Vision

To be the best-run nonprofit Chinese education and cultural institute in North America.

Mission Statement

To promote Chinese language learning,

To preserve Chinese heritage,

To enhance the understanding of the value of Chinese culture, and

To advocate cultural diversity in America.

Introduction

South Coast Chinese Cultural Association (SCCCA) , a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, was founded in 1976 as the Irvine Chinese School and expanded in 2005 with the completion of the Kuan-Yuan Tai Educational Building, establishing the South Coast Chinese Cultural Center. Its mission is to promote Chinese language learning, to preserve Chinese heritage, to enhance the understanding of the value of Chinese culture, and to advocate cultural diversity in America.

While the Irvine Chinese School remains the largest heritage Chinese school in California for nearly 50 years, the South Coast Chinese Cultural Center has grown over the past two decades into a vibrant hub of cultural activity—the largest of its kind on the West Coast.

In recent years, the South Coast Chinese Cultural Center has been dedicated to nurturing and cultivating Chinese cultural and artistic talent within the Chinese American community. The Center established the South Coast Chinese Orchestra in 2017, the South Coast Chinese Drum Team in 2018, the Chinese Dance Company of Southern California in 2019, and the South Coast Wushu Team in 2023.

The K.Y. Tai Educational Building serves not only K–12 students but also hosts the Irvine Chinese Immersion Preschool, founded in 2021. We are proud to work closely with the Irvine Unified School District to establish the Irvine Chinese Immersion Academy (ICIA) in 2023—the first public bilingual charter school authorized by Irvine Unified School District. In addition to Chinese language programs, we offer a variety of community services through programs such as Family Support Program, Asian American Youth Leadership 2.0 Program, Civic engagement/service program, etc.

Each year, hundreds of thousands of local community members and families are positively impacted by our wide range of cultural programs and events. These include the Lantern Festival at Segerstrom Concert Hall with Pacific Symphony, the Mid-Autumn Festival at the Great Park in partnership with the City of Irvine, the Lunar New Year celebration at Irvine Spectrum, and many more.