ACMA Awarded Two Grants from the California Arts Council

Press Release

Contact:        Shelley Kim | shelley@acmasocal.org | (619) 789-1811

Date:              June 23, 2022

Asian Culture and Media Alliance (ACMA) Awarded California Arts Council Two Grants in Support of its Flagship Program Asian Voices and Other Initiatives

State funds support ACMA’s Asian Voices program and other initiatives designed to celebrate and uplift the historically marginalized voices of the AANHPI (Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander) community.

[San Diego, CA] – The California Arts Council has announced Arts & Cultural Organizations General Operating Relief  grant award of $28,500 and  $18,000 Impact Project grant to Asian Culture and Media Alliance as part of its Asian Voices Television and Radio program its first round of funding for 2022.

Launched in 2014, Asian Voices is the only cable television series designed to highlight inspiring immigrant stories of AANHPIs who are creating real change in their community. This exposé style documentary series explores inspiring, uplifting and even transformative stories presented through interviews from artists, creators, social justice advocates, educators and cultural organizations dedicated to promoting and preserving ANNHPI arts, culture and heritage.

“ACMA is deeply rooted in our community, along with our strong digital media footprint both in the broadcast, new media and social media spaces that all serve to effectively allow us to connect and engage our community and even beyond through mass media. The main objective of our programs such as Asian Voices is to advance racial equity and advocacy by uplifting the voices within our community through mainstream media arts. Thanks to California Arts Council’s generous support, ACMA can continue its mission dedicated to showcasing California’s diverse arts, culture and heritage,” said ACMA’s Founder and Executive Director Cathlyn Choi.

Asian Culture and Media Alliance was featured as part of a larger announcement from the California Arts Council, with grant awards for its Cycle A programming totaling more than $31 million across more than 1,100 grants supporting nonprofit organizations and units of government throughout the state. The dollar amount already marks the largest annual investment in the California Arts Council’s 46-year history.

“We are elated today to be able to say that, with this first round of funds, we are placing a historic amount of money into the very worthy hands of California’s arts and cultural workforce—and with more yet to come,” said California Arts Council Chair Lilia Gonzáles-Chávez. “We have long since understood the value of our artists in this state, and we are incredibly grateful to our Governor and our Legislature for their support and sharing in a like-minded vision for a California where all people flourish with access to and participation in the arts.”

Organizations were awarded grants across seven different program areas within Cycle A, focused on the CAC’s efforts to address geographic equity, enable autonomy and sustainability for smaller organizations, and grow the strength of local arts agencies and their partnerships.

To view a complete listing of all California Arts Council grantees by county, visit this link. For a complete listing of grantees by organization, go to this link.

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About Asian Culture and Media Alliance

Established in 2013, ACMA’s mission in serving the Asian American & Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community is to build better equity, inclusion and diversity through the power of media arts, especially television, film and new media.

Our objective is to create a cultural bridge that promotes commonalities and connect Asian American & Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (AANHPI) with other communities through media and internship programs as well as educational and cultural programs as well as networking events. To learn more about ACMA and its programs, visit https://www.acmasocal.org

About the California Arts Council

The California Arts Council is a state agency with a mission of strengthening arts, culture, and creative expression as the tools to cultivate a better California for all. It supports local arts infrastructure and programming statewide through grants, initiatives, and services. The California Arts Council envisions a California where all people flourish with universal access to and participation in the arts.

Members of the California Arts Council include: Lilia Gonzáles-Chávez, Chair; Consuelo Montoya, Vice Chair; Gerald Clarke, Vicki Estrada, Jodie Evans, Ellen Gavin, Alex Israel, Phil Mercado, and Roxanne Messina Captor. Learn more at www.arts.ca.gov.

The California Arts Council is committed to increasing the accessibility of its online content. For language and accessibility assistance, visit https://arts.ca.gov/about/about-us/language-communications-assistance.