The Recording Academy Monday announced a partnership with several Chinese entities to open a Grammy Museum in China.
Grammy Museum Executive Director Bob Santelli and Deputy Executive Director Rita George traveled to China for the announcement, which came at a ceremony in Beijing that was also attended by executives with Beijing SEEC Culture Media Co. Ltd., the Sanya Municipal People’s Government and China Music Vision.
The museum is expected to open within the next three years in Sanya, a resort town on the southern end of China’s Hainan Island, and feature about 40,000 square feet of exhibit space that will include a temporary exhibit gallery and a theater.
According to a statement issued by The Recording Academy, the Chinese museum “will share the focus of the Los Angeles museum in exploring and celebrating the history of the Grammy Awards, the premier recognition of recorded music accomplishment, through artifacts and exhibits that tell the story of the industry’s premiere awards and the artists who have been honored by them.”
“When we opened the first Grammy Museum outside of Los Angeles in 2016 in Cleveland, Mississippi, we knew it was only the beginning,” Santelli said.
“The opportunity to take the museum experience internationally is truly a dream come true for me and my staff, and we couldn’t be more excited to begin our international expansion in the beautiful city of Sanya, China,” he said. “We know how passionate the people of China are about American music, and we look forward to bringing its storied history to the country.”
Neil Portnow, president/CEO of The Recording Academy and chair of the Grammy Museum Board, hailed the partnership.
“We are proud to celebrate our relationship with SEEC by bringing the Grammy Museum’s first-ever international expansion to China, a country with a rich history in the arts that places a strong emphasis on the cultural value of music,” he said.
“Advancing The Recording Academy’s work and mission internationally is a priority for us, and one that has been particularly welcomed and supported by China, so it makes perfect sense for us to expand the museum first to this region of the world,” Portnow said. We look forward to a bright and successful future in Sanya and beyond.
—City News Service