Centre for Chinese Contemporary Art

Centre for Chinese Contemporary Art (now esea contemporary), Northern Quarter, Manchester

Facilities | Access | Museums in Manchester

The gallery is in a Grade II listed building.

The gallery occupies the Victorian former Smithfield Market Building

The Centre for Chinese Contemporary Art (CFCCA) in the Northern Quarter of Manchester is a non-profit art organization.

It began in 1986 in Manchester’s Chinatown before moving to the Northern Quarter in 1996.

Funded by the Arts Council and Lottery money, the CFCCA focuses on contemporary Chinese, East Asian and Southeast Asian art. Update: Since 2023 the centre is now known as esea contemporary. This change reflects the arts centre’s wider purpose of showcasing work by artists from East and Southeast Asian backgrounds.

In collaboration with The University of Salford Art Collection, the gallery’s collection includes works in painting, sculpture, video, and photography by such artists as Li Binyuan, Cao Fei, Chen Hangfeng, Han Feng, Ma Quisha, and Wu Chi-Tsung.

The Centre for Chinese Contemporary Art (CFCCA).

The gallery started life in 1986 in Manchester’s Chinatown

Facilities

The gallery is housed in a former Victorian market building and was converted in 2003. The premises hold two galleries, a live-in artist studio, a gallery shop, an archive & library, and a multi-functional venue hire facility – the Jasmine Suite.

The iron gates are in the style of a Chinese sliding screen

Nearby

Manchester's fashionable Northern Quarter.

Manchester’s Northern Quarter

Located in the trendy Northern Quarter of Manchester, the CFCCA is close to the Arndale Centre, The Printworks, the National Football Museum, the Manchester Craft & Design Centre, and Manchester Cathedral.

Attractions

Read more about Manchester’s many attractions.

Hotels in Manchester

Both the Holiday Inn Express Manchester City Centre and the Maldron Hotel Manchester City Centre are close to the foundation.

Other recommended places to stay in Manchester include the five-star Lowry Hotel, the four-star, city-center Kimpton Clocktower, and the Hilton Manchester Deansgate.

See here for a listing of accommodation in Manchester to suit all budgets.

Access – Getting There

esea contemporary
Market Buildings, Thomas Street, Northern Quarter, Manchester, M4 1EU
Tel: 0161 832 7271
www: eseacontemporary.org

The nearest major stations are Piccadilly Station and Victoria Station both with mainline and metrolink connections.
Shudehill or Exchange Square tram stops are also close by.

Numerous local buses serve this area of Manchester including the free Metroshuttle city bus #1 and Metroshuttle city bus #2.