Danny Sullivan plays the piano in the newly remodeled Grand Hall of the Pansy L. Chan and Terrence D. Chan National Queer Arts Center (The Chan) during a community open house October 30. The San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus, which purchased the building at 170 Valencia Street in 2019 for $9.6 million, has spent the last three years remodeling it, thanks to a $15 million capital campaign, a news release stated.
The chorus stated that The Chan will become a new home for artists, arts leaders, and activists to meet, spark collaborations, and develop new projects to further enhance the LGBTQ arts field. This includes serving as a performance venue where other gay choruses and community-based organizations from around the world can present their work to the public.
"The Chan National Queer Arts Center transcends the essence of a mere building; it embodies a vibrant community and a living narrative of our queer heritage in San Francisco and beyond," stated artistic director Jacob Stensberg. Former San Francisco supervisor Matt Haney, now a member of the state Assembly, secured $250,000 to support the new center, the release noted.
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