Funding and Sustainability
Silk Road Cultural Collective is building long-term sustainability through a mix of contributed support, community donations, in-kind contributions, and earned income from contracted cultural performances and presentations. This approach reflects our commitment to strengthening the organization through multiple sources of support rather than relying on any single funding stream.
Support to date includes funding from Margaret Wong & Associates, donations from our founding directors, contributions received through PayPal, and in-kind support from founding leadership, including donated armor and related cultural materials used in programming and interpretation. Earned income has also been generated through paid public programs and cultural appearances, including SouthPark Lunar New Year Celebration, Solon Library, City of Solon Senior Lunar New Year Celebration, Asia Plaza Lunar New Year Celebration, and Cleveland Asian Festival.
As the organization grows, Silk Road Cultural Collective is continuing to expand its network of supporters, presenting partners, donors, and earned-income opportunities to strengthen both program delivery and long-term resilience.
Why It Matters in Cleveland
Greater Cleveland is home to diverse communities, schools, artists, and families who benefit from cultural experiences that are educational, interactive, and accessible. Silk Road Cultural Collective makes Chinese and broader Asian heritage visible through public programs, workshops, festivals, and living history experiences that connect people across neighborhoods and generations.
By presenting culture as something people can experience firsthand, we expand access to the arts, strengthen cross-cultural understanding, and create opportunities for community connection throughout Northeast Ohio. This kind of public engagement aligns well with community-centered funder priorities.
Where We Serve
Silk Road Cultural Collective is based in Cleveland and serves audiences across Greater Cleveland and Northeast Ohio, with a strong connection to AsiaTown and the Chinese-American community. We work with schools, museums, libraries, festivals, civic organizations, and community partners to create programs that are educational, interactive, and welcoming to audiences of all ages.
Our goal is to make Chinese and broader Asian cultural heritage part of everyday community life in Cleveland through public events, school partnerships, and neighborhood-based cultural experiences.
Current Community Partners include:
- Asian Services in Action
- AsiaTown Voice Radio
- Cleveland Asian Festival
- Cleveland Cultural Gardens Federation
- ClevelandPeople.Com
- Cleveland Public Library
- Cleveland TV20
- City of Cleveland
- City Council Ward 8
- Cuyahoga County Library
- Erie Chinese Journal
- Freshwater Cleveland
- India International News
- Margare Wong and Associates
- Media Design Imaging
- MetroHealth
- MotivAsian for Cleveland
- MidTown Cleveland
- OCA Greater Cleveland
- Ohio Arts Council
- One Cleveland
- St. Clair Superior Development Corp.
About Us
Silk Road Cultural Collective is a Cleveland-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that preserves and shares Chinese and broader Asian cultural heritage through live performances, exhibitions, educational workshops, and community events. Rooted in AsiaTown and Greater Cleveland, we create accessible programs that bring history to life through wearable armor demonstrations, hanfu and traditional clothing showcases, storytelling, martial interpretation, and hands-on learning experiences.
Our work helps students, families, and community audiences experience culture in a direct and memorable way. By partnering with schools, museums, libraries, festivals, civic organizations, and community groups, we expand access to arts and cultural education, strengthen cross-cultural understanding, and support connection across neighborhoods and generations.
As a growing nonprofit, we are building sustainable programs that support artists, cultural practitioners, and community partnerships while delivering clear public benefit. Through grants, sponsorships, donations, and collaborations, we aim to deepen our impact in Cleveland and ensure these living traditions continue to educate and inspire future generations.
Bringing Chinese and broader Asian heritage to life for Cleveland.
Our Historical Inspiration
The Silk Road was a historic network of cultural exchange that connected people across Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Europe. Inspired by that legacy, Silk Road Cultural Collective brings Chinese and broader Asian heritage to life through public programs, performances, workshops, and educational experiences rooted in Cleveland and serving Greater Cleveland.
Founding Directors
PRESIDENT — Johnny K. Wu
Johnny K. Wu is an award‑winning Cleveland filmmaker, cultural producer, and trilingual entrepreneur (English, Spanish, Mandarin) who leads the Silk Road Cultural Collective. With a media company founded in 1998 and more than 25 years of production experience, Wu brings documentary craft, public programming expertise, and nonprofit leadership to SRCC’s mission of preserving Tang and Ming dynasty legacies through replica armor exhibitions, hanfu showcases, sword demonstrations, and immersive community events across Northeast Ohio.
A co‑founder of the Cleveland Asian Festival (which draws tens of thousands of attendees annually), Wu’s work spans 14+ distributed films, documentary projects about Cleveland’s Chinatown, and sustained community partnerships that connect cultural education to local audiences. He leverages deep historical knowledge and trilingual outreach to expand program access, support artists, and build economic and educational opportunities for Cleveland’s neighborhoods.
VICE PRESIDENT — Dan Hanson
Dan Hanson is a Cleveland-based entrepreneur, author, and advocate for cultural diversity. With a background in mathematics and as the founder of Magnum Computers Inc., he brings business leadership, communications experience, and community connections to the Silk Road Cultural Collective. As co-founder of SRCC alongside filmmaker/Civic Leader Johnny K. Wu, Hanson helps present Tang and Ming dynasty Asian armor, hanfu, and heritage through live events and exhibitions that engage audiences across Northeast Ohio.
Hanson also serves as President of the Cleveland International Hall of Fame Board, Co-Chair of the Cleveland Asian Festival, Executive Board member of the Cleveland Cultural Garden Federation, and publisher of ClevelandPeople.com. Through his writing, media work, and intercultural initiatives, he continues to build bridges across communities and strengthen Northeast Ohio’s cultural landscape.
SECRETARY — Annie Pu (Ying Pu)
Annie Pu (Ying Pu) serves as Secretary of the Silk Road Cultural Collective and brings more than 20 years of leadership as founder, owner, publisher, and chief editor of the Erie Chinese Journal, a Chinese-language newspaper that has connected Northeast Ohio’s Asian communities since 2003. A first-generation immigrant from Shanghai, she has built a lasting platform for bilingual communication, community news, and cultural connection across the region.
Annie has played a vital role in strengthening Asian heritage visibility and cross-cultural understanding in Northeast Ohio. Her leadership includes guiding community journalism through the pandemic, supporting outreach in both print and digital formats, and helping coordinate initiatives that uplift and connect local Asian communities.
Nick Muhlbach is a Cleveland-based filmmaker and editor whose work supports cultural storytelling, heritage preservation, and community engagement. He has collaborated with organizations including OCA Greater Cleveland, the Cleveland Asian Festival, and the Cleveland Cultural Gardens Federation, contributing to programs such as One World Day and the World on Stage series.
Through film, editing, and visual media, Nick helps document and amplify the stories of Northeast Ohio’s diverse communities. His work reflects a commitment to sharing culture, building connection, and preserving the experiences that shape Cleveland’s multicultural identity.
