San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus To Celebrate The Historic GrAnd Opening Of The Pansy L. Chan And Terrence D. Chan National Queer Arts Center

Following a three-year, $15 million capital campaign, San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus (SFGMC) Chief Executive Officer Chris Verdugo and Artistic Director Jacob Stensberg today announced the grand opening of their new home, The Pansy L. Chan and Terrence D. Chan National Queer Arts Center (The Chan). A public open house will take place for the San Francisco Bay Area community on Monday, October 30 from 4–6 p.m.

Located in the Mission District, this historic LGBTQ center is the first of its kind in the country. The building will become an artistic sanctuary for queer artists to call home, a space for audiences to share their lived experiences, and a beacon of inspiration and empowerment for queer individuals nationwide who are confronting oppression. With The Chan, SFGMC is able to expand and enhance its leadership role by opening the building to composers, librettists, choreographers, and other performing and visual artists as an incubator and workshop space for the creation of new works and collaboration.

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 venue will be a hub for scholarly research of LGBTQ arts and artists, as well as being a training facility for any arts organization looking to implement their local version of the successful SFGMC in-school outreach program, RHYTHM (Reaching Youth Through Music). Finally, The Chan will be the site of alchemy between art and activism where social issues are given a creative platform for discussion and debate.

"The inauguration of The Pansy L. Chan and Terrence D. Chan National Queer Arts Center signifies a momentous achievement for both the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus and the LGBTQ+ community” Verdugo expressed. “As the pioneering gay men's chorus, leadership is embedded in our DNA. Over the course of 45 years, we've cultivated a space where hundreds of voices unite to create music with a purpose. For us, The Chan has always represented the next step in our evolution - a physical space with countless more may gather to do the same - and so much more. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Terrence, our dedicated City and State Leaders, as well as our cherished donors and supporters who have accompanied us on this extraordinary journey. Together, we've established a nurturing artistic sanctuary that will leave a lasting impact on countless lives for generations to come."

“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,” adds Stensberg. “As artistic director, I am working to steward SFGMC into our next phase of cultural impact. Having this remarkable home as our foundation ensures we have the space and the embrace of our community to build a legacy of queer art that propels our community forward.”

“I was at the very first Chorus rehearsal in October 1978,” said Terrence D. Chan. “Despite rampant homophobia at that time, we embarked on a national tour in June 1981. Over the years, I've been excited by the growing diverse representation within the Chorus membership. I'm honored to be part of this legacy of diversity and community with the opening of this new National Queer Arts Center. It will be a place for the Chorus and other queer artists and arts organizations to learn, grow, and make a difference for decades to come.”

Supervisor Matt Haney was able to secure $250,000 to support The Chan National Queer Arts Center. In addition to the already generous support secured from the Gay Caucus, SFGMC is so grateful for this support. Matt Haney shared this quote about the gift, "The San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus is an important piece of San Francisco's history and legacy, and I was more than happy to advocate for them and support them through this year's budget process. We need more organizations like SFGMC right now to help us build bridges and recover as a city, state and country."
 
Constructed in the 1930s for the Foresters, the Pansy L. Chan and Terrence D. Chan National Queer Arts Center makes its new home within restored walls. From The Great Hall on the ground floor to the community spaces on the third floor, the layers of previous “improvements” have been removed to restore the original detail of this art deco inspired building with its historically protected façade. In addition to the aesthetic restoration of the spaces on the first floor, great attention has been paid to making the spaces as accessible as possible for all people who will visit The Chan. Upgrades include new features that make the audience spaces and access to the stage accessible to all people with various levels of physical ability. There is a beautiful new all-gender restroom provided for the comfort of guests.

Featuring new state-of-the-art lighting and sound systems, The Chan is more energy efficient and therefore greener in its footprint. The second and third floors have also received a cosmetic upgrade with new paint and flooring to give them a fresh and modern appearance. Led by the design team at Gensler Architecture and Skyline Construction, this renovation prepares the National Queer Arts Center to fulfill its promise of serving the local and national queer community from the moment the doors are open.
 
Highlights of the newly transformed building include

• Newly installed ADA ramp and restroom
• Lutron Vive LED Lighting on the first floor and in the Great Hall
• Biamp Speaker System in the Great Hall, lobby, gallery, and conference room
• Wheelchair lift for the stage in the Great Hall
• Avigilon Security System
• New paint on the 2nd and 3rd floors and flooring refresh
   

The art gallery and community space, elegantly situated in the lobby, offers a unique blend of history and contemporary artistry. The space features carefully curated pieces from SFGMC's esteemed 46-year photography collection, standing as a testament to the institution's rich legacy. Complementing this, the gallery is able to spotlight collaborations with local and national queer visual artists. While the main gallery is anchored in the lobby, The Chan's commitment to showcasing diverse art extends to additional spaces on the second and third floors.

One of the standout features in the renovated lobby is a unique wall dedicated to recognizing those who've generously supported the National Queer Arts Center. Every name engraved on this wall tells a story of commitment and belief in the SFGMC artistic mission. From institutional donors who've significantly contributed to the opening of The Chan, to the cherished members of the Founders Circle, this wall stands as a tangible testament to the community that's been instrumental in this remarkable journey. More than just names, it's a mosaic of gratitude, reflecting the collective spirit that fuels the SFGMC passion for queer art, culture, and history.

In addition to the three recently-announced concerts comprising SFGMC's Season 46, SFGMC will present an inaugural series of intimate performances and events at The Pansy L. Chan and Terrence D. Chan National Queer Arts Center. This programming is designed to activate the space, kindle community connections, and provide an LGBTQ community center in San Francisco and nationally. Tickets for all performances will go on-sale at a later date at www.sfgmc.org.

The lineup includes:
 
Sing Along with the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus!
Tuesday, November 28, 2023: Holiday Sing Along
Tuesday, March 19, 2024: Movie Musicals Sing Along
If you've ever wanted to sing with the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus - this is your chance! These family-friendly sing-alongs that share music themes with the concerts they precede are meant for all to enjoy. We've seen firsthand in the Chorus the way that music encourages community, wellness, and joy. We want to extend these benefits to our entire family in our newly remodeled home at 170 Valencia.
 
SFGMC Cabaret
Thursday, February 15, 2024: Love Songs (and other myths)
Whether Valentine's Day gets you down - or you're a day late and need the perfect date idea, SFGMC's Cabaret is the place for you! Singers from the Chorus deliver heart melting (or heart breaking) solos, duets, and small group numbers while you're seated at a table with your friends and a bottle of wine. Let us fill your heart with art and join us on February 15!
 
5th Anniversary Screening; Gay Chorus Deep South
Thursday, April 11, 2024
Whether you were on the trip or will be experiencing the documentary for the first time, the film documenting the Lavender Pen Tour, a 2017 SFGMC tour of the 5 states in the Deep South with the most oppressive LGBTQ+ legislation is always an eye-opening experience. Come for the film and stay for the panel discussion and Q&A with key people from the documentary.

SFGMC Ensemble Show
Friday, June 7, 2024
The vocal fireworks of our ensembles, HomoPhonics and The Lollipop Guild, are always crowd-pleasers! Kick off Pride Month at the National Queer Arts Center and enjoy a night of entertainment from HomoPhonics, our a capella group led by Mitch Galli and The Lollipop Guild, led by Paul Saccone. And we're taking this one on the road! SFGMC returns to one of its homes-away-from-home, Freight and Salvage in Berkeley.
 
Creators' Showcase
Monday, June 24, 2024
Start your Monday of Pride Week at the National Queer Arts Center with a beautiful night of LGBTQ+ creativity from the Bay's best and brightest. Local artists, including singer/songwriters, poets, storytellers, and comedians share their craft in the country's newest venue designed exactly for this: sharing the joy, passion, excellence, and diversity that is Queer Art. Be sure to stop in the Art Gallery to meet and greet local artists displaying their work.
 
Memory Keepers Initiative
Thursday, January 11, 2024
Thursday, February 29, 2024
Thursday, April 18, 2024
Thursday, May 16, 2024
The telling of Gay, Lesbian, and Trans stories is some of the most important work we can do. Too often, we see one of two things happen: 1) our stories are co-opted, misconstrued, and poorly delivered by others without our involvement, or 2) go unlearned by new generations because, as it turns out, activists are busy doing activism and not writing their memoirs. This program provides an opportunity to course-correct on both fronts. In collaboration with local activist-leaders, Jake will curate themes, guest speakers and panelists, create space, and co-moderate the discussion on stage for our LGBTQ+ history to be shared in first-person form with audience members.