Excerpts from the
Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission
2002-03 Cultural Arts Awards Panel
Notes - Sept, 2001

Note: InterACT is the theatre component of Asian Cultural Exchange.

Rank: 6th out of 41 grant applicants.

"Asian Cultural Exchange (ACE) has an excellent track record, providing cross cultural productions for the community to increase awareness of Asian culture. It is the only local theater fulfilling this niche. The panel commended ACE for striving for high artistic integrity, noting that they have grown since their last proposal. ACE is a good community theatre, a largely volunteer grassroots organization, doing a good job. Their wide ranges of plays are progressive, laudable, good choices that take risks and shake things up. They are able to attract a big and very diverse audience by producing many types of plays, including musicals, comedy, serious dramas and political themes....

ACE has received several awards locally. They have good letters of support demonstrating their strong relationship to the community at large. They travel to many schools, neighborhoods, colleges and health organizations, and reach out specifically to the Asian-Pacific Islander communities including Hmong, Chinese, Japanese, general population and at-risk youth. They reach a good audience for a small theatre, including partnerships such as Fairytale Town. The advisory Board is all Asian, reflecting the base of their artform; its members are engaged in theatre with very strong credentials.

Dennis Yep is a strong financial administrator, who has attracted a strong, eclectic board and advisory board members. The budget looks strong and stable."