
What We Do
Watts Happening Cultural Center Programming (managed by FAM)
Revised content being added, thank you for your patience.
Exhibition Space/Gallery
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Curated exhibits (example: Sons of Watts exhibit curated and led by an OG Sons of Watts)
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Digital archives (w/touchscreen, headsets, VR)
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Watts History presentations (examples: Beginnings of Rap, Black & brown Civil Rights)
Watts Coffee House
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Work-share space
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Take-out
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Dine-in
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Student teaching component
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Culinary classes (example: family culinary classes)
Multi-purpose (Office & Community Spaces)
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Meeting/conference room(s)
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Off-site/virtual learning facilities/room ---- example: HBCU satellite campus/school
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Pop-ups for local business start-ups (leases). Artisans and craftsmen share their craft and benefit from community atmosphere
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Guests like Lula Washington Dance Co. (dance space rental)--- must provide own funding
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Conferences and lectures (rental). WHCC may provide sound system, podium, chairs, parking attendant, basic insurance but each is an extra charge, much like a theater rental does.
Interactive Programming for Arts, Culture, and Watts Traditions
(mini version of the Mafundi Institute)
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Writing workshops - New Watts Writers’ Workshops
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Music education - Watts-Willowbrook Conservatory
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Theater arts - Watts Village Theater Company
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Theater construction and video education - Empowering Many to Make Earnings (EMME) (Coming soon!)
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Health seminars (example: Doulas trainings and role in community healing through art - Charles Drew as underwriter)
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State of the Art computers for animation, music, filmmaking (documentaries & shorts) ---complement to Charles Mingus’ program at Watts Towers Art Center.
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Other arts activities and programs (example: teach Assemblage art for families, Peace Bots, Watts-Willowbrook Conservatory looking for space asap - they offer free music lessons for youth)
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Preservation Trades component (example: teach businesses to get rid of graffiti or homeowners to restore wood windows, students and HOPE program taught to restore Mafundi Building)
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Recording studio equipped with social media resources (for streaming, TikTok, podcasts, and YouTube). Work with EMME Agency
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Research lab for policy & social justice (membership)
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Book talks specific to BIOPIC (example: premier book sold at EsoWon Books and coordinate on-site sales, Oshea’s new book)
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Watts Tours (Collaborate with LA By Pam Sightseeing Tours for nominal fee)
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School tours (integrate school curriculum into exhibition experience. Pull in local community that is on a consistent schedule)
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Self-improvement workshops in collaboration with community organizations - financial literacy, home ownership, health (example: Think Watts Foundation financial literacy curriculum---note: it’s already in Watts schools so maybe workshops or entrepreneur component for adults or family financial literacy component)
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Historic Watts celebrations to be revived (example: complement the existing Chalk-ins, Watts Summer Festival, Watts Rebellion Anniversary)
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New Watts celebrations – Watts Black and Brown Festival, Watts Film Festival, Annual FAM Poetry Jam
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Gift shop (example: art sales of local artists, cooperating with WTAC AIR-Artists in Residence Program)