Esea Contemporary

In the Northern Quarter, Esea Contemporary is a renowned gallery focusing on art and artists with East and South East Asian heritage. It's the only non-profit organisation in the UK to do this. The gallery began in 1986 as an artist-led visual arts festival centred on Chinese art, but it has evolved into an engaging site for cross-cultural exchange. This forward-thinking gallery is free to visit, hosting exhibitions, events, residencies, and learning opportunities that enhance the visibility of art practices from East and South East Asian artists.

The gallery has regular exhibitions; for anyone who wants to challenge their perspective on contemporary art, these shows are worth seeing. There's a dynamic events programme to tie in with the exhibitions. Expect activities like creative workshops, talks and lectures, guided tours, reading groups, and Lunar New Year celebrations.

Community is important at Esea Contemporary; the gallery runs initiatives to reflect this. Its residency programme gives a platform to artists from East and South East Asian backgrounds and has supported over 100 artists. As well as creative workshops, the gallery organises tours and sessions for schools, and has an art club for East and South East Asian residents in Manchester aged 50+, encouraging participants to socialise and engage with art and culture. The vibrant programme of shows and events at this award-winning gallery ensure that it remains one of the most exciting art spaces Manchester has to offer.