FAD caught up with the new arts organisation Arts Archive to find out a little about them and what they aim to achieve.
Can you tell about yourselves – how did you end up here with Arts Archive?
We are two Chinese artists living in London. Over the years, we’ve realised that creating in isolation is the biggest challenge for any artist. What we all need is a community—a space to exchange ideas, provide feedback, and draw inspiration from one another.
This realisation became especially clear to us as we started focusing on building our professional art career in the past few years. Alongside this, we’ve also wanted to help international artists overcome barriers like geography and cultural differences, acting as a bridge to connect them with wider audiences.
We know how challenging it can be for international artists to make their voices heard and have their work seen globally. It’s something we’ve experienced ourselves, so we want to create a platform where artists can showcase their work, tell their stories, and receive professional exposure. Many artists we’ve encountered are incredibly talented, yet they struggle with understanding how to present themselves and make their work accessible. Arts Archive was born out of this desire to empower artists and make the global art scene more inclusive and diverse.
Why Archive – isn’t that all about the past and you are all about the future?
Archives are often misunderstood. People think they’re only about preserving the past, but that’s not the case. An archive is a neutral space—it’s not driven by commerce like a gallery or by ownership like a collection. It leans toward research, documentation, and providing a platform for learning.
We want to challenge the idea that archives are solely historical. Our vision is to create an archive that bridges the past, present, and future—documenting what’s happening now, preserving it for the future, and using it as a foundation to build opportunities for emerging international artists.
In many parts of Asia, the concept of an archive is not well understood. It’s often seen as something abstract or even commercial. Through Arts Archive, we aim to change this perception. We want to organise and document exhibitions and artist stories while creating a resource that supports artists now and serves as a foundation for those who join us in the future.
In short: we record the past, engage with the present, and build for the future.
What does Arts Archive do? What are your aims?
Our primary mission is to help artists promote their work and guide them in becoming more professional. Beyond that, we provide art education, teaching skills and knowledge that art schools often overlook—like soft skills, marketing, and building a sustainable career.
We’re also focused on building a community where artists can share ideas honestly, exchange resources, and access information without barriers. By doing this, we aim to make the art world more inclusive and accessible for everyone, especially underrepresented voices.
What do you have planned for the rest of the year? What do you have planned for 2025?
We recently wrapped up an exhibition in London and are planning to take a short break to recharge. For the rest of this year and early 2025, we’re organising an event in London that will bring together Asian artists from diverse backgrounds. The event will explore their experiences living and working in London and their future creative plans amidst the pressures of life here.
In early 2025, we’re planning artist networking events, workshops, online lectures, and exhibitions in London. Later in the year, we’ll expand internationally with exhibitions in Paris and China.
Name a favourite artist, band, and book.
Lichee: Henri Matisse, Peter Cat Recording Co.,‘Sculpting in Time’ by Andrei Tarkovsky
Luna: Cy Twombly, Big Thief, and The Almanack of Naval Ravikant.
If you had one wish, what would it be?
I wish the art world could be more inclusive—embracing multiple languages, technologies, and possibilities.
If people want to find out more about Arts Archive, how do they find you?
You can find us on our website artsarchivelondon.com, or through social media. Our Instagram is @artsarchive_london, and on the Chinese platform Xiaohongshu, we’re Arts Archive London.
