Our mission is to support and present multi-disciplinary art reflective of the unique experiences of Asian Pacific Islanders living in the United States.
History
The Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Center (APICC) was founded in 1995 by a steering committee of representatives of five nonprofit arts groups: Asian American Dance Performances, First Voice, Asian Improv aRts, Asian American Theater Company and Kearny Street Workshop to address the need for more adequate funding, space, and technical services for Asian American and Pacific Islander arts communities. It became a nonprofit organization in 1996 as 1 of 7 community city-sponsored Cultural Centers funded by the San Francisco Arts Commission. Since 1998, the Center has promoted the artistic and organizational growth of the City’s Asian and Pacific Islander arts communities by organizing and presenting the annual United States of Asian America Festival (USAAF).
USAAF heightens the visibility of artists working in all disciplines — theater, music, dance, film, literature, visual arts and more. The festival has taken place every year since 1996, presenting events throughout San Francisco between May-June. By showcasing artists representing a diverse range of ethnic and cultural groups as well as emerging and mid-career artists, the festival reflects the artistic accomplishments and cultural diversity of San Francisco’s Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.
APICC collaborates with both emerging and well-established groups allowing them access to APICC’s resources including its wealth of production and fundraising know-how. In addition, APICC provides free and affordable performance and rehearsal space to these groups in addition to general organizational consulting. Our organization's goal is to nurture and empower these groups to be self-sufficient and self-reliant while providing the support they need to grow.
Programs
United States of Asian American Festival
Each year, APICC presents up to 20 different programs across 6-8 weeks reflecting the artistic accomplishments and the cultural diversity of San Francisco’s Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. The festival aims to heighten the visibility of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) artists working in all disciplines - theater, music, dance, film, literature, visual arts, and more. Learn more about the festival >
Fiscal Sponsorship
APICC places special emphasis on incubating emerging Asian American and/or Pacific Islander artists, as well as other artists of color. We welcome individual artists and grassroots art collectives to apply for fiscal sponsorship with a project that relates to arts or culture, be non-commercial in nature, and have a community benefit component. Learn more about fiscal sponsorship >
Staff & Board
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Vinay Patel
Executive Director
he/him
Patel has over a decade as an arts administrator and has been a critical factor in the growth of Asian Improv aRts’ as an arts advocate (as a co-founder and a coordinator of the California Asian American and Pacific Islander Arts Network), producer (from local to international concerts, festivals, tours, recordings) and organizational development consultant as well. Patel has been the Executive Director of Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Center since 2009.
Photo by Shantré Pinkney.
Melania Elvena
Artistic Director
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Melanie Elvena is an arts producer, curator, community organizer, and artist, making an impact in the San Francisco Bay Area for the last 12 years. She serves as Artistic Director at Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Center, Programs & Communications Manager at Asian American Women Artists Association, and Arts Advisory Group Member for SOMA Pilipinas Cultural Heritage District. She holds a B.A. in Art History from the University of California - Irvine specializing in Modern/Contemporary Art.
When not making waves within Asian American arts, you can find her singing four-part a cappella harmony for the San Francisco Soundwave Chorus where she is also the Assistant Director. Melanie also moonlights as owner of Marahuyo Confections, a mobile pastry shop inspired by the tropical flavors of the Philippines and beyond. But more often than not, you can find her attending arts events all over the Bay Area with her beloved dog, Winnie.
Photo courtesy of the artist.
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Piper Cruze Prolago
Program Manager
she/her
Piper Cruze Prolago is a student in the History of Art PhD program at UC Berkeley where her research revolves around the role of the Philippines in transpacific networks of people, materials, and ideas during the 20th century. She grew up in Wichita, Kansas before moving to Oklahoma to study at the University of Tulsa. After completing her MA at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst in 2024, Piper moved to the Bay Area where she supports planning for the annual United States of Asian America Festival (USAAF) and plays in the Oakland Civic Orchestra.
Photo courtesy of the artist.
TJ Basa
Bookkeeper
she/her
TJ Basa is an experienced and dedicated nonprofit administrative professional who is passionate about creating, organizing, and maintaining efficient operations and systems that are the backbone of any organization. A proud Chinese Filipina, she has previously served with veritable local institutions such as Hospitality House, Kearny Street Workshop, and the South of Market Community Action Network. She got her start as a volunteer, organizer, and community artist with the San Francisco Filipino American community, notably with Bindlestiff Studio, which has been a creative home since 2006. She holds a BA in Interdisciplinary Studies from the California Institute of Integral Studies.
Photo courtesy of TJ Basa.
Sami See is a multidisciplinary artist, communications professional, and grant writer from San Francisco, CA. She is the founder of City Grants, a consulting group supporting emerging and mid-career creatives in accessing resources to sustain community-facing programs and businesses. Her work bridges art, wellness, and advocacy using storytelling, public art, and strategic communications to uplift underrepresented voices and build creative ecosystems rooted in care and collective transformation.
Photo courtesy of the artist.
Sami Schilf
Grant Writer
she/her
Yukiya Jerry Waki
Board Secretary
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Yukiya Jerry Waki is a nutrition educator and an advocate for re-envisioning nutrition programs in schools. He moonlights as a spoken word artist, writer, and was creator and host of The Buffet Show, a podcast showcasing artists, community organizers, and educators, which highlights their sacrifice and process in their work. Born in Coalinga, California and raised in Santa Maria, Mr. Waki's experience as a shin-Nisei offers a different perspective of American life post incarceration, and post redress and reparations. He currently resides in San Francisco with his wife Johanna, and son Sebastian.
Photo courtesy of the artist.
Janey Madamba
Board President
she/her
Janey has served on the APICC board since 2014, she is an Architect, dancer and a lover of the performing arts, and feels best when rooted in community.
Photo courtesy of the artist.
Pamela Wu-Kochiyama
Board Member / Executive Director /
Producing Artistic Director Emeritus
she/her
Born in Asheville, North Carolina and raised in New York, Pamela Wu-Kochiyama is a creative consultant, theater and concert director, visual arts curator, and artivist dedicated to building community through the arts. She co-founded the Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Center (APICC) and is Producing Artistic Director Emeritus of its United States of Asian America Arts Festival, now in its 29th year. Her collaborations with Van-Anh Võ include The Odyssey – From Vietnam to America (Yerba Buena Center for the Arts), Songs of Strength (Zellerbach Playhouse), Mekong Soul (Asia Society Texas and Kennedy Center), and Mekong Life (Stanford University). A dancer with the Destiny Arts Elders Project in Oakland, she continues to explore intergenerational storytelling through performance. She lives in Oakland with her partner Eddie and their dogs, Mimu and Zeruah.
Photo courtesy of the artist.
APICC is generously supported by
