China Institute in America

Founded in New York City in 1926 by American educators John Dewey, Paul Monroe, and Chinese scholars Hu Shi (胡適) and Kuo Ping-Wen (郭秉文), China Institute in America is an internationally-renowned U.S. nonprofit organization dedicated to deepening the world’s understanding of China through programs in art, business, culinary, culture, and education. For 98 years, China Institute has reached millions of people, providing them with the tools to better understand the complexity and dynamism that is China. The Institute is a leader in providing the insight, knowledge, and context about China that goes beyond the headlines. China Institute Gallery is one of the most highly regarded institutions for Chinese art in the U.S. that presents acclaimed thematic exhibitions of masterpieces spanning 5,000 years of China’s history, showcasing artwork rarely seen outside China. The School of Chinese Studies provides language and cultural instruction for students of all ages and trains educators in best practices for teaching Chinese in the classroom. China Institute’s public programming offer talks, panel discussions, film screenings, and performances that connect our diverse audiences with leading Chinese and Chinese-American artists, authors, filmmakers, historians and other cultural creators. The Center for Business serves as an important convener for exchanges between business leaders and innovators that illuminate the dynamic Chinese economic landscape. The Executive Summit, in its 20th year, provides a unique platform for dialogue on current U.S.-China business relations with top executives. Opening in June 2024, our new ground floor will see the installation of a professional culinary center, celebrating and elevating the art of Chinese cuisine.

China Institute believes that the future of both China and the United States depends on meaningful i

Goal One: To expand China Institute’s role as the United States’ premier educational and informational resource on China.

Goal Two: To further develop the Institute’s role as a cultural anchor in Lower Manhattan: both as a key tourist destination and as a provider of services to our City’s most dynamic residential neighborhood.

Goal Three: To support the organization’s sustainability through prudent fiscal management and the effective planning and implementation of short- and long-term fundraising strategies.

In the last year, China Institute both re-introduced in-person programming that had been suspended due to the pandemic and strengthened its digital outreach, resulting in record-breaking audiences for its programs and classes. Since September 2020, the Gallery has offered digital recreations of prior exhibitions on its “Virtual Gallery” webpage (www.chinainstitute.org/virtual-gallery/). All the while, it’s staff has been preparing three major presentations for its 2,000-square-foot exhibition space. The first, “Flowers on a River: The Art of Chinese Flower and Bird Painting, Masterworks from Tianjin Museum and Changzhou Museum,” opens in March 2023. After two years of delivery via Zoom, the Gallery resumed in-person delivery of its field trip education program “Discover China through Art.” Student groups receive docent-led tours of exceptional examples of Chinese art; participants respond to what they’ve seen by making their own artworks using traditional Chinese techniques. Two years ago, our School of Chinese Studies migrated all language classes, humanities courses, tutoring services, and outreach programs online. Adult registrations grew 20% over pre-pandemic levels; forty percent of current students are now non-local. As of fall 2022, all children’s classes take place in person, at the Institute’s Lower Manhattan facility and an Upper East Side satellite location. In May 2022, its “We All Live in the Forbidden City” workshops—which provide meaningful cultural experiences to children living in low-income communities—resumed onsite delivery at our City’s public schools. After migration to the Internet, real-time attendance to the Institute’s public programs increased exponentially; viewership of past programs made available on YouTube were also boosted. Starting with the fall 2021 season, our public programs calendar transitioned to a hybrid format, with talking head dialogues primarily hosted online and experiential programs held in person.