About 關於
Our History
Rooted in the heart of Silicon Valley since 1991, CPAA is more than just an arts organization—we are a cultural movement. Born from a vision to share the richness of Chinese heritage, CPAA has grown into a vibrant hub where East meets West, tradition meets innovation, and communities of color find their creative voice.
Our journey began with a simple yet powerful mission: to promote Chinese and multicultural performing arts through professional productions, community events, and arts education. Today, our 14,000 sq ft CPAA Arts Center in West San Jose supports over 40 local arts groups and serves as a space where creativity thrives and cultures connect.
From dazzling Lunar New Year galas and original stage works to youth training programs and international cultural exchanges, our work celebrates diversity and builds bridges through art. Each performance, class, and collaboration is a step toward a more connected, inspired community.
This is who we are—artists, educators, dreamers, and culture-bearers. And this is our stage. Welcome.
Meet our Founder
CPAA was established by Ann Woo, a visionary leader with a unique blend of artistic passion and technical brilliance. Holding a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from UC Berkeley, where she was the only woman in her graduating class, Ms. Woo held nine U.S. patents and built a successful career in Silicon Valley before dedicating herself fully to the arts.
Recognizing the lack of representation of Chinese performing arts in mainstream spaces, Ann founded CPAA to serve as both a cultural hub and a platform for artistic excellence.
She brought Classical Chinese dance and music to local, national, and international audiences—presenting original productions in major theaters across the Bay Area and beyond.
In the last three decades, CPAA has become a respected institution known for its high-quality performances, youth training programs, and community engagement efforts, all of which serves over 25,000 audiences every year in the Bay Area.
To promote the arts and culture of Chinese and communities of color through performing arts presentations, Arts learning and love of community-building.
Major Operations:
Company productions and presentations - For CPAA’s annual major productions since 1992, CPAA's repertoire is abundant, diverse, colorful, and powerful. It includes dance, music, martial arts, acrobatics, etc., and many are CPAA's original works. CPAA’s annual major event is Spring Festival Silicon Valley during the Lunar New Year celebration season. The celebration is a series of programs, including the SFSV Gala with CPAA’s new work, the SVIAC Competitions, the Food & Arts Festival, and Painting/Photography/Calligraphy Exhibits.
Art training center for youth and adults
Incubator of multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural for local organizations and artists
The International cultural exchange programs within Silicon Valley and abroad
Community events - Throughout the year, CPAA resident artists are contracted as guest performers in many community events. Please contact us for any performance that will be tailored to the theme and the stage size of your needs. Call (408) 973-8276 or contact us at cpaacenter@gmail.com for any information concerning CPAA
“We Need to Know Our Past so that we can have a better future.”
— Ann Woo, Founder of CPAA
