The Southbank Centre is preparing to immerse audiences in the vibrant tapestry of East and South East Asian culture with its new series, ESEA Encounters, taking place from Thursday 17th to Sunday 20th July. This four-day cultural showcase will offer a comprehensive exploration of the artistic expressions of the region and its diaspora communities, presenting a diverse range of voices and perspectives.
“This is an insight into the work of artists from East and South East Asia and its diaspora communities that illuminates the preoccupations and ideas that are driving new artistic forms,” says Southbank Centre Artistic Director Mark Ball. The programme promises a rich and varied experience, with highlights including:
Ye Xian – A Story Untold (Thursday 17 July): This music theatre piece, performed in the Purcell Room, offers a contemporary adaptation of the Chinese folk story Ye Xian. Composer Alex Ho will combine contemporary music with Chinese and Western instruments, creating an intimate reflection on the complex and beautiful nuances of diasporic identity. This production, supported by the Arts & Humanities Research Council, is described as a homage to the multifaceted experiences of those living between and beyond different cultures.
Tianzhuo Chen: TRANCE (Friday 18 July): Chinese artist Tianzhuo Chen, in collaboration with his Asian Dope Boys collective, will present TRANCE in the Queen Elizabeth Hall Foyer. This ambitious 12-hour event is a fusion of theatre and rave culture, intertwining dance, performance, music, visual art, and pop culture. TRANCE will unfold across six chapters, presenting a web of science fiction narratives that draw connections between traditional rituals and contemporary culture. The space will be transformed into a symbiotic organism to host Chen’s ecstatic assemblage of spooky, tentacular, lavish shapes.
Haruomi Hosono (Saturday 19 July): Japanese music icon Haruomi Hosono will headline the Royal Festival Hall. Hosono, a founding member of the influential folk-rock band Happy End and the pioneering electronic trio Yellow Magic Orchestra, will present an eclectic set of compositions spanning his five-decade career. The performance will be supported by electronic and Cuban music band CHO CO PA CO CHO CO QUIN QUIN.
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ESEA Lit Fest (Saturday 19 July): In association with ESEA Lit Fest, a day of literary discussions will take place in the Purcell Room. The programme includes Love in the Time of Tech, where writer Elaine Castillo and video game producer John Lau will engage in a conversation with journalist Rebecca Liu about the future of love in an age of disconnection. Seeing Ghosts will feature Turner Prize-shortlisted artist Pio Abad and novelist Susan Barker discussing political histories and the spectral. Epic Intimacies will see novelist Tash Aw and poet Will Harris explore themes of family, masculinity, and fragmentation.
Language & Lineage: Poetry from SE Asia and the diaspora (Saturday 19 July): In the St Paul’s Pavilion, poets Troy Cabida, Nina Mingya Powles, and Natalie Linh Bolderston will share their own poetry alongside works from South East Asia that have inspired them, offering a diverse exploration of language and cultural heritage.
Ura Matsuri 2025 (Saturday 19 July): The Clore Ballroom will host Ura Matsuri 2025, a free event celebrating the diverse heritage of the East and South East Asian diaspora in the UK. This ninth annual edition will feature a wide range of entertainment, including pop music headlined by Franks Chickens, dance, Benshi (live film storytelling), classical music on traditional instruments, and Chindon Street performance. Ura Matsuri will also present Daylight Ninjas on the Riverside Terrace in the afternoon, a family-friendly celebration of East and South East Asian culture.
Yokimono Japanese Summer Market (Saturday 19 – Sunday 20 July): Throughout the weekend, the Royal Festival Hall foyers will host a pop-up Yokimono Japanese Summer Market. This market will showcase traditional and contemporary Japanese food, culture, arts, and crafts, offering a variety of items such as vintage kimono, clothing, ceramics, illustrations, books, and a selection of Japanese culinary delights, including onigiri rice balls, wagashi, mochi, and matcha.
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You to We (Sunday 20 July): This two-part programme, curated by En Rapport, will feature nine Anglo-Japanese artists exploring personal and collective identity through sound, image, and text in the Purcell Room. Part 1, Ayatori & Lotus Code, will examine themes of being, identity, environment, aloneness, and connectivity through captivating visual imagery by photographer Yuriko Takagi and evocative live music and sound by musician Ed Jones.
No One’s an Island (Sunday 20 July): will be led by award-winning jazz artists Kit Downes and Thomas Morgan as they explore the uniquely refined sound of Emi Makabe’s shamisen and vocals, set in a richly nuanced melding of contemporary jazz and Japanese folk music.
This expanded description provides a more detailed picture of the various events and artists involved in ESEA Encounters, showcasing the breadth and depth of the cultural celebration.
To experience this vibrant celebration of East and Southeast Asian culture, visit the Southbank Centre website to purchase tickets
Feature image: Tianzhuo Chen © Pierre Zylstra
