National LGBTQ Center for the Arts to Open in San Francisco

A first-of-its-kind building featuring LGBTQ-specific art and performance will open in the next few years in San Francisco's Castro district.

The National LGBTQ Center for the Arts will occupy a four-story building on Valencia Street, purchased for $9.6 million. Terrance Chan, one of the founding members of the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus donated $5 million for the project, while the SFGMC's board kicked in another $1 million; the organization will soon announce a capital campaign to cover the rest of the building's cost and forthcoming renovations.

The arts center will not only serve as the future home of the SFGMC's offices and performances, it will also offer space for LGBTQ artists, offer community meeting rooms, host trainings, internships, feature a recording and production studio, as well as an "exciting virtual reality experience," according to a press release.

Dr. Timothy Seelig, Artistic Director of the SFGMC, said in a statement, "In my 30 years conducting LGBTQ choruses, none of us have had the ability to purchase a building that had multiple rehearsal spaces, a recording studio and the ability to provide space for the community. Our new Center will be open to all. It is appropriate that the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus, which started the LGBTQ choral movement 40 years ago, once again is leading the field."

With the arts center, SFGMC will partner with San Francisco public schools for youth programs and expand their national efforts, which currently includes a national tour of "It Gets Better," produced by SFGMC in collaboration with the It Gets Better Project and Speak Theater Arts.