ESEA Artists Futures Town Hall: Collectively imagining new landscapes for East and Southeast Asian [ESEA] artists in the UK and beyond

The ESEA Artists’ Futures research project arose from artists’ intervention and whistleblowing in 2020 about the systemic failures in the visual arts, in particular the failures of the ESEA visual arts landscape.

The Town Hall assembled ESEA arts workers at Soft Ground in Sheffield to discuss and vote on 8 motions to be published in a report to the arts sector reflecting on institutional racism and alternative. Building on my previous research and facilitation within ESEA Artists’ Futures, I led the subgroup moderation for the motion on organising.

“A Town Hall event for ESEA artists and arts workers to DISCUSS and VOTE upon a set of motions that will determine the future of how our practices are shaped, supported, promoted, cared for, critiqued and archived. The results of the Town Hall will be published in a report and presented to the arts sector in the UK and beyond.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN?

8 x motions will be tabled, discussed in breakout rooms and then voted upon to gauge community consensus. The motions will be focussed on the following 8 themes:

CARE – ARCHIVING – CURATING – SPACE – ORGANISING – VISION – IDENTITY

These motions have been developed from a series of nationwide ESEA Artists’ Knowledge Exchanges and consultative Roundtables conducted over the last 12 months, exploring each theme in relation to the overarching question, “What kind of spaces and support do we need to create a new arts landscape for ESEA artists?”

This is a unique opportunity to influence future policy and reimagine the way we work, play and commune …. all over good food, ESEA beats and nourishing company.”

Find out more here