CFCCA rebrands as Esea Contemporary post-racism controversy, expands focus to East and Southeast Asian artists

After years of debate regarding racial representation, the Centre for Chinese Contemporary Art in Manchester has been renamed Esea Contemporary. In 2020, artist JJ Chan pointed out that only one out of thirteen staff members was non-white, criticizing the Eurocentric nature of the organization’s leadership. An independent report largely validated these issues, prompting significant changes in leadership. Xiaowen Zhu, who became director in June 2023, stated that the rebranding aligns with a broader mission to highlight artists from East and Southeast Asian backgrounds. Esea Contemporary, which began in the late 1980s as a community center influenced by the Black Arts Movement, will reopen on February 18 with the exhibition 'Practise Till We Meet'. Zhu noted that the relaunch honors the institution's 36-year legacy as a community-driven festival in Manchester.