JANM Awarded a $40,000 grant from Nissan Foundation for Family Festivals and School Visits

LOS ANGELES, CA – The Japanese American National Museum (JANM) was awarded a $40,000 grant from the Nissan Foundation that supports JANM’s award-winning virtual and in-person School Visits programs and free biannual family festivals, including the 2024 Natsumatsuri Festival on Saturday, August 10.

“Our award-winning School Visits programs and family festivals not only further our mission but also provide students, educators, and the general public with the tools they’ll need to understand and appreciate people from different backgrounds and cultures,” said Ann Burroughs, JANM President and CEO.

JANM’s School Visits programs encourage students to appreciate cultural differences, explore their heritage, and become informed and responsible contributors to social and civic life. By continuing to make these innovative programs accessible to students from all backgrounds, they will be able to make personal connections to the Museum and its collections, build critical thinking skills and classroom connections, and engage in participatory learning experiences to become more engaged Americans. 

JANM’s festivals are the Oshogatsu Family Festival in January and the Natsumatsuri Family Festival in August. They are vibrant and joyful celebrations that celebrate Japanese and Japanese American cultural traditions; foster understanding, appreciation, and respect for cultural diversity; and build meaningful cross-cultural bridges. They also strengthen a shared sense of community by celebrating unique cultural identities. 

This year’s Natsumatsuri Family Festival is from 11 a.m.–5 p.m. on Saturday, August 10. The festivities include cultural performances by Ryukyukoku Matsuri Daiko, East LA Taiko, and Cold Tofu Improv and Comedy Group; an obon lecture and community dance; a taiko workshop with JANM volunteers and a Giant Robot drawing workshop with the artist duo Giorgiko; book readings with the Los Angeles Public Library and Sachiko Goes Racing author and former pro race car driver Nadine Sachiko Hsu; a book sale that benefits JANM’s Collections Management and Access, a scavenger hunt for prizes in the Museum’s exhibition, J. T. Sata: Immigrant Modernist; and souvenir photos by cre8tive outlets. Visitors receive free admission to see all of the Museum’s exhibitions and JANM Members receive special perks. Select performances and activities will be posted on the Museum’s YouTube channel throughout the day. 

Free tickets and the full schedule are available at janm.org/events. Advance reservations are recommended. The Natsumatsuri Family Festival is sponsored by the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, Nissan Foundation, the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture, and the Port of Long Beach. The media sponsor is The Rafu Shimpo.

###

About the Japanese American National Museum (JANM)

Established in 1985, JANM promotes understanding and appreciation of America’s ethnic and cultural diversity by sharing the Japanese American experience. Located in the historic Little Tokyo district of downtown Los Angeles, JANM is a center for civil rights, ensuring that the hard-fought lessons of the World War II incarceration are not forgotten. A Smithsonian Affiliate and one of America’s Cultural Treasures, JANM is a hybrid institution that straddles traditional museum categories. JANM is a center for the arts as well as history. It provides a voice for Japanese Americans and a forum that enables all people to explore their own heritage and culture. Since opening to the public in 1992, JANM has presented over 100 exhibitions onsite while traveling 40 exhibits to venues such as the Smithsonian Institution and the Ellis Island Museum in the United States, and to several leading cultural museums in Japan and South America. JANM is open on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday–Sunday from 11 a.m.–5 p.m. and on Thursday from 12 p.m.–8 p.m. JANM is free every third Thursday of the month. On all other Thursdays, JANM is free from 5 p.m.–8 p.m. For more information, visit janm.org or follow us on social media @jamuseum.