Chinese New Year, Asian Arts Celebration Unfolds At Southampton Cultural Center

SOUTHAMPTON, NY — The East End community will have the chance to experience the first-ever Chinese Lunar New Year/Asian Arts Celebration at the Southampton Cultural Center next month.

The event will take place on February 11 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Levitas Center for the Arts on Pond Lane.

Among the activities scheduled are open workshops for kids, live stage performances by Asian instrumentalists, singers and dancers, and a “Taste of Asia” buffet reception, a release for the event said.

“We at the SCC are delighted to be hosting this Lunar New Year celebration as part of our cultural outreach,” Kirsten Lonnie, executive director of Southampton Cultural Center, said.

Opening the program will be the Lion Dance, performed by Long Island’s Ryu Shu Taiko.

The traditional Chinese dance is performed on special occasions for good luck, "as it is believed that the lion is an auspicious animal. Performed in a lion costume, accompanied by the music of beating drums, clashing cymbals, and resounding gongs, the lion dance imitates a lion's movements or demonstrates martial arts agility, depending on the style," the release said.

Children’s workshops will follow from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., taught by local visual artists such as Hiroko Uraga-Senese, who specializes in the traditional Japanese arts.

Workshops include face painting, henna painting, calligraphy and brush painting. All workshops are free and open to all.

The stage performance, a highlight of the afternoon, takes place from 5 p.m. to 6 pm. in the auditorium, showcasing artists from China, India, Japan and Okinawa.

The celebration will end with “A Taste of Asia” food reception where guests will sample authentic cuisine.

Admission to the stage performance is $20 for adults and $10 for students under 21.The food reception is complimentary. Tickets can be purchased online here or by sending a check to Southampton Cultural Center, PO Box 5008, Southampton, NY 11968.

The idea for the event came from Suiv Lee, EdD, Columbia Teachers College, an adjunct professor of mathematics at Adelphi University — also a commercial real estate specialist with Douglas Elliman in Southampton.

Dr. Lee chaired the first Multinational Cultural Festival of NY three years ago for the Asian-American Cultural Circle of Unity, a nonprofit organization founded to promote cultural awareness and appreciation of the different ethnic groups in the Long Island area.

Sponsorship opportunities are available for business owners and individuals at three levels. Check out the Southampton Cultural Center's Facebook page for sponsorship details or call 516-647-3359 or 516-301-8476.