My Opinion: It's important to incorporate diversity as an artistic exchange fostering understanding into our everyday lives. The Asian Cultural Council founded in 1963 by John D Rockefeller 3rd. has been doing just this for sixty two years.
Our Fineartmagazineblog.blog.blogspot, and SunStormFineartmagazine.com applaud Asian Cultural Council the Foundations collective efforts sustained over time to enrich lives everywhere through the arts. ~Art Opens the window to our would~ Jamie Forbes Publisher, Finearmagazinebog.blogspot.com & Sunstormfrineartmagazine.com
In 1963, John D. Rockefeller 3rd established the Asian Cultural Program of the JDR 3rd Fund to support cultural exchange in Asia and the United States through grants to individuals and organizations working in the visual and performing arts. With Porter A. McCray as Founding Director, the Asian Cultural Program developed its signature grantmaking style, emphasizing individually tailored programs based on the needs of each grant recipient.
John D. Rockefeller 3rd articulated the continuing impact of the organization’s approach towards international exchange: “Traditionally, Americans have viewed international relations primarily in political and economic terms with comparatively little attention given to the cultural dimension…The result is that our world outlook has tended to be bound by our own culture instead of being broadened by a sensitivity to other cultures.”
From his own experience of traveling and working throughout Asia, John D. Rockefeller 3rd believed that “enhanced knowledge of other cultures was a worthwhile end in its own right…and as a means to a further end—through knowledge and respect for other cultures we come to respect and appreciate the peoples themselves.”
In 1980, the Asian Cultural Council (ACC) was established as a 501(c)3 nonprofit to continue the work of the Asian Cultural Program. ACC established offices in Tokyo (1983), Hong Kong (1986), Taipei (1995), and Manila (2000), as well as partner foundations, to carry out our founder’s belief that “the fostering of cultural relations can be a form of insurance for the future of this dangerous, but exciting world.”
This Years Asian Cultural Council Raises $1.6M at 2026 Gala, Advancing Cultural Exchange and Global Impact
The biennial benefit held on May 6, 2026 honored Michelle Yeoh and Wendy O’Neill, celebrating more than six decades of cultural exchange and global impact.
The Asian Cultural Council (ACC), a global nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing international dialogue, understanding, and respect through cultural exchange between the U.S. and Asia, announced it has raised$1,631,500at its 2026 Biennial Gala, held on Wednesday, May 6 at the Rainbow Room in New York City. The evening brought together artists, philanthropists, and cultural leaders to celebrate ACC's 63-year legacy of fostering worldwide connection.
"The success of this year's gala reflects our community’s deep commitment to cultural exchange,” stated Judy Kim, Executive Director, Asian Cultural Council. “The gala recognized two honorees whose careers and commitments exemplify that mission: Michelle Yeoh and Wendy O’Neill. Michelle has redefined what is possible for Asian artists on the world stage, using her platform as an actress and global advocate to champion greater representation, cultural understanding, and artistic excellence. Wendy, through more than fifteen years of visionary leadership and unwavering dedication to ACC, has helped shape and strengthen this organization’s impact for generations of artists and cultural leaders. Both embody the belief, central to ACC’s mission, that cultural exchange is not a passive act, but a force for lasting change. We are deeply grateful to everyone who joined us and whose generosity made this evening such an extraordinary success.”
The evening also featured captivating performances by two ACC alumni, Grammy Award–winning violinist Jennifer Koh (ACC grantee 2011) and renowned Indian Kuchipudi dancer Shantala Shivalingappa (ACC Grantee 2008, 2010, 2012). Their work serves as a living testament to the impact of ACC.
Michelle Yeoh was presented with the 2026 Gala Honoree distinction for a career spanning over sixty films and a sustained commitment to humanitarianism. A trailblazing figure in global cinema, Yeoh won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 2023 for her performance in Everything Everywhere All at Once and has given voice to a generation of strong, complex Asian female characters across decades of acclaimed work, from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Crazy Rich Asians to Wicked and Star Trek: Discovery. Beyond the screen, she has spent a decade serving as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme, where she focuses on empowering the world’s most vulnerable populations.
Wendy O'Neill received the 2026 Blanchette Hooker Rockefeller Award, presented to philanthropists who have made outstanding contributions to advancing international understanding between Asia and the U.S. Established in 2009 in honor of ACC's first Chairman and wife of John D. Rockefeller 3rd, the award recognizes O'Neill's exceptional support and dedicated service to ACC, including eleven years as Chair of the Board of Trustees, and her enduring belief in the transformative power of cross-cultural dialogue. Her academic grounding in East Asian and Chinese history — combined with early professional experience in China trade and investment — has informed her work across institutions such as the China Medical Board, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, and Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors.
Proceeds from the gala help sustain ACC’s grant programs for artists, scholars, and arts organizations. Since its founding in 1963, ACC has awarded over $100 million to support approximately 6,000 fellowship exchanges across 16 disciplines to grantees from 26 countries and regions.
About The Asian Cultural Council (ACC)
The Asian Cultural Council (ACC) is a grant-giving and grant-seeking global nonprofit organization founded and headquartered in New York City that fosters cultural exchange between the U.S. and Asia, and within Asia. ACC awards grants to artists, scholars, arts professionals, and organizations, enabling them to fully immerse themselves in a culture other than their own to advance international dialogue, understanding, and respect. For more information, please visit https://www.
asianculturalcouncil.org.
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