Education
2023 - MA Contemporary Art Practice, Edinburgh College of Art, University of Edinburgh (Merit)
2020 - BA Internet and New Media, Shenzhen University (First Class equivalent)
Awards and Professional Recognition
UN Women UK 2025
Outstanding Grassroots Campaigner Award - Shortlisted 2025
Outstanding Grassroots Campaigner Award - Shortlisted 2025
First Chinese woman nominee in the award’s seven-year history; recognised as an individual artist for advancing gender equality through feminist storytelling and community-based artistic practice.
(UK National Committee of UN Women, United Nations gender equality entity)
(UK National Committee of UN Women, United Nations gender equality entity)
Creative Edinburgh Awards - Winner 2024
First East Asian woman to receive this award in its twelve-year history; recognised for sustained artistic contribution and public cultural impact.
Beyond the Draft, National Theatre of Scotland - Shortlisted Playwright 2025
Recognised for a distinctive artistic voice and invited to continue professional dialogue within the national theatre development framework.
Recognised for a distinctive artistic voice and invited to continue professional dialogue within the national theatre development framework.
Hugo Burge Foundation - Longlisted for the Creative Individuals Grant 2025
Recognised for innovative interdisciplinary work rooted in women’s cultural heritage
Intercultural Communication Awards- Shortlisted for Best Production 2025
Recognised for excellence in intercultural performance and social-impact.
Recognised for excellence in intercultural performance and social-impact.
Scottish Arts Trust Bursaries Fund (2025)
Asia Arts Awards, Best Production Awards, Runner-up 2024
Awarded for outstanding performance practice and inclusive methodologies.
Awarded for outstanding performance practice and inclusive methodologies.
Highly Commended, Access Diversity & Awards, Edinburgh Fringe 2024
The Cob Award 2024, The Cob Gallery (Shortlisted 2024)
Academic and Early Social Engagement Awards
‘Outstanding Student Associations’ Tencent Foundation x Shenzhen University 2018
Third Prize-Star of Public Welfare in Shenzhen University 2017
Second Prize - Star of Learning, Shenzhen University
Third Prize -The 10th National Art Design Competition 2018
Third Prize -”FLTRP CUP” English Writing Contest, Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press, National Research Centre for Foreign Language Education 2016
Research Experience
Practice-led Feminist Research
Nüshu: Written for Her, on Her, by Her — multidisciplinary research performance exploring embodied writing, diasporic memory, and feminist ritual;
performed at Edinburgh Fringe (2025)
C ARTS Season Launch Showcase (2025), and venues across the UK.
performed at Edinburgh Fringe (2025)
C ARTS Season Launch Showcase (2025), and venues across the UK.
Community-based feminist research through Nüshu workshops with 2,000+ participants across major UK institutions (Fruitmarket Gallery, Edinburgh Printmakers, King’s College London, Goldsmiths, CSM).
Development of participatory methodologies centred on collective storytelling, embodied knowledge, and intercultural feminist practice.
Development of participatory methodologies centred on collective storytelling, embodied knowledge, and intercultural feminist practice.
Institutional & Field Research
Research into diasporic women’s narratives, migrant identity, and intergenerational memory through community programmes and workshops across UK and China.
Field research in China: engagement with elder-care centres and women’s communities, collecting oral histories and exploring cultural memory through embodied writing practices, informed by lived familial experience of Alzheimer’s care.
Cross-cultural research collaborations with performers from Ukraine, USA,China.
Artist Residencies as Research Labs
Outer Spaces Scotland — Artist Researcher in Residence (2023–Present)
Ethereal Maison Gallery — Artist-in-Habitation (Jan–Jul 2025)
Bradford Producing Hub — Empowered Residency (2023)
Mind the Gap × Bradford Producing Hub — Make the Change Residency (2023) Focused on socially engaged performance, feminist collaboration, and inclusive methodologies.
University Teaching & Guest Lectures
King’s College London, Chinese Women In the City — Public Nüshu lecture, CWIC Day (2025)
Goldsmiths, University of London, MA Computational Arts degree show public program — Nüshu: Rewrite Her Story workshop (2025)
Central Saint Martins (UAL), MA Applied Imagination festival — Public Nüshu workshop (2025)
Gallery & Museum Engagements and teaching
Fruitmarket Gallery—Artist Talk at Artists’ Bookmarket (2026)
Hypha Gallery — Written for her, Written in transit Nüshu workshop(2026)
Fruitmarket Gallery — Nüshu workshops (2025)
Copeland Gallery- workshops & community events (2025)
Edinburgh Printmakers — Lacquer workshop & print-based storytelling (2025)
Fox Yard Studio — Creative talk (2025)
Reading Museum The Turbine House — Interwoven Tales (Heritage Open Days 2025)
Youth, Diaspora & Community Outreach
Intercultural Youth Scotland — BPOC photography engagement (2024)
City Arts Nottingham, Young Producer —, Nottingham Poetry Festival (2024)
Saffron Cherry—Committe (2023-2025)
Queer & LGBTQIA+ Community Work
Performer & outreach at City Art Centre, Fruitsalad Queer Cabaret, drag/queer spaces in Edinburgh. (2023-2025)
Working with LGBTQIA+ creatives, centring care, embodiment, and visibility.(2023-2025)
Nüshu: Written for Her, on Her, by Her, Edinburgh Fringe (2025)
C ARTS Season Launch Showcase (2025)
Mutual Feelings, Civic Soup, Fruitmarket Gallery (2023)
Sightlines Festival x Bradford Producing Hub (2023)
Lonely Hearts Club, Fruitsalad Queer Cabaret (2025)
Empowered: LGBTQIA+ Artists Programme (2023)
Leadership & Advocacy
GenEqual Pilot Participant — UN Women UK, 2025–2026 (Pilot Year)
Selected for UN Women UK’s inaugural national youth leadership programme recognising emerging changemakers in gender equality. Undertook structured training in feminist advocacy, public engagement, and community-centred leadership, contributing to UK-wide strategies supporting women and girls.
Selected for UN Women UK’s inaugural national youth leadership programme recognising emerging changemakers in gender equality. Undertook structured training in feminist advocacy, public engagement, and community-centred leadership, contributing to UK-wide strategies supporting women and girls.
2025
Threshold, The Bomb Factory Archway
Threshold, The Bomb Factory Archway
Little Taste, Queer ESEA Artist Showcase, Kakilangarts, the divine london
Liquid indentities, ESEA Creatives Festival, Assembly Roxy, Edinburgh
Weaving Communities, Cramer St Gallery, London
Edinburgh Art Festival, FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS, Sett Studios, Edinburgh
The Future Is Queer, Queer theory Glasgow, The Rum Shack, Glasgow
The lost, the found, the claimed, The good rice gallery, CSM, London
Sapiens, Emerging Artist Exhibitions Programme, Copeland Gallery, London
Your Very Own Solo Show, Embassy Gallery, Edinburgh
Chromatopia, Sett studios, Edinburgh
Chromatopia, Sett studios, Edinburgh
Queer As Muck: Thicket, Sett studios, Edinburgh
Artist in habitance, Ethreal Maison Gallery, London
2024
In your face, Queer Portraiture, Ledward Centre, Brighton
In your face, Queer Portraiture, Ledward Centre, Brighton
Woven Arts Exhibition, Fox Yard Studio, Stowmarket
The Emergence Project, The Glasgow Gallery of Photography, Glasgow
Eden Transcends Reality, Pushkin House, London
Outsider Exhibit, Outline Gallery, Edinburgh
Nüshu art collective display, Tio Gallery, China
Insight, Dundas Street Gallery, Edinburgh
Elevenses, Ugly Duck Gallery, London
Let Us See You, APS Gallery, Leeds
2023
Honey I Shrunk the Exhibition, Whitespace Gallery, Edinburgh
Honey I Shrunk the Exhibition, Whitespace Gallery, Edinburgh
Neuroscience Day 2023 Exhibition, Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
Queer movie night, Sett studios, Edinburgh
A Hint of Salon, Embassy gallery, Edinburgh
Women Photography Festival, USC Annenberg Film Marketing Association,
Pursuit, Patriothall Gallery, Edinburgh
2021
Gaia naturalism Young artists exhibition, Yuelu mountain old house, China
Gaia naturalism Young artists exhibition, Yuelu mountain old house, China
Publishment & Press
Nüshu – Written for Her, on Her, by Her, Fringe media coverage, 2025
•The Scotsman
A memorable and quietly powerful conclusion. With fluid choreography, imaginative direction and defiant distillation of stories…it’s a memorable and quietly powerful conclusion.
Giving voice to the women of her life, she tells stories such as those of her grandmother and cousin, and how they were hidden by China’s patriarchal society.”
the river carrying the blood and tears of women, to the painting of Nüshu on each other’s skin as they come together to remember women of the past, honour those present and empower the future.
a meditative and emotionally charged piece that feels less like a show and more like a ceremonial ritual.
•The Student
The most important aspect of Jiayi’s performance… is writing Nüshu on the skin of her cast. This ensures that throughout the performance, as well as afterwards, the audience will remember these stories and continue to spread their message.
The most important aspect of Jiayi’s performance… is writing Nüshu on the skin of her cast. This ensures that throughout the performance, as well as afterwards, the audience will remember these stories and continue to spread their message.
A body becomes a manuscript. A script becomes resistance.
Other Press & Features
Lonely Planet LGBTQ+ Travel Guide (2025) – Edinburgh Artist Feature
Westminsterworld, 2024 Ink On Skin
Ink on Skin: Jiayi Chen, Artist Empowering Women Through Interactive Nüshu Performance
Ink on Skin: Jiayi Chen, Artist Empowering Women Through Interactive Nüshu Performance
The List (2024) – Creative Edinburgh Awards 2024 Winners
Creative Edinburgh Awards 2024 unveils full list of winners | The List
Creative Edinburgh Awards 2024 unveils full list of winners | The List
Empowered: LGBTQIA+ Cohort Artists Spotlight
Jiayi Chen - Bradford Producing Hub
Jiayi Chen - Bradford Producing Hub
Artmag, 2023
The Edinburgh Reporter , Edinburgh Art Festival 2023
Australia SBS Dateline,Yulu became obsessed with a secret, female-only language. Now she's revived it online. 2024
Yulu became obsessed with a secret, female-only language. Now she's revived it online | SBS Dateline
Yulu became obsessed with a secret, female-only language. Now she's revived it online | SBS Dateline