Charlotte Chinese Story Time Awarded Community Connector Grant from the Arts & Science Council to Expand Children’s Lunar New Year Showcase Programming

Charlotte Chinese Story Time is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a Community Connector Grant from the Arts & Science Council to support the Charlotte Children’s Lunar New Year Community Access Expansion Project.

In February 2026, CCST hosted its first-ever Charlotte Children’s Lunar New Year Showcase, featuring 121 young performers and drawing a sold-out audience in a 367-seat theater. Tickets were claimed within hours of release, and due to the limited size of the venue, many interested families were unable to secure seats. With the support of this Community Connector Grant, Charlotte Chinese Story Time will move to a larger theater venue for its Lunar New Year celebration in 2027, allowing significantly more children, families, and community members across Charlotte-Mecklenburg to experience Chinese language, arts, storytelling, performing arts, and cultural traditions.

The expanded project will include several new public participation opportunities. CCST will hold open casting calls to recruit young performers for a children’s theatre production. In addition, the program will feature open auditions for youth emcees to host the 2027 Children’s Lunar New Year Showcase, a children’s group poetry recitation performance, and a Family Cultural Attire Showcase inviting parents and children to celebrate Lunar New Year traditions together — all culminating in a final community performance celebrating Lunar New Year traditions through the voices and talents of children and families.

“Receiving this Community Connector Grant is deeply meaningful for Charlotte Chinese Story Time,” said Jenny Zhan, Founder and President of Charlotte Chinese Story Time. “Our work has always centered on creating welcoming spaces where children and families can experience Chinese culture through stories, language, arts, and community celebration. With ASC’s support, we are able to expand our 2027 Children’s Lunar New Year Showcase programming and make this cultural experience more accessible to families across Charlotte-Mecklenburg.”

The project reflects CCST’s ongoing commitment to making Chinese cultural education more accessible, inclusive, and community-centered. By inviting children and families to participate not only as audience members, but also as performers, speakers, cultural ambassadors, and storytellers, the program aims to deepen cultural understanding and strengthen community connections across generations.

In the coming weeks, Charlotte Chinese Story Time will share additional details about public participation opportunities, including audition information for young performers, youth emcees, and families interested in joining the Family Cultural Attire Showcase. Families and community members are encouraged to follow Charlotte Chinese Story Time’s website and social media channels for upcoming announcements, registration details, and ways to get involved.

This project is supported, in part, by the Arts & Science Council.

“Congratulations to Charlotte Chinese Story Time on receiving a Community Connector Grant. Strong cultural organizations need strong infrastructure, and this grant will help Charlotte Chinese Story Time,” said ASC President Adam Santalla Pierce.

About Charlotte Chinese Story Time

Charlotte Chinese Story Time is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Charlotte, North Carolina. Founded in 2019, CCST is dedicated to making Chinese language and culture accessible to children, families, and the broader community through free Chinese storytime programs, cultural workshops, family-centered community events, youth volunteer opportunities, and performing arts programming.

CCST’s programs create welcoming spaces where children and families can learn, celebrate, and connect through Chinese language, arts, traditions, and cultural heritage.

For more information, visit: www.cltchinesestorytime.org

About ASC and Community Connector Grants

The Arts & Science Council is the designated local arts agency for Charlotte-Mecklenburg. ASC supports the region’s cultural ecosystem by providing grants to nonprofit cultural organizations of all sizes, stewarding the Public Art program for the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, investing in local creatives, and supporting arts and cultural activities across the community.

The Community Connector Grant supports nonprofit organizations in Charlotte-Mecklenburg in developing impactful programs and initiatives that broaden participation in arts and cultural experiences and remove barriers to engagement across the community.