Organization
Homeland Cultural Center
Homeland Cultural Center is a city-run arts center in MacArthur Park, Long Beach, California, that offers free classes in traditional and urban arts.[1][2] Its programs include Cambodian music and dance and the Khmer martial art bokator.[3] The center is managed by the Long Beach Parks, Recreation and Marine Department through its Community Recreation Services Bureau.[3]
History
The local artist and activist Dixie Swift founded Homeland Cultural Center in 1989.[3] The Homeland Cultural Arts Program first rented space on Mahanna Avenue, south of Anaheim Street. In 1994 it moved to the MacArthur Park Community Center, where trailers were added for offices and graphics programs.[2] In 2002 the city obtained a grant under the 2000 State Parks Bond Act to build a theater and gallery for the program, and construction began in 2009.[2]
The theater opened in June 2011. It seats 70 and is named for the Chicano poet Manazar Gamboa, the center's former artistic director. It hosts a theater arts program, open mic nights and an urban poetry workshop for teens and young adults.[3] The Mark Twain Library moved to a new building nearby, in 2007 by the city's account and in 2008 by Palacio Magazine's, and the center expanded into the former library space. The added room made new classes possible, among them Cambodian music and dance.[2][3] On March 26, 2016, the city celebrated the renovated center with Councilmember Dee Andrews. The work upgraded the restrooms and renovated the former library room, kitchen, music area and social hall with new ceilings, floors, equipment, lighting and paint. It was paid for with a $553,050 Housing Related Parks Grant from the California Department of Housing and Community Development and $13,300 from Councilmember Andrews.[4]
Jim Ruggirello became the center's supervisor in November 2006 and still held the post in 2016.[3]
Programs
The center is a place for people of all ages to explore and pass on traditional and contemporary cultural traditions. Its free classes and drop-in programs run all year.[1][5] Most programs are run with community arts organizations, and they are offered seven days a week and late into the evening. The city says more than 2,800 people come each month to practice art forms of their cultures.[6]
Traditional programs include Hmong, Cambodian and Micronesian arts, music and dance, West African drumming and dance, and Aztec dance.[3] The Cambodian program teaches bokator, a Khmer martial art.[3] As of 2024 the Khmer martial arts class was taught by Master V on Thursdays from 7 to 9 p.m.[5] Urban programs include street dance, graffiti murals, poetry and rap, with breakdance, hip-hop and popping and locking classes.[3][5] The center also offers instrumental and vocal music, an improvised music jam, youth rumba, media arts and photography, a movie-making workshop, dance for seniors, monthly open mic nights, and comedy improvisation and theater for youth.[3][5] Poetry readings, theater, dance and music performances, art shows and cultural celebrations are held there as well.[5][7]
In March 2016 the center held a breakdancing workshop on Fourth Street's Retro Row during Beach Streets Downtown. It was led by Mike "Iceman" Rivera, the center's street dance coordinator, with DJ Abel and MC Alan Brown.[4]
Dance Fest
Dance Fest is the center's free yearly showcase, performed by people of all ages from its classes.[1] DanceFest 2016 was held on July 17 at the Scottish Rite Event Center in downtown Long Beach.[3] In 2025 the city held it at the Cesar Chavez Park amphitheater.[7] The 17th Dance Fest took place there on August 15, 2026, with ten community performances. They included popping and locking, breakdancing, drumming, poetry, Aztec dance, Khmer martial arts and dance, West African dance, and Hmong and Micronesian arts.[1][8] Mayor Rex Richardson called the event "a powerful reminder of how the arts bring people together."[1]
Awards
- 2008: Dorothy Mullen Arts & Humanities Award, National Recreation and Park Association, for innovation in arts and humanities programming[1][3]
- 2012: Award of Excellence, California Park and Recreation Society, for creativity, innovation and community impact[1]
The center has also been recognized by Mayor Robert Garcia, Councilmember Dee Andrews and the Cambodian Fine Arts Heritage Relief Foundation.[3]
Visiting
The center is at 1321 East Anaheim Street, in MacArthur Park. As of 2024 it was open Mondays from 7 to 10 p.m., Tuesdays from 4 to 10 p.m., Wednesdays and Thursdays from 7 to 9 p.m., Saturdays from 2 to 6 p.m. and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and closed on Fridays.[2][5]
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Long Beach Press-Telegram, Homeland Cultural Center's 17th annual Dance Fest returns to Long Beach this weekend (2026-08-10)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 City of Long Beach, MacArthur Park
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 Palacio Magazine, Dance Until You.....Homeland Cultural Center DanceFest 2016 (2016-07-14)
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 City of Long Beach Parks, Recreation and Marine, We Create Community (April 2016)
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 longbeach.gov, Homeland Cultural Center (2024-01-01)
- ↑ City of Long Beach Parks, Recreation and Marine, About the Department
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Signal Tribune, DanceFest to bring cultural performances to Chavez Park amphitheater (July 2025)
- ↑ Signal Tribune, Experience a world of artistic expression at Dance Fest on Aug. 15 (July 2026)