Pollen - directed by Chil Kong, written by Nic Cha Kim
 |
|
Nic Cha Kim’s interest in art began at UC Berkeley where he majored in English,
played
tuba for the UC Concert Band, and worked as the Poetry & Fiction
Editor for Slant
Magazine. His first play, A Taste of Home, was produced
at the Berkeley Community
Theatre as part of the 1996 KSA Culture Show. |
|
Desiring production
experience, Nic produced Harm's Way by Mac Wellman,
which played at Inshallah
Gallery from July 21-Aug 11, 2002.
|
|
In 2003, Nic turned his sights and energy to Downtown Los Angeles. He joined the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council (DLANC) where he was appointed Arts & Culture Alternate Board Director and Co-Chair of the Arts, Aesthetics & Culture Committee (AAC). With the support of DLANC and the AAC Committee, Nic Cha Kim and Kjell Hagen created a proposal to designate a creative district within Downtown Los Angeles called “Gallery Row.” First presented at the DLANC Neighborhood Block Party on June 25, 2003, City Council members Jan Perry and Antonio Villaraigosa championed this proposal and made a joint motion to City Council to create “Gallery Row.” Voted unanimously, "Gallery Row" was adopted by The City of Los Angeles City Council on July 29, 2003: Council File Index 03-1571. |
|
| In 2004, Nic ran and won a seat in the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council and served as Arts and Culture Board Director while continuing his appointment as Co-Chair of the renamed Arts, Aesthetics, Culture & Education Committee. Before resigning from DLANC in June 2005, Nic facilitated in the group creation of the Downtown Presents! Cable Access Show and the Los Angeles International Town Crier Competition. | |
Nic joined Lodestone Theatre Ensemble in 2004 when offered the chance to
work as photographer on the set of Harlequin, Lodestone’s first short video collaboration. This opportunity opened many doors for Nic in the Lodestone
family where he now serves as Resident Producer. Credits include Aziatic Nation '04, Claim to Fame, Solve For X, Ten To Life, |
|
Continuing his passion for the revitalization of Downtown Los Angeles, Nic started Gallery Row Organization (GRO) with friends Kjell Hagen, Kimba Rogers, and Cheyanne Della Donna. Together, they witnessed rapid growth in Gallery Row as the number of galleries grew from 3 to over 40. Serving as President and Founder of
GRO, Nic has participated in numerous community inspired programs and events including ArtSeen, Autumn Lights, Downtown Art Ride, Downtown Art Walk, Festival de la Gente, Festival on 5th Street, Gallery Gardens, Grand Ave Festival, LACMA Muse Art Walk, and the Spring Arts Collective. VIDEO NEWS |
Art Scene Moves Downtown Gallery Row Transforms Downtown LA Facing L.A. Art of the Season Autumn Lights Spotlight will be on Caltrans Where All the Lights Are Bright Colors in Full Bloom Downtown Exhibits Its Electicism G-rowing Downtown Galleries Gone Wild LACMA Muse ArtWalk Los Angeles Magazine The Birth of Cool New Signage Will Help Herd History of Gallery Row and the Downtown Art Walk |
| In 2008, Nic realized a long-awaited dream when his play Trapezoid received a world premiere production from Lodestone Theatre Ensemble. Opening April 19th, Trapezoid ran six weeks at the Grove Theatre Center in Burbank. |
|
| In December 2008, Nic's 1-act play The Tuba Player was presented as part of the oral history series Korean American Stories curated by Henry Ong. | |
| Nic's 1-act play RE:verse runs May 2nd - June 7th, 2009 as part of the Lodestone Theatre Ensemble show, Ten To Life. A collaboration with writers Annette Lee, Judy Soo Hoo, and Tim Lounibos, Ten To Life was written to commemorate Lodestone's tenth and final season. REVIEWS: LA Weekly Asia Pacific Arts Smiling Spider Backstage West |
|
| Currently, Nic is busy working on a graphic novel. | |
Our Role Models |
|
Gallery Row Organization on KTLA |
|
Gallery Row Organization interviewed by Huell Howser |
|
Second Thursdays - The Downtown L.A. Art Walk - Current TV |
|
Niche.LA Video Art @ The Art Walk hosted by Michael Blaze |
|
2. A situation or activity specially suited to a person's interests, abilities, or nature.
3. A special area of demand for a product or service.
4. The function or position of an organism or population within an ecological community.
5. The particular area within a habitat occupied by an organism.