The Private Members Bar at Picturehouse Central is not a place one usually associates with the preservation of history. But on 28th February, between the clink of glasses and the low hum of London’s West End, a group of writers, artists, and filmmakers will gather to witness something that has never happened before. They are launching Golden, a limited-edition hardback magazine that is, quite literally, a bid for permanence.
For the British East and Southeast Asian (ESEA) community, visibility in the UK has often felt like a series of temporary moments—a viral video here, a Lunar New Year festival there. Golden is designed to change that. Created as a collaboration between MilkTea, Resonate, and Juniper by the Sea, the book acts as a cultural time capsule.
The importance of this physical object is cemented by its destination: the British Library. Under the Legal Deposit Libraries Act 2003, the British Library is entitled to a copy of every book published in the UK. By producing a high-end hardback, the creators are ensuring that ESEA perspectives are not just shared today, but are stored in the nation’s permanent archive. It is an act of reclaiming space in a record where, for too long, these voices have been sidelined in the broader cultural conversation.
Jun Kit Man, co-founder of Resonate and one of the editors of the annual, views the project as a necessary shift in who holds the pen.
“For a long time, our stories have been told through a lens that wasn’t our own. With Golden, we wanted to build a space where we aren’t just the subjects of the story, but the ones defining what matters. It’s about finding solidarity in our differences and making sure those connections are written down.”
Why Print Matters Now
The decision to go with a physical hardback in a digital age is a deliberate choice. Chi Thai, co-founder of MilkTea, explains:
“There’s something really powerful about making it a physical object. In a time when so much of what we create is ephemeral or algorithm-led, the permanence of print, curated and created by a community feels precious.”
Read more: Chi Thai Discusses GOLDEN Magazine and the Urgency of Documenting the British ESEA Experience
This feeling is shared by Zoe Li, founder of the ESEA bookshop Juniper by the Sea, who sees the book as an essential investment in the future. Li, who admits she wishes she had access to such a space earlier in her life, says:
“The reason I signed on to the Golden project, even though time and resources are challenging right now, is because it’s something I would buy in a heartbeat and want to read.”
Breaking the Silence of the “Invisible Minority”
Historically, ESEA representation in the UK has been overlooked or flattened into a “model minority” stereotype. While other communities have seen a “cultural renaissance” in previous decades, ESEA voices have often been excluded from mainstream diversity debates. Golden addresses this by moving beyond the surface.
The first volume includes an exclusive interview with Olivier Award-nominated actress Mei Mac, known for her groundbreaking lead role in the RSC’s My Neighbour Totoro. Mac, who was the first East Asian actor to be nominated in the Best Actress category, has been vocal about the need for the industry to move beyond limited tropes. Her contribution adds to a collection of heavy-hitting topics, from the 50th anniversary of the Fall of Saigon to the rise of far-right populism. It also features a conversation between Chi Thai and actor-writer Tuyền Đỗ, whose play Summer Rolls was the first British Vietnamese play staged in the UK. They discuss “writing into a lineage shaped by displacement,” a theme that sits at the heart of this project.
The work of the contributors involved is essential for mapping the current ESEA landscape. Over fifty individuals have provided original commissions, ranging from the geometric portraiture of Stanley Chow famed for his Grammy-nominated work with the White Stripes—to the evocative contributions of writers like Rowan Hisayo Buchanan.
Read more: More Than Just Takeaways: A British Chinese Artist’s Quest For Belonging
These contributors occupy roles as varied as landscape architects, health inequality organisers, and punk visual storytellers. Their work is important because it documents the everyday reality of the diaspora, such as Harriet Armstrong’s photographic preservation of London’s disappearing traditional Chinese takeaways. By combining these varied disciplines, the annual captures a wide spectrum of talent that exists across the UK, from the New Forest to Glasgow.
Join the Celebration
The launch party on Saturday, 28 February, is the first opportunity for the public to hold this piece of history. For £30—the price of a standard entry ticket—you receive both access to the drinks reception and a copy of the annual l (RRP £30). Because the bar capacity is limited to 150 guests, those interested in attending are encouraged to act quickly.
The event marks the publication of a book launch that makes a statement that these stories are vital. The launch provides this community with a platform to be heard and recorded for future generations.
Click here to purchase tickets for the Golden Launch Drinks Reception at the Picture House Central to get your free copy of Golden
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