The City of Irvine and Orange County Music & Dance Celebrate Groundbreaking of New Performing Arts Complex

From left, OCMD CEO Doug Freeman, Irvine Councilmember Larry Agran, Councilmember Tammy Kim, Executive Director of South Coast Chinese Cultural Center executive director Yulan Chung and Councilmember Mike Carroll prepare to break ground for two new cultural facilities in Irvine's Great Park. Photo courtesy Orange County Music & Dance.

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The sun shone as brightly as the pristine golden shovels Tuesday afternoon at the groundbreaking for two new cultural facilities in Irvine's Great Park.

Last month the city of Irvine greenlighted construction for two tenants of the Great Park’s dedicated neighborhood of cultural facilities: Orange County Music and Dance (OCMD), which offers arts education, performing arts training and musical experiences for children and adults; and Pretend City, an interactive, pint-sized city that encourages the physical, cognitive, language and social-emotional development of children. Officials from the city, Pretend City and OCMD were on hand to toss the ceremonial first mound of dirt for the project, described in a recent Culture OC story.

A rendering of OCMD's new facility, projected to cost more than $40 million. Image courtesy of City of Irvine.

Donor Charlie Zhang, Councilmember Tammy Kim, Councilmember Larry Agran and OCMD's Doug Freeman. Zhang, a prominent Orange County arts philanthropist, was instrumental in supporting the OCMD project. Photo courtesy of Orange County Music & Dance.

Chloe Zhao and Phoebe Lee perform as part of the groundbreaking celebrations on Tuesday. Photo courtesy of Orange County Music & Dance.

Carolina Diaz, Heidy Murillo, Kaylie Murillo, David Dunford, Rudy Xool (plaid shirt), Luis Lopez, Justin Lansing (Instructor) and Matt Ossorio perform at Tuesday's groundbreaking ceremony. Photo courtesy of Orange County Music & Dance.

Councilmember Larry Agran, Charlie Zhang, Councilmember Mike Carroll, and Doug Freeman. Agran has been a longtime supporter of the Great Park and played an important role in its planning. Photo courtesy of Orange County Music & Dance.