Mission Statement
The mission of Visual Communications is to promote intercultural understanding through the creation, presentation, preservation and support of media works by and about Asian Pacific Americans. Visual Communications was created with the understanding that media and the arts are important vehicles to organize and empower communities, build connections between generations, challenge perspectives, and create an environment for critical thinking, necessary to build a more just and humane society.
Description
Visual Communications is the premier Asian Pacific media arts center in the United States. Having survived every imaginable artistic and administrative challenge, the organization has earned its reputation as one of the Asian Pacific community's most respected institutions. Our mission is to promote intercultural understanding through the production, presentation and preservation of honest and sensitive stories about Asian Pacific people.
Visual Communications celebrated its 30th Anniversary in the year 2000. The organization looks back with pride upon a legacy of innovative, effective and socially responsible services to the Asian Pacific community--a community representing over two dozen distinct cultures and languages. Visual Communications has served this complex, diverse constituency with an impressive range of programs and services: historical photographic and moving image collections; independent and community production; program packaging and distribution; exhibition; media artist support; publications; training and workshops; and employment consultation services and resource sharing.
The organization's productions have received recognition from national and international film festivals, and its programs have earned the support of the National Endowment for the Arts, Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department, Los Angeles County Arts Commission, California Arts Council, Academy of Motion Pictures & Sciences, Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, Benton Foundation, California Community Foundation, California Wellness Foundation, Eisner Foundation, Entertainment Industry Foundation, Getty Grant Program, Weingart Foundation, and corporate sponsorships from ABC, AsianAvenue.com, AT&T, Atlantic Richfield Company, Hitachi, Ltd., Screenplay.com, Transamerica Occidental Life, TDK, KNBC, and numerous small businesses and community organizations.
Hundreds of ethnic minorities, women and students have been provided with opportunities for production experience and advancement in media related fields. Coupled with its regular instructional programs and seminars, this commitment to artist development has made Visual Communications a fertile developing ground for Asian Pacific filmmakers, video artists, photographers, graphic designers and writers. The support of creative works by Asian Pacific media artists about their communities has always been a key part of the mission of Visual Communications.
Today, new communications technologies confront Visual Communications with dramatic opportunities to further unify its diverse constituency. With determination, dedication and an ever-expanding vision of community media arts, Visual Communications maintains its commitment to professional standards of excellence; empowers the community through creating and sharing their stories; and looks forward to forging new, creative relationships and cooperative linkages.
