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activities.”
“JCAL is fi ghting for the artists by
bringing the resources into the community
whether through cultural partnerships,
funding workshops, or creating events
and festivals that will generate funding for
the community to build a cultural equity,”
Hung said.
Adding immensely to JCAL’s capacity
are the two buildings operated by
JCAL that house some of the most dramatic
art spaces in New York City. Th e
45,000 square foot headquarters building
– Jamaica Arts Center (JAC) – formerly
the Registry that underwent a $10 million
renovation in 2009 features a stunning
array of art galleries, dance spaces, music
studios, visual arts classrooms, as well as a
digital art lab. It also boasts a 99-seat proscenium
theater which features a regular
line-up of artists and performers as well as
residencies and collaborations with other
cultural institutions.
Located three blocks away on Jamaica
Avenue is the Jamaica Performing Arts
Center (JPAC) which was converted from
a Dutch reformed church at a cost of
over $22 million and opened to the public
in 2011. Th e multi-functional 400-
seat building features original architectural
details include beautiful stained-glass
windows that cast a magical low in the
night and enhancing the concert going
experience.
Jamaica Arts Center (JAC) and
Jamaica Performing Arts Center (JAPC)
are envisioned to be the artistic powerhouses
and cultural pillars supporting
the diverse community of individuals and
cultures that span the globe. JCAL will be
the anchor institution presenting artists
from around the world.
JCAL’s “Strategic Plan: Vision 20/20”
aims to utilize its invaluable real estate and
rich cultural heritage to create a Cultural
Corridor (between JAC and JPAC) that
will be a destination for audiences from
around the world to enjoy and appreciate.
ONE-STOP SHOP for Culture
JCAL, deems to be the cultural One-
Stop Shop for the community, off ers wild
spectrum of multidisciplinary program
across its cultural campus. All designed to
be an economic engine for the local businesses
and residents and a place-making
process for the community.
School of the Arts and Arts Education:
JCAL off ers a comprehensive array of
in-school, aft er-school, and summer
arts programs that supplement academic
learning and provides young people
with opportunities to explore and
refi ne their artistic talents. Its Queens
International Children’s Festival, Saturday
Family Matinees and School Assembly
Series are designed to provide a place for
the families.
Visual Arts: While JCAL is proud to
support the community through a diverse
range of educational programs, no program
has received as much attention over
the course of JCAL’s history as its visual
arts program. Each year, JCAL mounts
multiple exhibitions that explore issues
in contemporary art and culture. Over
the years, JCAL has presented exhibitions
of leading contemporary artists
such as Elizabeth Catlett, Jacob Lawrence,
Romare Bearden, Adolph Gottlieb, Bob
Th ompson, David Chung, and Emmett
Wigglesworth. Our tri-annual site-specifi
c installation project Jamaica Flux is a
contemporary public art project in which
visual and performance art are displayed
at a variety of locations along Jamaica
Avenue. Jamaica Flux aims to challenge
traditional assumptions about where art
should be displayed and explores the relationship
between art, commerce, urban
renewal, and community.
Performing Arts: JCAL is known for
presenting artists of all performing disciplines
and of legendary and emerging
status year-round. JCAL have a profound
tradition of working with emerging
artists from the SEQueens community.
Our programs celebrate Queen’s
rich cultural diversity attracting audiences
from all fi ve boroughs and beyond.
Artists have at one time or another shared
our main stage with the likes of Dizzy
Gillespie, Wynton Marsalis, Eartha Kitt,
Big Nick Nicholas, Randy Weston, Monty
Alexander, etc. Alongside producing individual
artists, JCAL has a full menu of
annual festivals and monthly series like
the Making Moves Dance Festival, featuring
emerging contemporary performances
by NYC’s local-born and immigrant
artists; Th ursday Night Jazz, in partnership
with the Jazz Gallery presents the
most dynamic emerging jazz performers
from around the world; and First Friday,
where performing artists can debut new
work across disciplines.
Artists Residencies: JCAL has a long
history of supporting both established
and up-and-coming artists through residencies
and professional development
opportunities. Our WORKSPACE residency
program has supported Lorenzo
Pace (1986), Lorna Simpson (1987), Sarah
Haviland (1989), Susan Rostow (1988),
Yuri Marder (1995), Kenta Furusho
(2000), and Yungshu Chao (2001), to
name a few. Th e newly launched Artist
Residency & Training Workshop Series
(ARTWorks, Inc.) provides year-long
studio space for artists, in addition to
$10,000 scholarships and entrepreneurial
training. JCAL also serves local visual artists
by providing free to low cost dedicated
work spaces.
CO-WORK SPACE: JCAL renovated
its recently vacanted 5th fl oor space and
turned it into an aff ordable co-working
space for local artists, creatives, and startups.
Th e aff ordable Co-Work space aims
to help emerging and new artmakers,
cohorts and/or companies start their businesses
while being an incubator for artists
to share and work with their peers.
For all the programs and opportunities
off ered by JCAL, please visit its website at
www.jcal.org
Cathy Hung became the fi rst Taiwanese born
Woman to lead a prominent cultural institution
and the fi rst Asian woman immigrant to
lead a member organization of the Cultural
Institutions Group (CIG) in New York City history.
She is also the author of “Performing Arts
Administration,” a college textbook widely used
in Taiwan, China, and Hong Kong. A classically
trained pianist and holds a MA in Performing
Arts Administration from New York University.
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