Flushing City Hall Cultural Center (referred to as Flushing City Hall in this article) has been dedicated to promoting art equality and the development of arts and culture in Queens for many years. Last Tuesday, on October 15th, a 45th anniversary Sapphire Fundraising Gala was held to commend three outstanding individuals and organizations, including Luchia Meihua Lee, the Executive Director of the Taiwanese American Arts Council (TAAC).
Established in 2014, TAAC, under the leadership of Luchia Meihua Lee, has been instrumental in various significant projects such as the recent “People’s Movement: Sunflower 10th Anniversary” annual special exhibition, and becoming a rare Asian face in the Governor’s Island Artist Residency Program.
During the award ceremony at the gala, Luchia Meihua Lee was honored with the Claire Shulman Community Impact Award named after former Queens Borough President Claire Shulman, presented by Ellen Kodadek, the Executive and Artistic Director of Flushing City Hall, and Veronica Tsang, Chair of the Board of Directors of Flushing City Hall Cultural Center.
Expressing gratitude, Lee not only thanked Kodadek for transforming Flushing City Hall into a vibrant arts center in Queens but also extended her appreciation to the key figures who contributed to TAAC’s 10th anniversary milestone, including former New York City Cultural Affairs Commissioner Tom Finkelpearl, TAAC senior board member Huang Zaitian, Conco Enterprises CEO Chen Qiugui, and her husband Ken Howell.
Established in 1979, the Flushing Council on Culture and the Arts (FCCA), which is now Flushing City Hall, has been a cornerstone force in the arts and culture scene in Queens, New York City, providing a platform for emerging and renowned artists to thrive. FCCA aims to amplify the voices of minority artists and organizations, align with international arts, and popularize opportunities for the public to engage in arts and cultural activities.
Ellen Kodadek, the Executive and Artistic Director, highlighted that in just the past year, Flushing City Hall has infused over $430,000 in funding to local artists and small art organizations, thanks to the support from the New York State Council on the Arts and the Howard Gilman Foundation.
Recognition was also given to Abha Bhatnagar Roy, the founder of Srijan Dance Center and a distinguished teaching artist at Flushing City Hall, as well as the Queens Chapter of the American Institute of Architects.