Vision

SCCCA aspires to be a national model, guiding diversity by sharing cultural preservation, innovation, and harmony.

Mission Statement

SCCCA is a leader in

1) Promoting and preserving Chinese heritage, culture, and language

2) Serving as a central cultural hub for communities

3) Advocating unity in diversity in America

Introduction of South Coast Chinese Cultural Association

South Coast Chinese Cultural Association (SCCCA) was founded in 1977 as a non-profit organization. Our mission is to preserve Chinese heritage, enrich our lives with cultural diversity, and to integrate into the mainstream society. 

The South Coast Chinese Cultural Center (SCCCC) is among the nation's premier cultural centers. The SCCCC opened its doors in 2005 with a few Chinese culture classes but has since become a vibrant cultural center - the largest on the west coast. Its mission is to promote and preserve Chinese heritage and culture as well as to foster unity and harmony in our diverse society. In recent years, the SCCCC 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. Its beautiful campus is also home to Irvine Chinese School, the largest heritage school in the region founded in 1976, and Irvine Chinese Immersion Preschool, founded in 2021. SCCCC is proud to be the driving force behind the Irvine Chinese Immersion Academy (ICIA) established in 2023. ICIA is the first public bilingual charter school authorized by the Irvine Unified School District (IUSD). Additionally, SCCCC provides various community services through programs such as Civic Engagement, the Family Support Program, the Asian American Youth Leadership 2.0 Program and also holds Candidates Forums for candidates running for Irvine City Council and IUSD positions during election years.

Each year, the Center impacts hundreds of thousands of local community members through a variety of cultural programs and performances, including the Lantern Festival at Segerstrom Concert Hall with Pacific Symphony, the Mid-Autumn Festival at the Great Park with the City of Irvine, the Lunar New Year celebration at Irvine Spectrum, and many more.

In 2005, the grand opening of the K.Y. Tai Educational Building, in memory of the beloved teacher Ms. Kuan-Yuan Tai, marked the realization of a long-held dream in the Chinese American community. The campus includes 26 classrooms, a library, a gymnasium, an amphitheater, and a Chinese garden. It became the permanent home for Irvine Chinese School and the South Coast Chinese Cultural Center.
The Center has been a cultural hub for nurturing artistic talent and preserving Chinese culture, offering diverse educational and cultural resources to Irvine and the surrounding communities since then.