Great Star Theater is fundraising
Help Save the Great Star Theater
For over 100 years, the Great Star Theater has been a cultural home for San Francisco Chinatown—a place where generations have gathered for film, performance, music, storytelling, and community. Today, we are asking for your help to ensure this historic landmark can continue serving our community for the next 100 years.
Help Keep the Great Star Theater Open
The Great Star Theater is facing an immediate financial challenge caused by rising operating costs and unforeseen expenses that have placed significant strain on our organization.
To help navigate this critical period, we are urgently raising $45,000 in emergency support—approximately one month of essential operating expenses. These funds will help us maintain operations while we work through short-term financial pressures and continue building toward a sustainable future.
Why Your Support Matters Now
The Great Star Theater is one of Chinatown's last remaining independent cultural venues and a historic home for Cantonese opera, film, music, and community gathering. Losing this space would mean losing an important part of San Francisco's cultural and artistic heritage.
Since reopening as a nonprofit organization in 2021, the Great Star Theater has welcomed more than 80,000 audience members through live performances, film screenings, cultural celebrations, educational programs, and community events. In doing so, we have helped bring visitors to Chinatown, supported local artists and small businesses, and preserved a unique cultural resource for future generations.
There Is Hope for the Future
While this moment is challenging, we believe strongly in the future of the Great Star Theater.
Earlier this year, the theater was awarded a highly competitive San Francisco Arts Commission grant, ranking among the top-scoring applicants in the city. We also have a strong lineup of performances, rentals, and community events scheduled for the remainder of the year that will continue generating revenue and serving audiences.
This fundraiser is designed to help bridge a temporary financial gap so that the theater can continue operating while these future resources come online.
How Your Donation Helps
Funds raised through this campaign will directly support:
- Rent and facility costs
- Staff payroll
- Utilities and insurance
- Essential operating and emergency expenses
Every contribution, no matter the size, helps keep the lights on, the doors open, and the stage active for artists, audiences, and community members.
Join Us in Protecting a Cultural Landmark
The Great Star Theater is more than a venue. It is a living piece of San Francisco history—a place where immigrant stories are shared, artists find a platform, traditions are preserved, and new generations create lasting memories.
If you are unable to donate, please consider sharing this fundraiser with your friends, family, and community. Your support can help ensure that the Great Star Theater remains a vibrant cultural home for generations to come.
Thank you for your kindness, generosity, and belief in the future of the Great Star Theater.
守護華埠文化地標，讓大明星戲院繼續發光。
Protect this cultural landmark of Chinatown and help the Great Star Theater continue to shine.
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