ASIAN CULTURE CENTER OF TENNESSEE

Financials

From the e-filed returns the IRS publishes as XML (latest three processing years; amended returns replace the original). PDF copies at the IRS.

Officers, directors and key employees

As listed on the 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025, highest compensation first.

Address and contacts

Address (IRS master file)

852 OCONNELL DR, KNOXVILLE, TN 37934-1552

In care of

% FUKUMI ALDERMAN

Mailing address (990-N for 2021)

852 Oconnell dr, Knoxville TN 37934

Principal officer (990 for 2025)

KUMI ALDERMAN, PO BOX 31793, KNOXVILLE, TN 37930

Principal officer (990-N for 2021)

Fukumi Alderman, PO BOX 31793, Knoxville TN 37930

Signed the 990

KUMI ALDERMAN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Phone

(831) 241-1189

Website

www.knoxasainfestival.com

Return prepared by

CULPEPPER CPA PLLC

Mission

THE ASIAN CULTURE CENTER OF TENNESSEE (ACCTN) WAS FOUNDED IN 2014 TO HELP THE NEXT GENERATION TAKE THEIR PLACE AS GLOBAL CITIZENS WITH A STRONG UNDERSTANDING FOR AND APPRECIATION OF OTHER CULTURES. THROUGH TAILORED PROGRAMS AND ENVIRONMENTS THAT SUPPORT LANGUAGE LEARNING, CULTURAL EXPLORATION, AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT, WE BRING PEOPLE FROM VARIOUS BACKGROUNDS TOGETHER TO PROMOTE PEACE, UNITY, AND A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE. THE EAST TENNESSEE WE ENVISION MAINTAINS A DEEP CONNECTION TO THE REST OF THE WORLD AND A SENSE OF PRIDE AND APPRECIATION FOR DIVERSE CULTURAL IDENTITIES. ALIGNING WITH UNITED WAY'S EDUCATION IMPACT PRIORITY AND THE FOCUS AREA OF PROVIDING HIGH-QUALITY OUT-OF-SCHOOL ENRICHMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR PREK-12TH GRADE STUDENTS, OUR GOALS ARE TO: BUILD A SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY WHERE INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES CAN CONNECT, LEARN, AND GROW TOGETHER WHILE CELEBRATING THEIR SHARED HERITAGE; INSTILL IN CHILDREN A SENSE OF GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP, ENCOURAGING THEM TO EMBRACE DIVERSITY, CULTIVATE

Program accomplishments

• EACH YEAR IN AUGUST, THE ACCTN ALSO PUTS ON THE KNOX ASIAN FESTIVAL, A PLATFORM FOR THE COMMUNITY TO CELEBRATE AND SHOWCASE ITS RICH CULTURAL HERITAGE, LEADING TO INCREASED CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING, APPRECIATION, AND PRESERVATION. THE KNOX ASIAN FESTIVAL ALSO SERVES AS AN EDUCATIONAL TOOL, ENLIGHTENING THE COMMUNITY ABOUT VARIOUS ASPECTS OF ASIAN ARTS, TRADITIONS, AND HISTORY. BY BRINGING THE WORLD TO KNOXVILLE, IT HELPS DISPEL STEREOTYPES, PROMOTES CROSS-CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING, AND ENCOURAGES CULTURAL EXCHANGE. IN THE TWELVE YEARS SINCE WE BEGAN, OUR FESTIVAL HAS GROWN TO BE THE LARGEST ASIAN FESTIVAL IN THE SOUTHEAST IN AUGUST OF 2025, WE HOSTED 14 COUNTRIES, 40 FOOD VENDORS, APPROXIMATELY 40,000 PEOPLE, AND CONTRIBUTED AN ESTIMATED 4.8 MILLION IN ECONOMIC IMPACT TO GREATER KNOXVILLE.THE KNOX ASIAN FESTIVAL WAS HONORED BY THE SOUTHEAST FESTIVAL AND EVENTS ASSOCIATION WITH THE BEST EVENT AWARD, HIGHLIGHTING ITS EXCELLENCE IN CULTURAL PROGRAMMING, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND OVERALL EXPERIENCE.
  Expenses $210,061 · revenue $341,496
• THE ACCTN OPERATES AT THE INTERSECTION OF EQUITY AND ARTS EDUCATION AND STRIVES TO REACH UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS AND THOSE LIVING IN RURAL COMMUNITIES AND/OR ISOLATED SETTINGS IN GREATER KNOXVILLE AND BEYOND. EAST TENNESSEE IS A WONDERFUL PLACE TO LIVE AND RAISE A FAMILY, BUT WITH 39% OF RESIDENTS IN OUR AREA UNDER THE ALICE THRESHOLD AND LOW-INCOME FAMILIES LACKING ACCESS TO DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, DISPARITIES IN EDUCATION, HEALTHCARE, AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY PERSIST. THESE BARRIERS TO ACCESS MEAN THAT MANY OF OUR REGION'S STUDENTS LACK OPPORTUNITIES FOR MEANINGFUL EXPOSURE TO OTHER WAYS OF LIFE. BELIEVING THAT AUTHENTIC ENGAGEMENT IN DIVERSE ARTS IMPROVES QUALITY OF LIFE, WE SEEK TO ADD VALUE TO EDUCATION IN OUR REGION BY OPENING UP THE WORLDS OF K-12 STUDENTS (AND THEIR TEACHERS AND CAREGIVERS). WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF OUR INDIA AND TAIWAN OUTREACH PROGRAMS THIS YEAR, OUR INITIATIVES WERE ABLE TO REACH 10,000 STUDENTS IN 125 SCHOOLS WITH OUR UNIQUE, HANDS-ON AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMMING FOCUSED ON IMMERSIVE LANGUAGE LEARNING, CULTURAL EXPLORATION, AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT. OUR ORGANIZATION ALSO SERVES EAST TENNESSEE'S ASIAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER COMMUNITIES. DESPITE AN UNPRECEDENTED NUMBER OF HATE CRIMES TARGETING THE ASIAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY IN 2020, THE CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF HATE AND EXTREMISM REPORTS THAT ANTI-ASIAN HATE CRIME INCREASED NATIONALLY BY 339% IN 2021. IT IS WELL DOCUMENTED THAT THE RACISM EXPERIENCED BY RACIAL AND ETHNIC MINORITIES IS LINKED TO POORER HEALTH OUTCOMES FOR THESE POPULATIONS. ACCORDING TO A 2022 STUDY CONDUCTED AT THE JOHNS HOPKINS BLOOMBERG SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, HOWEVER, SOCIAL CONNECTEDNESS SERVES AS AN IMPORTANT BUFFER TO MITIGATING THE EFFECTS OF RACISM ON HEALTH AND WELLBEING. THE ACCTN IS COMMITTED TO UNITING PEOPLE TO SOLVE THESE SYSTEMIC ISSUES IN SERVICE OF VIBRANT, HEALTHY, AND SOCIALLY JUST COMMUNITIES WHERE DIVERSE ASIAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER IDENTITIES AND HERITAGES ARE REPRESENTED AND HONORED THROUGH INTERGENERATIONAL DIALOGUE, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING, AND CROSS-CULTURAL EXCHANGE. AS COMMUNITIES BECOME INCREASINGLY DIVERSE, THERE IS ALSO A GROWING DEMAND FOR PROGRAMS THAT BOTH CELEBRATE AND PRESERVE CULTURAL HERITAGE TO PASS ON TO FUTURE GENERATIONS. WE ADDRESS THIS NEED FOR CULTURALLY RELEVANT EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES BY PROVIDING CHILDREN WITH THE TOOLS AND RESOURCES THEY NEED TO CONNECT WITH THEIR ROOTS ON THE PATH TO BECOMING CONFIDENT, MULTICULTURAL CITIZENS OF THE WORLD. DEEPLY CONNECTED TO THE EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP OF THE GREATER KNOXVILLE COMMUNITY, THE ACCTN MEETS FREQUENTLY WITH KNOXVILLE'S EDUCATORS K-12 AND UNIVERSITY LEADERSHIP. WHETHER EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS ARE JUST LOOKING FOR EXPOSURE TO OTHER CULTURES FOR COMMUNITY SCHOOL FAMILIES WITH FEWER RESOURCES; OPENING UP CHILDREN'S WORLDVIEW AND MAKING LEARNING FUN; OR A MORE PHILOSOPHICAL APPROACH CENTERED ON DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION; THE ACCTN IS HAPPY TO TAILOR ITS PROGRAMMING TO SPECIFIC NEEDS. OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE KNOX COUNTY AND CITY GOVERNMENTS ALSO ALLOWS US TO REACH THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE EVERY YEAR TO DO OUR JAPANESE OUTREACH PROGRAMMING BY CONNECTING US TO KNOX COMMUNITY SCHOOLS AND KNOXVILLE-AREA SENIOR CENTERS. WE STRIVE TO REACH TRADITIONALLY OPENING UP THE WORLDS OF UNDERSERVED CHILDREN THROUGH CLASSES AND DEMONSTRATIONS OF TRADITIONAL ARTS LIKE SUSHI MAKING, ORIGAMI, CALLIGRAPHY, TEA CEREMONIES, KIMONO CLASSES, JAPANESE BANJO MUSIC, LANGUAGE, DANCE, AND STORYTELLING. THE JOI COORDINATOR POSITION IS KEY TO EXPOSING A GREATER NUMBER OF STUDENTS TO NEW CULTURAL EXPERIENCES, WHICH FURTHERS OUR MISSION OF A MORE PEACEFUL, MORE DIVERSE, AND MORE HARMONIOUS SOCIETY MADE UP OF VIBRANT AND WELCOMING COMMUNITIES POPULATED BY GLOBAL CITIZENS. WE ESTABLISHED A SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM FOR SISTER CITY MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS, ENABLING THEM TO LEARN ABOUT JAPAN AND PARTICIPATE IN A HOMESTAY PROGRAM. IN ADDITION, WE SUPPORTED HIGH SCHOOL SISTER CITY STUDENTS VISITING KNOXVILLE, PROVIDING THEM WITH MEANINGFUL HOMESTAY EXPERIENCES THAT FOSTER INTERNATIONAL FRIENDSHIP AND CULTURAL EXCHANGE. OUR DESIRED IMPACT IS TO CONNECT TO EACH OTHER IN FRIENDSHIP, FORGING STRONGER RELATIONSHIPS THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY. BY DOING SO, WE ARE HELPING YOUNGER GENERATIONS BECOME BETTER CITIZENS OF AN INCREASINGLY GLOBALIZED WORLD. TO ACCOMPLISH THIS, THE ACCTN IS PARTNERING WITH THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT AND KCS TO DEVELOP OUTREACH PROGRAMS FOR LEARNING JAPANESE ARTS AND CULTURES IN K-12 SCHOOLS IN EAST TENNESSEE. IN OUR YEARS BRINGING HIGH-QUALITY CULTURAL PROGRAMMING TO KNOX COUNTY SCHOOLS, OUR AREA'S COMMUNITY SCHOOLS, AND LOCAL SENIOR CENTERS, WE HAVE CONSISTENTLY DEMONSTRATED OUR DEDICATION TO EQUITY-BOTH IN OUR PRACTICES AND OUR PROGRAMMING-ENGAGING WITH UNDERSERVED GROUPS AND COMMUNITIES TO HELP BRIDGE GAPS IN ARTS PARTICIPATION. THERE IS SO MUCH THAT A COMMUNITY BENEFITS FROM EVERY TIME A CULTURAL EVENT IS ORGANIZED. PEOPLE NOT ONLY OPEN THEIR MINDS TO OTHER PEOPLE AND THEIR CULTURES, BUT THE HOST COMMUNITY ALSO BECOMES A CENTER OF INTEREST FOR INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS LOOKING TO BOOST THE ECONOMIC CAPACITY OF THAT PARTICULAR COMMUNITY. AS AN ORGANIZATION FOCUSED ON PROMOTING CULTURAL DIVERSITY AND UNDERSTANDING IN OUR TENNESSEE COMMUNITY, THE ACCTN IS SUCCEEDING IN POPULARIZING ASIAN CULTURES AND CONTRIBUTING TO EAST TENNESSEE'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. OUR VISION IS OF VIBRANT, HEALTHY, AND SOCIALLY JUST COMMUNITIES WHERE DIVERSE ASIAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER IDENTITIES AND HERITAGES ARE REPRESENTED AND CELEBRATED THROUGH CROSS-CULTURAL EXCHANGE, INTERGENERATIONAL DIALOGUE, AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING. OUR MISSION IS TO PROMOTE A PEACEFUL, DIVERSE, AND HARMONIOUS SOCIETY THAT PREPARES TODAY'S CHILDREN TO TAKE THE STAGE AS TRUE GLOBAL CITIZENS. OUR ULTIMATE GOAL IS A VIBRANT AND WELCOMING COMMUNITY FOR ALL.
  Expenses $125,785

What it must file and when

IRS records say it files Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N. Its accounting year ends in December, so each return is due on the 15th day of the 5th month after that.

IRS record

EIN

47-2154537

Tax-exempt status

501(c)(3): Charitable, religious, educational or scientific organization

Foundation status

Publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(A)(vi))

Donations deductible (Pub 78)

Public charity, 50% deduction limit

Exempt since

2015

Accounting year ends

December

Files

Form 990 or 990-EZ

Category (NTEE)

Arts, culture and humanities (A23)

Assets (IRS master file)

$400,061

Income (IRS master file)

$505,044

Filing history

990-N: the IRS bulk file holds only the latest e-Postcard per organization; earlier years come from archived copies of that file since 2020 and can have gaps (the IRS e-Postcard search lists every one). 990, 990-EZ, 990-PF, 990-T: every e-filed return in the IRS e-file index since 2019; XML for the latest three processing years, amounts from the IRS Statistics of Income extracts before that. PDF copies and determination letters at the IRS (search EIN 47-2154537).

Questions about ASIAN CULTURE CENTER OF TENNESSEE

What is the EIN of ASIAN CULTURE CENTER OF TENNESSEE?

The employer identification number (EIN) of ASIAN CULTURE CENTER OF TENNESSEE is 47-2154537.

Is ASIAN CULTURE CENTER OF TENNESSEE tax-exempt?

Yes. The IRS lists it as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) since 2015.

Are donations to ASIAN CULTURE CENTER OF TENNESSEE tax-deductible?

Yes. It is listed in IRS Publication 78 (Public charity, 50% deduction limit).

Which annual return does ASIAN CULTURE CENTER OF TENNESSEE file?

Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N.

When is the next return of ASIAN CULTURE CENTER OF TENNESSEE due?

The return for tax year 2026 (the year ending December 31, 2026) is due May 17, 2027. Form 8868 extends it by six months; the 990-N cannot be extended.

When did ASIAN CULTURE CENTER OF TENNESSEE last file with the IRS?

The latest return in the IRS public files is the 990 for the year ended December 2025.

Who is the principal officer of ASIAN CULTURE CENTER OF TENNESSEE?

The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 names KUMI ALDERMAN.

Who are the officers and directors of ASIAN CULTURE CENTER OF TENNESSEE?

The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 lists 8 people; 1 received compensation from the organization, the highest $85,000 (KUMI ALDERMAN, EXECUTIVE DI).

How much revenue does ASIAN CULTURE CENTER OF TENNESSEE have?

On its 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 it reported revenue of $505,044, expenses of $377,959 and total assets of $400,061 at year end.

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