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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 12pm 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.
We are open today from 10am to 5pm.
We are closed today.
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Opportunity
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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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No items found. Check out our Exhibitions Page?
Congee Pick n Mix
esea ArtClub
Congee Pick n Mix
from
24
September
2025
until
24
September
2025
11:00 - 13:00
2025-09-24
Join us for Congee Pick n Mix, in collaboration with Little Yellow Rice Co. — a communal, story-rich event celebrating the shared yet diverse traditions of congee across East and Southeast Asia.
No items found. Check out our Exhibitions Page?
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.
Exhibition Preview 'Marcos Kueh: Smooth Sailing, 一路順風'
Event
Exhibition Preview 'Marcos Kueh: Smooth Sailing, 一路順風'
from
until
10
October
2025
18:00 - 20:00
2025-10-10
Join us for the exhibition preview of 'Smooth Sailing, 一路順風', the debut institutional solo exhibition from emerging artist Marcos Kueh. Anchored in richly layered textiles and a new sculptural language, Kueh’s evolving practice offers a poetic reflection on migration, resilience, and cultural memory.
ESEA Heritage Month Special: ‘With love’ – Artist Talk and Screening
Event
ESEA Heritage Month
ESEA Heritage Month Special: ‘With love’ – Artist Talk and Screening
from
until
13
September
2025
14:00 - 16:00
2025-09-13
Join us for a special afternoon with artist Yan Wang Preston, centring on her new book 'With Love. From an Invader. — Rhododendons, Empire, China and Me.'
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.
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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