Hmong Cultural Center wins National Endowment for the Arts grant

ST. PAUL (April 17, 2014) — National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Acting Chairman Joan Shigekawa announced on Wednesday, that Hmong Cultural Center in Saint Paul, Minnesota is one of 886 nonprofit organizations nationwide to receive an NEA Art Works grant.

Hmong Cultural Center has been  recommended for a grant to support its Hmong Traditional Dance Program.

The Hmong Traditional Dance program at Hmong Cultural Center enables participants to acquire knowledge or skills in the important Hmong folk art form of dance at beginning, intermediate and advanced levels. It is the goal of the Hmong Traditional Dance program to promote increased knowledge of and interest in Hmong Dance and the Hmong Folk Arts Tradition among Hmong and non-Hmong children, youth and adults in the Saint Paul area.

Txongpao Lee, Executive Director of Hmong Cultural Center stated: “We are very excited that this grant from the prestigious National Endowment for the Arts in Washington D.C. will allow the Hmong Cultural Center to teach young Hmong Americans and interested non-Hmong about the rich Hmong folk arts tradition and the intrinsic historic importance of the Hmong, Lao and Asian dance forms.”

Founded in 1992, Hmong Cultural Center’s mission is to promote the personal development of children, youth, and adults through Hmong cultural education while providing resources that enhance cross-cultural awareness and understanding between Hmong and non-Hmong persons.

In early 2012, HCC earned “Meets Standards” Status from the Charities Review Council and is currently the only Hmong organization in Minnesota with this status. The center’s website is at www.hmongcc.org.

The community is very welcome to visit HCC, enroll in our programs and use our Hmong Resource Center Library. To learn more about programs at Hmong Cultural Center call 651-917-9937, visit www.hmongcc.org/ or stop by the center at 379 University Avenue, Suite 204 in Saint Paul.