Do you want to get your creative juices flowing this summer, but are unsure of where to start? Hong Kong's Centre for Heritage, Arts and Textile (CHAT) has just the thing for you.

The revitalized former textile mill and cultural hub, The Mills in Tsuen Wan, has unveiled a multifaceted range of summer programs for 2025, running from Aug. 2 to Oct. 26, 2025.

Headlining the season is the inaugural touring exhibition Tidal Weavers: Islands Exchange, an artistic journey through the folklore stories, sounds, and threads of the coastal communities across the South China Sea.

This collaborative exhibition, co-organized by CHAT and Hong-Gah Museum, brings together eight artists and one collective, each creating new works through artist residencies across Asia Pacific's maritime regions.

Representing Hong Kong are artists Mandy Ma (b. 1996) and Yip Kai Chun (b. 1984), who will travel to Komunitas KAHE, Maumere, and Susur Galur, Pontianak, in Indonesia.

From Taiwan, Indonesia, and the Philippines, participating artists include Meita Meilita (b. 1992), Alma Quinto (b. 1961), Widi Asari (b. 1994), Ade Darmawan (b. 1974), Chang En-Man (b. 1967), and Yang Wei-Lin (b. 1963), who will be engaging in summer residencies and immersing themselves in cultures different from their own.

The result? Eight new artworks, spanning sound installations, video art, handwoven stories, and archival treasures, will be exhibited in Tidal Weavers, inspired by the artists' shared meals, conversations, and cultural exchange.

“This year, CHAT focuses on textile as a medium for connecting people and revisits its beauty and significance with contemporary artists. In the process of making the summer program, we have been through a wonderful and emotional journey weaving fabrics of friendship with artists, grass-roots art and culture communities,” said co-curator Takahashi Mizuki.

After Hong Kong, the exhibition will set sail for Hong-Gah Museum (Taiwan) in March 2026, followed by Langgeng Art Foundation (Yogyakarta), Indonesia, in June 2026.

Also on the summer slate is CHAT’s annual community program, Sara Tse: Seed to Textile 2025 Open Studio.

Now in its seventh edition, this program aims to explore the roots of textile production through the interconnected practices of cultivation, textile creation, and artistic expression.

Hong Kong artist Sara Tse (b. 1974) will draw inspiration from her former school, Kwai Chung Public School (previously Tsuen Wan Kwai Chung School), which has since been demolished, using it as a lens to reflect on shared memories and the shaping of identity.

Through practices such as farming, natural dyeing, and collaborative art making, Tse explores how these organic elements — contrasted with the human-made school environment — can be carriers of personal and collective identity.

To bring this project to life, Tse collaborated with 36 fellow alumni and local community members, leading a series of workshops focused on cyanotype printing on fabric, branch weaving, natural dye techniques, and ceramic crafting. The creations from these sessions will be showcased in CHAT's upcoming exhibition, and Tse will exhibit her artworks so far. Visitors can view intricate, naturally dyed maps, archival materials from her former school, alumni audio stories, and her live workstation.

Meanwhile, Tse and CHAT are organizing an open studio so visitors can join workshops in embroidery with natural dyed yarns and branch weaving. There will even be a performance in January 2026, featuring the results of the collaboration.

Not to be missed this summer is Artefacts of Circulation at CHAT Lounge. This exhibition takes a nostalgic look into Hong Kong’s industrial legacy through vintage textile packaging, advertising, and shines a light on how Hong Kong-made goods were produced and distributed.

For more information on the exhibition and programs, visit CHAT on their website, Instagram, and Facebook.

CHAT'S Summer Programs:

Location: The Mills, 45 Pak Tin Par Street, Tsuen Wan, Hong Kong

Date: Aug. 2 to Oct. 26, 2025

Opening Hours: 11 AM to 7 PM (Closed on Tuesdays)