New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams and City Councilmember Sandra Ung joined AAFE to celebrate a major milestone in the development of our Flushing Cultural Hub. The dynamic new facility, located on Union Street across from the Flushing High School campus, will be a home for Asian American art, community engagement and education. The project was made possible through $1.3 million in City Council funding.
Once completed, the cultural hub will provide a permanent home for the Asian American Arts Centre’s historic and culturally significant collection of art from the Asian diaspora. The rehabilitated space will not only preserve this important collection, but also host exhibitions, educational programming, and community events designed to celebrate Asian American culture and strengthen community ties. AAFE is partnering with the nonprofit Think!Chinatown to create a vision for the cultural hub and help steward its archive.
Located across the street from an educational campus that is home to Flushing High School, Veritas Academy, and Queens High School for Language Studies, the new cultural hub will also provide opportunities for young people to engage with the arts and learn more about the diverse heritage that shapes their community.
“Flushing has always been one of the most vibrant and diverse neighborhoods in New York City, and this project will add another important chapter to that story,” said Councilmember Sandra Ung. “Thanks to this $1.3 million investment from the City Council, this office space will be transformed into a new cultural amenity that celebrates our shared history, promotes creativity, and offers our young people a space to explore and engage with the arts. I’m so proud to support AAFE in this incredible effort, and I look forward to seeing the Union Street Cultural Hub become a cornerstone of our local arts community. I want to thank Speaker Adrienne Adams for her leadership and unwavering support for the arts. Her advocacy ensures that communities like ours in Flushing can continue to grow and thrive through access to the arts and culture that enriches our daily lives.”
“New York City is the arts and culture capital of the world, and it’s our responsibility to nurture the creativity of our diverse communities,” said Speaker Adrienne Adams. “The Council is proud to invest $1.3 million in capital funding towards the creation of the new Union Street Cultural Hub, which will house art collections, provide exhibition space for emerging artists, and host community events in Downtown Flushing. Cultivating these local spaces will empower local artists to showcase their brilliance in their own neighborhoods. I thank Council Member Ung, Asian Americans for Equality, and Asian American Arts Centre for their partnership to secure this vital investment.”
“AAFE has always believed that cultural preservation is a critical part of our mission as a comprehensive community development organization,” said AAFE Executive Director Thomas Yu. “The new Flushing Cultural Hub will not only secure Bob Lee’s invaluable collection of Asian American art for generations to come, but it will foster cultural and community cohesion and provide a dynamic new space to celebrate our shared heritage. AAFE is grateful to Speaker Adams and Councilmember Ung for crucial capital funding to bring this important project to fruition.”
“The Asian American Arts Centre has always been dedicated to promoting the preservation and creative vitality of the Asian American community through the arts,” said Asian American Arts Center Co-founder Bob Lee. “It is gratifying to know that this mission and the archive itself will live on through the Flushing Cultural Hub. Thank you Speaker Adams and Councilmember Ung for supporting our community and Asian American culture.”