contest of the Fruits'
from
28
June
2025
until
30
August
2025
14:00 - 14:30
2025-08-30
Every last Saturday of the month, join a staff member in the gallery for a free guided tour of esea contemporary’s exhibition ‘Slavs and Tatars: The Contest of the Fruits.’
Director's Letter

Dear esea contemporary community,

In poetry, we seek refuge; in art, we discover possibility. These words often return to me as I reflect on the city we call home—Manchester, a place where histories of movement, labour, and resistance are woven into its very fabric.

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