Chinese Culture Center facts for kids
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| Abbreviation | CCC |
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| Formation | 1965 |
| Founder | J.K. Choy |
| Type | 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization |
| Purpose | CCC's mission is to elevate the underserved and be a voice for equality through contemporary arts and education |
| Headquarters | San Francisco Chinatown |
| Location |
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Executive Director
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Jenny Leung |
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Staff
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Hoi Leung, Curator |
The Chinese Culture Center of San Francisco (CCC) is a community arts center that opened in 1965. It is a non-profit organization, which means its main goal is to help the community, not to make money. The center is located on the third floor of the Hilton Hotel in San Francisco, right between the famous Chinatown and the city's Financial District.
The CCC's mission is to support communities that don't always get a lot of attention and to promote fairness and equality. It does this through modern art shows and educational programs. Over the years, the center has changed its focus, and since the 2010s, it has become known for its exciting contemporary art exhibitions and projects that get the community involved in important social topics.
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About the Center
The Chinese Culture Center is a large space, covering 20,000 square feet (1,900 m2). Inside, there is an auditorium that can seat almost 300 people, a large art gallery, a gift shop, classrooms, and offices.
The person in charge of the center is called the Executive Director. Since 2020, this position has been held by Jenny Leung. Before her, Mabel Teng, who was once a member of the San Francisco city government, led the center from 2009 to 2019.
History of the CCC
How It All Started
The story of the CCC begins with a piece of land owned by the city. When the city decided to sell the land to a developer, a community leader named J.K. Choy made a special deal. He arranged for the new building to include a 20,000-square-foot space just for community and cultural activities. This space would become the Chinese Culture Center.
The Chinese Culture Foundation was officially created on October 15, 1965. There were some disagreements among different groups in Chinatown at the time, but they worked together to make the center a reality. The hotel was finished in 1971, and work on the CCC's space began in 1973.
Early Years
When the center first opened, it tried to avoid political topics because of disagreements between groups connected to Taiwan and mainland China. Instead, it focused on culture.
The CCC offered classes and workshops on many subjects, including the Mandarin language, Chinese stories, martial arts, music, painting, and even shadow puppet shows. It also hosted big celebrations for holidays like the Chinese New Year and the Mid-Autumn Festival. Starting in 1974, the center began giving guided tours of Chinatown.
Growing in the 1980s and 1990s
In 1989, the CCC started a special program called In Search of Roots. Every year, a group of young Chinese Americans would research their family history. They would travel to the villages their families came from in China and then share their discoveries in an exhibit at the center.
As the relationship between the United States and China improved, the CCC began to host talks by experts on Chinese art and culture. By the 1990s, many of the older organizations in Chinatown started to work together with the CCC.
The Center Today
Since 2008, the Chinese Culture Center has put a big focus on contemporary art, which is art made by artists living today. This part of the center is called the CCC Visual Arts Center. It also created the Him Mark Lai Learning Center in 2013 for its educational programs.
The CCC is also known for creating art in public spaces. In 2013, it opened 41 Ross, a small art gallery in a historic alley in Chinatown. This gallery is a place for artists and local people to meet and share ideas. One of the center's most famous public art projects, Sky Bridge, was named the "Best Public Art" of 2015 by the local TV station KQED.
Art at the CCC
Gallery Exhibitions
The CCC's art gallery has shown over 100 different exhibitions. A special series called XianRui 鮮銳 (which means "Fresh and Sharp") features talented Chinese and Chinese-American artists.
Some amazing XianRui exhibitions have included:
- Lure (2008) by Beili Liu: This artist hung thousands of hand-spooled red threads from the ceiling, inspired by an old Chinese legend about a red thread of fate.
- 0 Viewpoint (2010) by Stella Zhang: This show featured large black-and-white sculptures that explored ideas about being a woman.
- White Ink (2011) by Zheng Chongbin: This artist used video and huge paintings to create a new style of traditional Chinese ink painting.
- Into the Nearness of Distance (2014) by Summer Mei Ling Lee: This was an experimental art installation that explored how people and things relate to each other.
Public Art Projects
The CCC loves to bring art out of the gallery and into the community. Many of these projects are based at the 41 Ross gallery.
Here are some cool public art projects the CCC has done:
- Sky Bridge (2015): Artist Beili Liu covered the pedestrian bridge leading to the center with 50,000 shiny, reflective pieces. The pieces reflected the sky, making it look like the bridge was part of the clouds.
- Liminal Space/Crossings (2016): An ocean was projected onto the walls of Ross Alley in this installation by Summer Mei-Ling Lee, making it feel like you were underwater.
- Sunrise (2016): The pedestrian bridge was turned into a mini-park with plants and a beautiful mosaic floor designed by artist Mik Gaspay.
Education and Community Events
The CCC's educational programs are run through the Him Mark Lai Learning Center. It offers walking tours of Chinatown and trips to other historic Chinese-American sites in California. The center also hosts talks by interesting thinkers and artists.
The CCC continues to hold fun festivals for everyone. These events bring Chinatown to life with music, art, and dancing. Some of the biggest events are the Chinatown Music Festival in the summer and the Spring Festival celebration.
See also
- Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
- Museum of the African Diaspora
- Asian Art Museum of San Francisco
- Chinese Historical Society of America (also based in San Francisco)
- Museum of Chinese in America (based in New York City)
- Artivism
- History of the Chinese Americans in San Francisco
