One of Manchester’s newest but most successful galleries and arts centres celebrates its 21st birthday on Thursday October 4 2007.
As the Chinese Arts Centre (CAC), in the heart of the city’s thriving China Town, reaches the ripe old age of 21 it can look back on a period of growth and success that has seen it become a hub for Chinese art and creativity, and for contemporary art in general.
Since its inception in 1986 the centre has hosted 84 major exhibitions, 1,580 workshops, 30 residencies and 2,184 collaborations and is now the recognised national organisation for the promotion of Chinese arts and interpretation of Chinese culture.
“I am extremely proud of the work of Chinese Arts Centre,” said Sarah Champion, CEO of CAC. “We are consistently pushing people’s assumptions about Chinese art, the quality of our exhibitions is consistently high and the residency scheme is enormously beneficial for the careers of the selected artists.”
Notable success stories include the artist Gordon Cheung who, after being spotted by CAC at his degree show, was offered a three-month residency at the centre. He has since emerged as one of the most exciting young artists working in the UK with a high profile exhibition programme and a growing reputation.
“I look back at my three-month residency at the Chinese Arts Centre in 2004 as an important catalyst for creative change in my work,” said Gordon.
Internationally renowned artist Xu Bing, winner of the Artes Mundi Prize in 2004, exhibited at the Chinese Arts Centre for free.
“I genuinely feel that the residency was a positive turning point not only in terms of creativity but also my career. For all of this I am thankful and am looking forward to working with the Chinese Arts Centre for my solo show at the beginning of 2008.”
Other success stories include Sally Lai, a curator at the Chinese Arts Centre for three years and now a successful independent curator. The list of exhibitions that have taken place at the centre include work by the internationally acclaimed artist Xu Bing who exhibited with Chinese Arts Centre for free as he believed in the work they were doing and wanted to support them.
Recent shows include the groundbreaking food sculptures of Gayle Chong Kwan and a recent group exhibition called ‘collective identity’ that featured ten Chinese artists exploring connotations of collective identity.
The Chinese Art Centre will be hosting Vital 07 on November 21 and 22 2007.
In November 2007 the centre will host and facilitate the Vital 07 Festival, promoting live art created by artists from China, Hong Kong and the Chinese diaspora, who will be engaging with a live audience at the centre and at other venues in the city on November 21 and 22 2007.
Beyond its innovative exhibition programme, in recent years the centre has been concentrating on running training and support schemes with many of the artists involved gaining employment, commissions or funding.
“I have no doubt that Chinese Arts Centre will be around for the next twenty-one years,” added Sarah Champion. “Not because Chinese artists will still be marginalized, but because the work they produce is exciting, challenging and relevant to us all.”
The official anniversary celebration date is Thursday October 4 2007 and this will coincide with the launch of the Chinese Arts Centre’s new exhibition, Boutique, which runs from October 5 to December 24 2007.
Artists Anthony Key, Lisa Cheung, Pamela So and Nina Chua have been invited to mark the anniversary with an exhibition that asks them to consider the commodity element in their artwork and respond to the aesthetic qualities of their material and craftmanship. All four artists are based in the UK.
