From left: Wing Luke Museum’s Director of Grants and Sponsorships, Julie Salathe, Interim Executive Director Cassie Chinn, Bank of America Seattle President Kerri Schroeder, and Market Executive Jeremey Williams. (Photo provided by Bank of America)
The Wing Luke Museum received a $1 million grant from Bank of America to help with forthcoming capital building renovations and safety upgrades.
“It’s been over a decade since we restored the East Kong Yick Building as the Wing Luke Museum’s new home,” said Interim Executive Director Cassie Chinn. “On top of basic building needs, the pandemic has changed reality for all of us. We’re grateful for this funding that helps assure our future going forward.”
In addition to supporting museum projects, the grant will support tech platform enhancements and digital investments to advance work with more than 100 artists and 170+ small businesses though food and heritage neighborhood tours, Japanese American Remembrance Trail tours, Redlining Heritage Trail tours, neighborhood music/arts festivals, and marketing campaigns.
“It’s great to have the Wing Luke Museum conducting the food tours because it brings in new guests into our restaurant and our part of CID. People usually don’t know there is a Japantown in the CID and it is important that they provide exposure and history,” noted Mike Vu from the Itsumono restaurant in Seattle’s Japantown.