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What We Do

Watts Happening Cultural Center Programming (managed by FAM)

Revised content being added, thank you for your patience.

Exhibition Space/Gallery

  • Curated exhibits (example: Sons of Watts exhibit curated and led by an OG Sons of Watts) 

  • Digital archives (w/touchscreen, headsets, VR) 

  • Watts History presentations (examples: Beginnings of Rap, Black & brown Civil Rights)

Watts Coffee House

  • Work-share space 

  • Take-out

  • Dine-in

  • Student teaching component

  • Culinary classes (example: family culinary classes) 

Multi-purpose (Office & Community Spaces) 

  • Meeting/conference room(s) 

  • Off-site/virtual learning facilities/room ---- example: HBCU satellite campus/school 

  • Pop-ups for local business start-ups (leases). Artisans and craftsmen share their craft and benefit from community atmosphere 

  • Guests like Lula Washington Dance Co. (dance space rental)--- must provide own funding 

  • 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) 

  • Writing workshops - New Watts Writers’ Workshops

  • Music education - Watts-Willowbrook Conservatory

  • Theater arts - Watts Village Theater Company

  • Theater construction and video education - Empowering Many to Make Earnings (EMME) (Coming soon!)

  • Health seminars (example: Doulas trainings and role in community healing through art - Charles Drew as underwriter) 

  • State of the Art computers for animation, music, filmmaking (documentaries & shorts) ---complement to Charles Mingus’ program at Watts Towers Art Center.

  • 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) 

  • 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) 

  • Recording studio equipped with social media resources (for streaming, TikTok, podcasts, and YouTube). Work with EMME Agency

  • Research lab for policy & social justice (membership) 

  • Book talks specific to BIOPIC (example: premier book sold at EsoWon Books and coordinate on-site sales, Oshea’s new book) 

  • Watts Tours (Collaborate with LA By Pam Sightseeing Tours for nominal fee) 

  • School tours (integrate school curriculum into exhibition experience. Pull in local community that is on a consistent schedule) 

  • 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) 

  • Historic Watts celebrations to be revived (example: complement the existing Chalk-ins, Watts Summer Festival, Watts Rebellion Anniversary)

  • New Watts celebrations – Watts Black and Brown Festival, Watts Film Festival, Annual FAM Poetry Jam

  • Gift shop (example: art sales of local artists, cooperating with WTAC AIR-Artists in Residence Program) 

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