Interested in applying next year? Review this year's Submission Guidelines below:
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Bay Area Arts Together
APICC has joined forces with over 100 arts and cultural organizations from throughout the San Francisco Bay Area to create #BayAreaArtsTogether to welcome you back to in-person performances, exhibits, and events, with the safety and health of staff, performers, and visitors at the forefront.
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USAAF 2022
UNITED STATES OF ASIAN AMERICA FESTIVAL 2022
GENERATIONS OF POWER
The Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Center of San Francisco announces and celebrates the 25th Annual United States of Asian America Festival.Each year, the United States of Asian American Festival (USAAF) presents up to 20 different programs reflecting the artistic accomplishments and cultural diversity of San Francisco’s Pacific Islander and Asian American communities. USAAF showcases artists representing a diverse range of ethnic and cultural groups and aims to heighten the visibility of Asian and Pacific Islander (API) artists working in all disciplines - theater, music, dance, film, literature, visual arts, and more! Our goal is to nurture and empower these groups to be self-sufficient while providing the support they need to grow.
This year’s USAAF is funded by the San Francisco Arts Commission, San Francisco Grants for the Arts, California Arts Council, Zellerbach Family Foundation and startsmall.
In celebration of USAAF and APICC's 25th Anniversary, this year’s theme, Generations of Power, explores the following:
- How can we harness the legacies of power that have been built to (re)tend the soil, seeds of yesterday and tomorrow for AAPI communities?
- How is AAPI power rooted in cultivating solidarity among our BIPOC communities and how do our communities intersect?
Photo by Marie Fontejon: Singers on the TNT SideCaraoke mic belt out the last song of the evening at the USAAF 2021 event at Kapwa Gardens.Click below to skip to a certain section:
USAAF 2022 CALENDAR • FESTIVAL ARTISTS • WORKSHOPS • CALL FOR PROPOSALS (NOW CLOSED)
USAAF 2022 CALENDAR
Click to view the FULL CALENDAR or the full list of events organized by date on the CALENDAR-AT-A-GLANCE and sign up to volunteer!
FULL CALENDAR • CALENDAR-AT-A-GLANCE • SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER
FESTIVAL ARTISTS
APICC is proud to announce the names of the artists participating in the 25th annual United States of Asian America Festival:
Alchemy & Twine Productions
Angela Han Art LLC
Bindlestiff Studio
Caroline Cabading
Eth-Noh-Tec
GAPA Theatre
KKSILOG
Leela Youth Dance Company
Macro Waves
Megan Lowe Dances
Ramon Abad
SAMMAY
SF Urban Film Fest
tashi tamate weiss
The Last Hoisan Poets & Del Sol Quartet
Vida Kuang & Carmen Chen (AAWAA)Artists and programs in this year's festival were selected by a panel of jurors including:
Aureen Almario, educator, artist and Artistic Director for Bindlestiff Studio
Ravi Chandra, San Francisco based M.D. psychiatrist, writer and compassion educator
Yukiya Jerry Waki, spoken word artist, writer, creator and host of The Buffet Show podcastStay tuned for program and events produced by these artists to take place in celebration of API Heritage, this May-June 2022!
PUBLIC WORKSHOPS
Available to all artists and producers participating in USAAF 2022, workshops are also free and open to the public to register.
Click each workshop link below to register and learn more (all times are Pacific Time):Budget & Fundraising
Wednesday, January 19 @ 6pmMarketing & Publicity
Monday, January 31 @ 6pmHybrid Programming
Monday, February 14 @ 6pmTaxes for Artists
Monday, March 14 @ 6pmLand Acknowledgements
(Formerly the Indigenous Protocol workshop, postponed from February)
Monday, March 28 @ 6pmASL interpretation and live automatic captions will be available via Zoom for all remaining workshops.
CALL FOR PROPOSALS NOW CLOSED
SUBMISSION DEADLINE
Monday, November 22, 2021 at 11:59PM PST
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
Individual artists, art groups, and art organizations are welcome to submit applications for art events occurring in May-June 15, 2022.
FESTIVAL THEME
Subject(s) of your program(s) and/or event(s) focus on themes related to Pacific Islander and Asian American themes and culture, connecting specifically to this year’s theme, Generations of Power:
- How can we harness the legacies of power that have been built to (re)tend the soil, seeds of yesterday and tomorrow for AAPI communities?
- How is AAPI power rooted in cultivating solidarity among our BIPOC communities and how do our communities intersect?
USAAF SUPPORTSAll mediums of art and culture (e.g., theater, storytelling, stand-up comedy, dance, performance art, solo performance, literary, panel discussion, music, visual art exhibition, performance poetry, film, spoken word, variety showcase, multimedia productions, multi-art productions, etc).
ELIGIBILITY
In order to be eligible to participate in USAAF:
- Pacific Islander and/or Asian American artists must be centralized within the artistic creation process, and constitute a majority of participating artists.
- Lead producing artist(s) must be based in the Bay Area (if outside Bay Area, contact Artistic Director Melanie Elvena at [email protected] to assess participation).
- Lead producing artist(s) must be over 18, but artists participating in the program can be all ages.
- Lead producing artist(s) must demonstrate the ability to produce their own event (i.e., including managing and executing all production, creative, technical, promotional, etc. responsibilities).
- Events must occur in May through June 15, 2022.
- Agree to attend APICC’s professional development workshops (it is highly recommended that you attend all workshops, dates listed below).
- Be able to meet all marketing and artistic deadlines (see below).
- Be a legal resident of the United States (if you are not a legal US resident, contact Artistic Director Melanie Elvena at [email protected] to assess participation).
USAAF DOES NOT FUND- Benefits and fundraisers.
- Events not open or accessible to the general public.
LEVELS OF SUPPORTThis year's award categories and levels of support have been adapted with consideration of health and safety guidelines around public gatherings at this time.
Click here to review the new award levels and the types of events that will be supported.
DEADLINE & SUBMISSION FORMAT
ALL SUBMISSIONS ARE DUE AT 11:59PM PST ON MONDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2021. No late submissions will be accepted. All files must be submitted through the online submission form.
If you have any problems with the submission form, please contact APICC's Artistic Director Melanie Elvena directly at [email protected]. No phone, post-mail, or in-person submissions will be accepted. Incomplete or incorrectly formatted submissions will also NOT be accepted.
Students and emerging artists are encouraged to apply.
APPLICATION CHECKLIST
It's recommended you draft your proposal on a separate document before submitting it through the application.
Click here to view a checklist of important items required to submit through the application.
IMPORTANT DATES
1:1 Application Workshops – Available until November 19, 2021 (sign up below)
Application Deadline – Monday, November 22, 2021 at 11:59PM PST
Artists Notified – Week of December 20, 2021
For selected producing artists:
Mandatory Orientation – Thursday, January 6, 2022
Contract Deadline – Thursday, January 6, 2022
Marketing Copy Deadline – Friday, February 25, 2022
Workshop Dates – January-March 2022 (Specific Dates TBD)
Festival Kick-Off – Friday, April 29, 2022 (Open to the public)APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED
APPLICATION WORKSHOPSOne-on-one application workshops were available by appointment via Calendly on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays until November 19, 2021.
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Anony Mous published USAAF 2022 Application Checklist in USAAF 2022 - Generations of Power 2021-10-28 20:01:48 -0700
USAAF 2022 Application Checklist
When filling out the USAAF 2022 online application, please make sure to have prepared:
ARTIST/GROUP INFORMATION
- Name of Artist/Group
- Contact Name (If different from Artist/Group name)
- Phone Number
- Mailing Address
- Website
- Links to Social Media Profiles
- Whether or not you have participated as a producing artist in USAAF before
EVENT INFORMATION
- Name of Event
- Type of Event (Check all that apply)
- Event Length & Duration
- Event Date(s)
- Award level you would like to be considered for your event (Self-Produced Virtual, Self-Produced In-Person, Co-Presented Outdoor Performance, Co-Presented Outdoor Production, Promoted)
- Prior to answering, please review a description of all award categories and levels of support here
- Prior to answering, please review a description of all award categories and levels of support here
SHORT EVENT DESCRIPTION
In 200 words or less, describe your proposed event including the event title, type of event, topic explored, and number of anticipated artists and audience members. As an example, “This proposal requests $(AMOUNT) to support (TITLE), a (TYPE OF EVENT i.e., performance piece, literary reading, exhibition, etc.) exploring (TOPIC) and featuring (NUMBER OF ARTISTS) artists that will attract an estimated audience of (ESTIMATED AUDIENCE NUMBER).”
PROJECT PROPOSAL
In 500 words or less, please:
- Describe the public event or program that you plan to showcase and your plan to promote and publicize it
- Explain how the subject(s) of your program(s) and/or event(s) focus on themes related to Pacific Islander and Asian American themes and culture
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Explain how this work is connected to this year’s theme - Generations of Power:
- How can we harness the legacies of power that have been built to (re)tend the soil, seeds of yesterday and tomorrow for AAPI communities?
- How is AAPI power rooted in cultivating solidarity among our BIPOC communities and how do our communities intersect?
BUDGET- Please provide a budget for your event/program outlining proposed income and expenses. Feel free to use this Budget Template and Sample Budget.
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Include any additional income sources such as current and/or pending grants, fundraising campaigns, etc.
GROUP OR ARTIST BIO & RESUME/CV
Please provide relevant proof of capacity to successfully produce a well-organized and well-attended cultural event or performance similar to that which is being proposed in the form of:
- Biography
- Resume/CV including an exhibitions, performances, productions, etc.
- Sizes of Audiences for various past performances
GROUP/ARTIST STATEMENTIn 500 words or less, tell us about your mission, values, philosophy, modes of creation and/or collaboration, artistic inspirations, etc.
ADDITIONAL SUPPORT MATERIALS
Please provide minimum 3 additional support materials or work samples that will be useful for the selection committee to get to know your work and your ability to produce well-organized, well-attended events featuring skillful art or meaningful discussion. We will accept:
- High quality images of your work and past events. Please upload up to 3 high resolution images in .jpg or .jpeg format. The images must be at least 4”x6” or 6”x4”. You may also provide a link to your online portfolio.
- An excerpt of your script or literary excerpt. Please upload files in .doc or .pdf format that are no more than 3 pages in length.
- Links to online video clips of your work. Please provide online links to high quality videos that are 3 minutes in length or less. You may also provide video clips with notated time segments in the "Special Instructions" for the selection committee to review. For password protected videos, please provide a guest password in the "Special Instructions".
- Press coverage in the form of full articles about your work.
- Reviews and Testimonials from audience members or other credible sources.
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Anony Mous published USAAF 2022 Award Levels & Eligibility in USAAF 2022 - Generations of Power 2021-10-28 20:01:39 -0700
USAAF 2022 Award Levels & Eligibility
ELIGIBILITY
In order to be eligible to participate in USAAF:
- Pacific Islander and/or Asian American artists must be centralized within the artistic creation process, and constitute a majority of participating artists.
- Lead producing artist(s) must be based in the Bay Area (if outside Bay Area, contact Artistic Director Melanie Elvena at [email protected] to assess participation).
- Lead producing artist(s) must be over 18, but artists participating in the program can be all ages.
- Lead producing artist(s) must demonstrate the ability to produce their own event (i.e., including managing and executing all production, creative, technical, promotional, etc. responsibilities).
- Events must occur in May through June 15, 2022.
- Agree to attend APICC’s professional development workshops (it is highly recommended that you attend all workshops).
- Be able to meet all marketing and artistic deadlines (see 'Important Dates' on USAAF 2022 page).
- Be a legal resident of the United States (if you are not a legal US resident, contact Artistic Director Melanie Elvena at [email protected] to assess participation).
LEVELS OF SUPPORT
Featured Events and the annual visual arts exhibition are proactively selected through internal APICC processes.
Artists or groups are encouraged to apply to USAAF within one of the following four (4) levels of support:
PROMOTIONAL EVENT
For artists, groups, or organizations who primarily (or only) need promotional assistance.
- Artists self-produce virtually broadcasted events
- APICC provides online promotional support only
- Artists eligible for free workshops and 4 hours of 1:1 consultation
SELF-PRODUCED VIRTUAL EVENTFor producing artists, groups or organizations who would prefer to produce an online event from their own space.
- Artists self-produce event in their own space to be broadcasted virtually
- Artists responsible for finding their own technical staff
- APICC provides promotional support and virtual account platform upon request (Zoom Pro and potentially other online streaming platforms)
- APICC provides venue for streaming at Bindlestiff upon request
- Artists eligible for free workshops and 4 hours of 1:1 consultation
$2000 total award in artist and tech/production fees to selected producing artist
SELF-PRODUCED IN-PERSON EVENTFor producing artists, groups or organizations who would prefer to produce an event with an in-person audience and a virtual livestream or recording.
- Artists self-produce event at a physical venue with an in-person audience
- Artist may choose to broadcast event virtually or release a recording following the event
- Artists responsible for finding their own technical staff
- APICC provides promotional support and virtual account platform upon request (Zoom Pro and potentially other online streaming platforms)
- Artists eligible for free workshops and 4 hours of 1:1 consultation
$4000 total award in artist, tech, venue and production fees to selected producing artist
CO-PRESENTED OUTDOOR PERFORMANCEArtists, groups or organizations interested in presenting a pre-produced 15-20 minute performing arts piece at an outdoor showcase presented by APICC may apply for this category.
- Artists produce and present a 15-20 minute performance at an outdoor showcase produced by APICC
- Performing arts piece may involve dance or movement work, literary reading, music or concert set or any other type of pre-produced artistic presentation suited for an outdoor presentation
- Outdoor venue/APICC will provide technical staff and support
- APICC provides promotional, documentation and box office support
$1000 total award in artist fees to selected producing artist
CO-PRESENTED OUTDOOR PRODUCTION
Artists, groups or organizations interested in producing their own 45-60 minute program at an outdoor showcase presented by APICC may apply for this category.
- Artists produce and present a 45-60 minute program at an outdoor showcase produced by APICC
- Outdoor venue/APICC will provide technical staff and support
- APICC provides promotional, documentation and box office support
$3000 total award in artist, tech/production fees to selected producing artist
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Press 2021
Press Content for the United States of Asian America Festival 2021
SF CHRONICLE DATEBOOK
Asian Americans forge the future in annual San Francisco festival
Brandon Yu - April 29, 2021‘Sowing Agency’ pays homage to Bay Area Asian Americans fighting climate change
Jessica Flores - April 30, 2021Celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month in the Bay Area
Yoshi Kato - Updated May 5, 2021LOCAL TV NEWS
Honoring Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
News Segment (Watch at 10:00) - May 30, 2021Documentary honors San Francisco community heroes who stepped up during pandemic
KTVU FOX 2, Debora Villalon - June 11, 2021FEATURES
What Can the Environmental Movement Learn From Asian American Art?
Aaron Mok, Sierra Magazine - May 18, 2021Kim Requesto Explores the Possibilities of Philippine Folk Dance in YUGTO
Stephanie Gancayo - May 27, 2021CAAMFest 2021 - Legacy and Lineage with Director Laura Paule and Producer Melanie Elvena
BitchTalk, EP 573 - May, 2021New ‘Lunchbox Moments’ Zine Offers One Antidote to Anti-Asian Racism
Luke Tsai, KQED Arts - June 3, 2021‘Sowing Agency:’ Uplifting AAPI voices in the Environmental Justice Movement
Zoe Binder, San Francisco Foghorn - May 6, 2021LISTINGS
Arts Forecast: Holy smokes, I went to a show. And ate inside a restaurant!
Marke B., 48 Hills - May 4, 2021Celebrate AAPI Heritage Month with dance, music, zines and the history of sugar
Amelia Williams, Bay City News Foundation, Local News Matters Bay Area - May 11, 202122 Fun Things to Do This Week (5.17.21)
Chloe Saraceni, 7x7 - May 15, 2021Sights and Sounds: Rachel Lastimosa, SOMA Pilipinas Art and Culture Administrator
Jenee Darden, KALW - May 20, 2021Arts Etc.
Alan Chong Lau, International Examiner - May 21, 2021Artists Create Virtual Gallery to Inspire Climate Joy
Maz Ali, EarthJustice - May 28, 202124th Annual USAAF
SF/Arts - May, 2021Invisible Traces: SF Chinatown
SF/Arts - June, 2021SF Sends $1,000 in Monthly Relief to Artists, Critics Say Process ‘Inequitable’
Chloe Veltman, KQED Arts - May 21, 2021Conflict over S.F. and YBCA’s guaranteed income for artists shows tension in movement for racial equity
Lily Janiak, SF Chronicle Datebook - June 1, 2021
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Anony Mous published USAAF 2021 Recap in USAAF 2021: Forging Our Futures - SoMa & Chinatown 2021-07-12 19:28:10 -0700
USAAF 2021 Festival Recap
***CONTENT HERE IS DRAFT ONLY. PAGE IS USING HTML CODE FROM TEMPLATE***
FUNDING SPONSORS
COMMUNITY PARTNERS
PRESS HIGHLIGHTS
SF CHRONICLE DATEBOOK
"Asian Americans forge the future in annual San Francisco festival"
Brandon Yu - April 29, 2021"‘Sowing Agency’ pays homage to Bay Area Asian Americans fighting climate change"
Jessica Flores - April 30, 2021"Celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month in the Bay Area"
Yoshi Kato - Updated May 5, 2021LOCAL TV NEWS
Honoring Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
News Segment (Watch at 10:00) - May 30, 2021Documentary honors San Francisco community heroes who stepped up during pandemic
KTVU FOX 2, Debora Villalon - June 11, 202148 HILLS
"Arts Forecast: Holy smokes, I went to a show. And ate inside a restaurant!"
Marke B. - May 4, 2021SIERRA CLUB
What Can the Environmental Movement Learn From Asian American Art?
Aaron Mok - May 18, 2021
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Anony Mous published USAAF 2021 Final Report in USAAF 2021: Forging Our Futures - SoMa & Chinatown 2021-07-12 18:46:44 -0700
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SAMMAY Productions
Organizational Mission
SAMMAY (Spiritually Awakened Matriarchal Magick Alchemizing You) Productions' mission is to highlight intercultural performance and exchange as a vehicle for collective healing and liberation. Through workshops, presentations, and dialogue - SAMMAY Productions provides accessible opportunities for the San Francisco BIPOC community to engage with creativity and critical inquiry rooted in ancestral wisdom and radical imagination. Urban x Indigenous is a centerpiece program that celebrates artivists, healers, and culture keepers in the intersections of decolonization and re-indigenization in the Bay Area and beyond. SAMMAY Productions centers indigenous practices and contemporary rituals for the healing of humanity and the preservation of Earth.Director Bio
Sammay Dizon aka SAMMAY (she/they/siya) is a Filipinx interdisciplinary artist, choreographer, filmmaker, and cultural producer of Bikol, Kapampangan, and Ilokano descent who bridges the traditional and contemporary in centering embodied storytelling as a vehicle for collective healing and liberation. Through multimedia dance theatre, she invokes rituals for remembering and decolonizing - creating to honor the tapestry of indigenous epistemologies embedded in our urban landscapes. Raised in LA County/Tongva Land and a settler in San Francisco/Yelamu, her practice is rooted in the fundamental knowing that dance is the medium that connects the earth and ancestral realm - the passageway to transmute intergenerational trauma across cultural lines and geographical borders.
Dizon has been featured through Bindlestiff Studio, Dance Mission Theater, and Eastside Arts Alliance among others. In 2015, she founded annual intercultural multidisciplinary arts festival Urban x Indigenous (UxI) to collectively realize the potentialities within and through our indigenous traditions and urban contemporary landscapes. Dizon continues to expand UxI’s endeavors within the global indigenous community through critical dialogue, workshops, and public art presentations centered in intercultural and intergenerational exchanges through an intersectional framework.
Dizon was the first ever Featured Festival Artist for the annual United States of Asian America Festival presented by Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Center in 2018 and has been awarded fellowships and residencies from CounterPulse, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, and American Conservatory Theater among others. Dizon holds a B.A. in Media Studies and Sociology and minors in Dance & Performance Studies and Global Poverty & Practice from UC Berkeley. Presently, she is a Core Member of acclaimed street dance theatre company Embodiment Project and Chair of Dance for Balay Kreative, a future Filipinx American cultural arts center in San Francisco. To follow her journey, visit www.sammaydizon.com.
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Anony Mous published USAAF 2021 Calendar at a Glance in USAAF 2021 Calendar 2021-04-22 21:27:38 -0700
USAAF 2021 Calendar at a Glance
Calendar of USAAF 2021 events organized by date in descending order.
MAY EVENTS
WEEK 1
Friday, April 30 - Sunday, May 23
APICC x AAWAA
Sowing Agency
SOMArts Cultural Center and OnlineWEEK 2-3
Friday, May 7 @ 6pm - Saturday, May 15
URBAN x INDIGENOUS
UxI 2021: Between Worlds
OnlineThursday, May 13 - Sunday, May 23
APICC x CAAMFest
Legacy & Lineage Screening & Q&A
OnlineSunday, May 16 @ 2pm
Genny Lim*
Memory, Meaning and Memoir
OnlineWEEK 4
Saturday, May 22 @ 2pm
The Last Hoisan Poets & the Del Sol Quartet
Angel Island Insight
OnlineWEEK 5
Saturday, May 29 @ 2pm
Kim Requesto
YUGTO
OnlineSaturday, May 29 @ 7pm
Lauren Andrei Garcia
Kilig Girl: A Prologue
OnlinePortsmouth Square, May 30, 2021
Melody of China
Francis Wong Trio
Michael Warr and Chun Yu
Jon Jang & Paul Flores*
Never Again Now!
Macro Waves
Altar-N8 Realm: Chinatown
Audrey Thao Berger & Noah Wang
All That We Hold
Megan Lowe Dances
Maw Jaw
Michael Arcega and Paolo Asuncion
TNT SideCaraoke
Erina Alejo
Amoy Tayong Araw! We Smell Like Sunshine!
JUNE EVENTS
WEEK 6
Kapwa Gardens, June 5, 2021
SOMA Pilipinas*
Liwanag 3 - Book Launch
Michael Arcega & Paolo Asuncion
TNT SideCaraoke
Erina Alejo
Amoy Tayong Araw! We Smell Like Sunshine!WEEK 7
Wednesday, June 9 @ 7pm
The Rooted Recipes Project*
Rooted Recipes Project x Forging Our Futures
OnlineThursday, June 10 @ 6pm
Harvey Lozada
IT TAKES THE HOOD TO SAVE THE HOOD
OnlineFriday, June 11 @ 6pm
Johnny Huy Nguyen
Minority Without A Model
OnlineFriday, June 11 @ 7pm - Sunday, June 13
QWOCMAP
17th annual Queer Women of Color Film Festival
OnlineWEEK 7 (Continued...)
Saturday, June 12 @ 2pm
dNaga
Invisible Traces: SF Chinatown
OnlineSaturday, June 12 and Sunday, June 13 @ 5pm
Eth-Noh-Tec*
If We Only Knew
OnlineSunday, June 13 (Release)
Vida Kuang*
Scattered Home Voices
Chinatown (Various Locations)WEEK 8
Tuesday, June 15 (Release)
Bindlestiff Studio
FOBcast
OnlineThursday, June 17 @ 7pm
Balay Kreative & Kearny Street Workshop
Pilipinx Virtual Histories
OnlineWEEK 9
Sunday, June 27 @ 7pm
Queer as Fuck
Radical Joy
Online
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Anony Mous published USAAF 2021 Calendar in USAAF 2021: Forging Our Futures - SoMa & Chinatown 2021-04-20 08:32:28 -0700
USAAF 2021 Calendar
Welcome to the online calendar for the 24th Annual United States of Asian America Festival: Forging Our Futures - SoMa & Chinatown! In celebration of API Heritage Month, APICC is excited to present outdoor and virtual programming this MAY-JUNE.
Festival events and our selected producing artists are listed below. All times are listed in Pacific Standard Time (PST). Events with an asterisk (*) are featured and commissioned artists of APICC and USAAF 2021.
This online calendar is best viewed on a desktop computer. Click through each link or image for more details on each program.
Event pages may be updated with more info as each date approaches.
CALENDAR AT A GLANCE
Click above to view the full calendar of USAAF 2021 events organized by date.
SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER
APICC PRESENTATIONS
APICC x AAWAA
Sowing Agency
April 30-May 23, SOMArts Cultural CenterAPICC x CAAMFest
Legacy & Lineage Screening On Demand
Available on-demand May 13-23, OnlineJon Jang & Paul Flores*
Never Again, NOW!
May 6, 19 and 30, Online and at Portsmouth Square
CHINATOWN: OUR FUTURE IS NOW!
Portsmouth Square, May 30 @ 1-6PM
REGISTER HERE
SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER
APICC is proud to co-present the following programs as part of the outdoor showcase in San Francisco's Chinatown
1:00-2:45 PM PST
Melody of China
Francis Wong Trio
Michael Warr and Chun Yu
3:30-5:45 PM PST
Audrey Thao Berger & Noah Wang
All That We Hold
Erina Alejo
Tayo'y Amoy Araw! We Smell Like Sunshine!Macro Waves
Altar-N8 Realm: Chinatown
Megan Lowe Dances
Maw Jaw
Michael Arcega and Paolo Asuncion
TNT SideCaraoke
Jon Jang & Paul Flores*
Never Again, NOW!
KAPWA GARDENS OUTDOOR SHOWCASE
Kapwa Gardens, June 5, 2021
REGISTER HERE
SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER
APICC is proud to co-present the following programs as part of the outdoor showcase in San Francisco's South of Market Area
Erina Alejo
Tayo'y Amoy Araw! We Smell Like Sunshine!SOMA Pilipinas*
Liwanag 3 - Book Launch
Audrey Thao Berger & Noah Wang
All That We Hold
Megan Lowe Dances
Maw Jaw
Michael Arcega & Paolo Asuncion
TNT SideCaraoke
FEATURED & CO-PRESENTED VIRTUAL PROGRAMS
APICC is proud to co-present the following virtual programs
Genny Lim*
Memory, Meaning and Memoir
Sunday, May 16 @ 2pmKim Requesto
YUGTO
Saturday, May 29 @ 2pmThe Rooted Recipes Project*
Rooted Recipes Project x Forging Our Futures
Wednesday, June 9 @ 7pmJohnny Huy Nguyen
Minority Without A Model
Friday, June 11 @ 6pmEth-Noh-Tec*
If We Only Knew
Saturday-Sunday, June 12-13 @ 5pmVida Kuang*
Scattered Home
Releasing Sunday, June 13
ONLINE PROGRAMS
Save the date for these artist produced online events!
URBAN x INDIGENOUS
UxI 2021: Between Worlds
Friday, May 7 @ 6pm - Saturday, May 15**BANGON NA! Filipinx Healing Summit takes place at Kapwa Gardens on May 15, 12-5pm
The Last Hoisan Poets & the Del Sol Quartet
Angel Island Insight
Saturday, May 22 @ 2pmLauren Andrei Garcia
Kilig Girl: A Prologue
Saturday, May 29 @ 7pmHarvey Lozada
IT TAKES THE HOOD TO SAVE THE HOOD
Thursday, June 10 @ 6pmQWOCMAP
17th annual Queer Women of Color Film Festival
Friday, June 11 @ 7pm - Sunday, June 13dNaga
Invisible Traces: SF Chinatown
Saturday, June 12 @ 2pmBindlestiff Studio
FOBcast
Releasing June 15Balay Kreative & Kearny Street Workshop
Pilipinx Virtual Histories
Thursday, June 17 @ 7pmQueer as Fuck
Radical Joy
Sunday, June 27 @ 7pm
#USAAF2021 #ForgingOurFutures
USAAF 2021 JURORSFrances Wong, musician, composer and Creative Director of Asian Improv aRts
Aureen Almario, educator, artist and Artistic Director for Bindlestiff Studio
Erika Gee, educator, administrator, and cultural workerThank you to all of APICC's funders:
Stay Up to Date
Sign up for our NEWSLETTER and follow us on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, TWITTER
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Anony Mous published USAAF 2021 Press Release in USAAF 2021: Forging Our Futures - SoMa & Chinatown 2021-03-26 01:45:28 -0700
USAAF 2021 Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Christina Leilani Campbell
[email protected]FORGING OUR FUTURES: ASIAN AMERICAN ARTISTS HEAL COMMUNITY
Asian American artists center hope in face of anti-Asian violence in San Francisco’s 24th Annual United States of Asian America Festival
Eth-Noh-Tec performs Red Altar. Image courtesy of the artists.SAN FRANCISCO, CA, March 26, 2021- Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Center (APICC) presents the 24th annual United States of Asian America Festival (USAAF), dedicated to highlighting the artistic accomplishments and cultural diversity of San Francisco’s Pacific Islander and Asian American communities. USAAF is making waves within the Bay Area, with a lineup featuring rising artists in visual art, podcast, music, theatre, and dance scenes throughout San Francisco and beyond. The festival includes innovative art productions and events including Sowing Agency (opening exhibition), art by Vida Kuang (artist and educator), Liwanag 3 (SOMAPilipinas) and Eth-Noh-Tec (Asian American kinetic storytelling), as well as many more locally grown artists and programs.
Forging our Futures Through Art Amidst Anti-Asian Hate
“For Asian Pacific Islander communities, this past year has been mired in such immense pain and tragic loss - countless lives taken by COVID-19, numerous legacy businesses closing with others struggling to survive, social and cultural hubs left barren, and the frightening rise of anti-Asian violence here in the SF Bay Area and nationwide,” says Melanie Elvena, Artistic Director of APICC. “I want this year’s festival to be a sanctuary where art becomes the channel through which our communities hold our grief, tell our stories, and collectively imagine futures of hope and recovery where we can thrive beyond this moment.” Under the theme of Forging Our Futures, USAAF gives AAPI artists the opportunity to build platforms and tell stories that empower AAPI communities of San Francisco.
Using Our Voices to Increase AAPI Representation and Awareness
2021 has been a pivotal year for AAPI representation, specifically in the San Francisco Bay Area. This includes film stars Daniel Wu and Ali Wong, dance company director Lenora Lee, visual artist Bernice Bing and well-known comedians Margaret Cho and Hasan Minhaj. In light of the countless anti-Asian hate crimes that have directly impacted the AAPI community on top of the pandemic, many of these artists have spoken out to condemn the violence that is happening across the country. Similar to what these artists are doing, USAAF provides a space to foster hope and resiliency for the AAPI community.
The United States of Asian America Festival has long been a space for API artists, emerging and established alike, to create something new and very much needed. This year, positioned in a poignant moment of looking back, the festival is a cultivation and celebration of Asian Pacific Islander memory and future-making. Ranging from renewing intergenerational histories to cultivating community care, spanning grief, revival, nourishment, and everything in between, the festival’s 20+ programs take place throughout San Francisco from April 30 to June 26. A comprehensive festival schedule can be found at www.apiculturalcenter.org/usaaf2021
Sowing Agency artist, Cindy Shih, paints in her studio.
Image courtesy of the artist.HIGHLIGHTED FESTIVAL EVENTS
Sowing Agency (Opening April 30) - This year’s festival kicks off with Sowing Agency, a multidisciplinary arts exhibition activating our AAPI communities to engage in the issues of today’s climate crisis. Artists include muralist and painter Priya Kaur Handa and long time community organizer Pam Tau Lee. Presented in partnership with the Asian American Women Artists Association.
Liwanag 3 (June 5) - SOMA Pilipinas presents the Liwanag 3 book launch, a showcase of Filipino readings in genres ranging from poetry, fiction, playwriting, comics/graphic novels and featuring paintings, prints, illustrations and/or photography.
"If We Only Knew" (June 12) - Eth-Noh-Tec presents their 40th anniversary concert as an Asian American kinetic storytelling group, examining how much the ‘then’ they chose created the ‘future’ we now live.
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AAPI Artists and Art Organizations Against Hate
Dear Community,
We are devastated by the shootings in Atlanta, Georgia that led to the murder of 8 people, 6 victims who were targeted as Asian women, by a white domestic terrorist. The further mistreatment by the police and media who have not officially deemed this a hate crime is racist and abusive to the victims’ families and all Asian American Pacific Islander communities already severely impacted by the pandemic. We know that many of you are feeling emotions of fear, anger, frustration, and grief over these events as we have been witnessing the anti-Asian violence rise in the San Francisco Bay Area and across the nation. Also coupled with the shooting in Boulder, Colorado this week resulting in Islamophobic rhetoric, we condemn these plagues of racism, sexism and xenophobia. We resist the white supremacist systems and institutions that are embedded in American society that suppress Black, Indigenous, and people of color communities.
Read more
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Unity Archive
APICC is proud to fiscally sponsor Unity Archive Project. Donations to Unity Archive Project can be made on this page through APICC as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
The Unity Archives Project (click here for the website) is an online archive project for Unity/La Unidad.
Unity/La Unidad was published from 1978 to 1990 by the League of Revolutionary Struggle (M-L). Published twice a month, it appeared in three languages: English, Spanish and Chinese. Unity/La Unidad offered a radical perspective on national and international news along with first-hand reports from the frontlines of battles for self-determination, worker’s rights, women’s liberation, and social justice.
*For check donations, please write checks to 'Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Center' with 'Unity Archive Project' in the memo. Please include a return mailing address or email address to send the donation acknowledgement to.
Send checks to the address below:
APICC
Donate
934 Brannan Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
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Anony Mous published Standing United with our Asian Pacific Islander Community in APICC News 2021-03-16 22:39:54 -0700
Standing United with our Asian Pacific Islander Community
WE STAND UNITED WITH OUR ASIAN AMERICAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER COMMUNITY AND CONDEMN ANTI-ASIAN VIOLENCE.
The race-based hate and attacks against our community has been an ongoing issue we've faced and it's now been elevated due to racist and xenophobic rhetoric surrounding the pandemic. Many of these incidents of hate often go unreported. We urge anyone who has been a victim to seek help, and know that your are not alone. If you are in need of any resources or want to learn how you can support, take a look at the list of resources below.
Read more
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Anony Mous published USAAF 2021: Forging Our Futures - SoMa & Chinatown in Festival 2021-01-11 16:10:01 -0800
USAAF 2021
THE UNITED STATES OF ASIAN AMERICA FESTIVAL 2021
FORGING OUR FUTURES - SOMA & CHINATOWNThe Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Center of San Francisco announces the 24th Annual United States of Asian America Festival.
About the USAAF 2021
Each year, the United States of Asian American Festival (USAAF) presents up to 20 different programs reflecting the artistic accomplishments and cultural diversity of San Francisco’s Pacific Islander and Asian American communities. USAAF showcases artists representing a diverse range of ethnic and cultural groups and aims to heighten the visibility of Asian and Pacific Islander (API) artists working in all disciplines - theater, music, dance, film, literature, visual arts, and more! Our goal is to nurture and empower these groups to be self-sufficient while providing the support they need to grow.
This year’s USAAF is funded by the San Francisco Arts Commission, San Francisco Grants for the Arts, California Arts Council, Fleishhacker Foundation, Zellerbach Family Foundation, startsmall and the National Endowment for the Arts.
This year’s theme, Forging Our Futures - SoMa & Chinatown, explores the following:
• How are we fostering recovery, resilience, and regeneration in our SoMa and Chinatown communities during these difficult times?
• What does place-making and community building look like in SoMa and Chinatown’s past, present, and future? How do they intersect?
• How are we imagining and manifesting empowered futures for ourselves and our communities?Film still from Water Pilgrimage by Ranko Ogura, edited by Daniel Ancheta for USAAF 2020.
USAAF 2021 RECAP
Read the full festival recap and continue to see USAAF 2021 art throughout the summer!
USAAF 2021 CALENDAR
Full list of online and outdoor programming happening May-June, 2021
CALENDAR-AT-A-GLANCE
SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER
PRESS COVERAGE
PRESS RELEASE
SF CHRONICLE DATEBOOK
"Asian Americans forge the future in annual San Francisco festival"
Brandon Yu - April 29, 2021"‘Sowing Agency’ pays homage to Bay Area Asian Americans fighting climate change"
Jessica Flores - April 30, 2021"Celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month in the Bay Area"
Yoshi Kato - Updated May 5, 2021LOCAL TV NEWS
Honoring Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
ABC7 News Segment (Watch at 10:00) - May 30, 2021Documentary honors San Francisco community heroes who stepped up during pandemic
KTVU FOX 2, Debora Villalon - June 11, 202148 HILLS
"Arts Forecast: Holy smokes, I went to a show. And ate inside a restaurant!"
Marke B. - May 4, 2021SIERRA CLUB
What Can the Environmental Movement Learn From Asian American Art?
Aaron Mok - May 18, 2021
FESTIVAL ARTISTS
The Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Center is thrilled to announce the presenting artists for the 24th Annual United States of Asian America Festival:
FEATURED & COMMISSIONED ARTISTS
Jon Jang
SOMA Pilipinas
The Rooted Recipes Project
Vida KuangCO-PRESENTED ARTISTS
Audrey Thao Berger and Noah Wang
Eth-Noh-Tec
Johnny Huy Nguyen
Kim Requesto
Megan Lowe Dances
Macro Waves Collective
Michael Arcega and Paolo AsuncionARTISTS PRESENTING SELF-PRODUCED VIRTUAL EVENTS
Balay Kreative & Pilipinx Virtual Histories
dNaga
Erina Alejo
Harvey Lozada
The Last Hoisan Poets and the Del Sol String Quartet
The FOBCAST at Bindlestiff Studio
Queer AFPROMOTED ARTISTS
Lauren Andrei Garcia
SAMMAY Productions and Urban x Indigenous
Genny Lim and "Memory, Meaning & Memoir" Workshop Participants
WORKSHOPS
The following workshops are open to the public with a focus on events occurring as part of USAAF 2021.
Click each workshop link below to register:Programming During the Pandemic
Monday, March 15 @ 6pm
Budget & Fundraising
Wednesday, March 17 @ 6pm
Taxes for Artists
Monday, March 22 @ 6pm
Marketing & Publicity
Wednesday, March 24 @ 6pm
CALL FOR PROPOSALS NOW CLOSED
SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Monday, February 8, 2021 at 11:59PM PST
Interested in applying next year? Review this year's Submission Guidelines.
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Anony Mous published USAAF 2021 Application Checklist in USAAF 2021: Forging Our Futures - SoMa & Chinatown 2021-01-11 16:09:52 -0800
USAAF 2021 Application Checklist
When filling out the USAAF 2021 online application, please make sure to have prepared:
SHORT EVENT DESCRIPTION
In 200 words or less, describe your proposed event including the event title, type of event, topic explored, and number of anticipated artists and audience members. As an example, “This proposal requests $(AMOUNT) to support (TITLE), a (TYPE OF EVENT i.e., performance piece, literary reading, exhibition, etc.) exploring (TOPIC) and featuring (NUMBER OF ARTISTS) artists that will attract an estimated audience of (ESTIMATED AUDIENCE NUMBER).”
PROJECT PROPOSAL
In 500 words or less, please (1) describe the work that you plan to showcase, and (2) explain how this work is connected to this year’s theme – Forging Our Futures - SoMa & Chinatown – and how the subject(s) of your program(s) and/or event(s) focus on themes related to Pacific Islander and Asian American themes and culture:
- How are we fostering recovery, resilience, and regeneration in our SoMa and Chinatown communities during these difficult times?
- What does place-making and community building look like in SoMa and Chinatown’s past, present, and future? How do they intersect?
- How are we imagining and manifesting empowered futures for ourselves and our communities?
GROUP OR ARTIST BIO & RESUME/CVPlease provide relevant proof of capacity to successfully produce a well-organized and well-attended cultural event or performance similar to that which is being proposed in the form of:
- Biography
- Resume/CV including an exhibitions, performances, productions, etc.
- Sizes of Audiences for various past performances
GROUP/ARTIST STATEMENTIn 500 words or less, tell us about your mission, values, philosophy, modes of creation and/or collaboration, artistic inspirations, etc.
ADDITIONAL SUPPORT MATERIALS
Please provide minimum 3 additional support materials or work samples that will be useful for the selection committee to get to know your work and your ability to produce well-organized, well-attended events featuring skillful art or meaningful discussion. We will accept:
- High quality images of your work and past events. Please upload up to 3 high resolution images in .jpg or .jpeg format. The images must be at least 4”x6” or 6”x4”. You may also provide a link to your online portfolio.
- An excerpt of your script or literary excerpt. Please upload files in .doc or .pdf format that are no more than 3 pages in length.
- Links to online video clips of your work. Please provide online links to high quality videos that are 3 minutes in length or less. You may also provide video clips with notated time segments in the "Special Instructions" for the selection committee to review. For password protected videos, please provide a guest password in the "Special Instructions".
- Press coverage in the form of full articles about your work.
- Reviews and Testimonials from audience members or other credible sources.
BUDGET- Please provide a budget for your event/program outlining proposed income and expenses. Feel free to use this Budget Template and Sample Budget.
- Include any additional income sources such as current and/or pending grants, fundraising campaigns, etc.
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Anony Mous published USAAF 2021 Award Levels & Eligibility in USAAF 2021: Forging Our Futures - SoMa & Chinatown 2021-01-11 16:08:46 -0800
USAAF 2021 AWARD LEVELS & ELIGIBILITY
LEVELS OF SUPPORT
Featured Events and the annual visual arts exhibition are proactively selected through internal APICC processes.
Artists or groups are encouraged to apply to USAAF within one of the following four (4) levels of support:
PROMOTIONAL VIRTUAL EVENT
For artists, groups, or organizations who primarily (or only) need promotional assistance.
- Artists self-produce virtually broadcasted events
- APICC provides online promotional support only
- Artists eligible for free workshops and 4 hours of 1:1 consultation
SELF-PRODUCED VIRTUAL EVENTFor producing artists, groups or organizations who would prefer to produce an online event from their own space. The producing artist does not need to reside or produce the event in SoMa or Chinatown as long as they have strong ties or are working with the API communities living in these neighborhoods.
- Artists self-produce event in their own space to be broadcasted virtually
- Artists responsible for finding their own technical staff
- APICC provides promotional support and virtual account platform (Zoom Pro and potentially other online streaming platforms)
- Artists eligible for free workshops and 4 hours of 1:1 consultation
$5000 total award in artist and tech/production fees to selected producing artist
CO-PRESENTED VIRTUAL EVENTFor producing artists, groups or organizations interested in producing their virtual event at an APICC-approved venue. Potential venues include Bindlestiff Studio, SOMArts Cultural Center or I-Hotel Manilatown.
- Artists produce event in an APICC-approved venue
- Venue or APICC will provide technical staff and support
- APICC provides promotional support and virtual account platform (Zoom Pro and potentially other online streaming platforms)
- Potential Approved Venues - Bindlestiff Studio, SOMArts, I-Hotel Manilatown
$4500 total award in artist and tech/production fees to selected producing artist
CO-PRESENTED OUTDOOR EVENT WITH VIRTUAL STREAMAPICC will book an outdoor venue in SoMa and Chinatown for two separate showcases. Artists, groups or organizations interested in showcasing at either of these two outdoor showcases may apply for this category and must specify a preferred neighborhood in the application.
- Artists produce and present work at an outdoor showcase produced by APICC
- Outdoor venue/APICC will provide technical staff and support
- APICC provides promotional support, virtual streaming support and virtual account platform (Zoom Pro and potentially other online streaming platforms)
$4500 total award in artist and tech/production fees to selected producing artist
ELIGIBILITYIn order to be eligible to participate in USAAF:
- Pacific Islander and/or Asian American artists must be centralized within the artistic creation process, and constitute a majority of participating artists.
- Lead producing artist(s) must be based in the Bay Area (if outside Bay Area, contact Artistic Director Melanie Elvena to assess participation).
- Lead producing artist(s) must be over 18, but artists participating in the program can be all ages.
- Lead producing artist(s) must demonstrate the ability to produce their own event (i.e., including managing and executing all production, creative, technical, promotional, etc. responsibilities).
- Events must occur in May through mid-June, 2021.
- Agree to attend APICC’s professional development workshops (it is highly recommended that you attend all workshops).
- Be able to meet all marketing and artistic deadlines (see below).
- Be a legal resident of the United States (if you are not a legal US resident, contact Artistic Director Melanie Elvena to assess participation).
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A Statement of Solidarity
Graphics by Kalaya'an Mendoza, co-founder of Across FrontlinesDear Community,
We are grateful for the privilege to create spaces and opportunities for Asian Pacific Islander artists and cultural workers. As we have the opportunity to celebrate our art and culture, we stand in solidarity with the lives of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, George Floyd, along with their families and communities. It is important for our community to recognize the historical violence and injustice inflicted upon black, brown and indigenous communities and call ourselves in to dismantle racist and oppressive systems. While there will always be much more to do, every act of engagement can open up possibilities to create a more just world. As non-black people of color we must take ownership of our participation in working towards anti-racism, in support of Black Lives Matter.
Read more
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USAAF 2020 Online
Welcome to the online program listings for the 23rd Annual United States of Asian America Festival: FINDING KINSHIP! In celebration of API Heritage Month, APICC is excited to present virtual programming originally set to occur MAY-JUNE at various locations in San Francisco and Oakland.
Need a break from the screen, but still want to feel connected? Listen to the FINDING KINSHIP playlist on Spotify, including songs, poetry and music recommended by USAAF 2020 artists. Featuring songs by Jon Jang, Boondock Squad, Sammay Dizon and Ruby Ibarra.
Festival events and our selected producing artists are listed below and best viewed on desktop.
Click through each link for more details on viewing or attending each program onlineThis page is to be updated weekly.
UPDATE: Productions by Virada Chatikul, Gay Asian Pacific Alliance and Asian Prisoner Support Committee have been canceled.
ONLINE RELEASES
APICC presents
LEGACY AND LINEAGE
Short films profiling the unique journey
of 5 Asian American community artists.Sami See
The 9th DambanaAugmented Reality Illustrations by Sami See
USAAF 2020 Featured ArtistRanko Ogura Dance
Water PilgrimageStay tuned for a video featuring movement that explores the kinship between humans and water.
Erina Alejo
A Hxstory of RentingWeekly blog posts about residents & peers on
their memories of growing up in SOMALauren Ito
Political InheritanceSeries of photo portraits of Asian American
activists and community organizersdNaga
Mom & Me: The Warrior HeartVideos of rehearsals to be released this June
LIVE STREAMED EVENTS
Genny Lim
Window: Glimpses Of Our Storied PastLiterary reading with music performance
by Francis Wong.URBAN X INDIGENOUS
UxI 2020: Urban-Indigenous Futurism
Online visual art gallery and a series of
workshops, performances, presentations,
discussions and ceremonial events.Rea Lynn de Guzman
Wander Woman 2
Local immigrant women of color artists take over @wander_woman_artists each week of MayLive Artist Talk & Performances June 5
Ramon Abad
Rosalyn Learns How to Misbehave:
A Zoom Puppet Story
Ramon Abad & the Bindlestiff Studio Puppet Crew present a live stream puppet performance.
QWOCMAP
SafeSpace/NoPlace
LBTQ People of Color 16th annual San Francisco International Queer Women of Color Film Festival
Kearny Street Workshop presents
Aria Aber and Monica Sok
Literary reading with music from Kohinoorgasm
Jon Jang
So Many TearsMarcus Shelby, Genny Lim, Francis Wong and
USAAF 2020 Featured Artist, Jon JangParivar Bay Area
Parivar Ka PyarOnline gallery to be released with live performances via Zoom
jxtheo
Paper Trail of FREEDOMBook launch featuring poetry and spoken word
#USAAF2020 #FINDING KINSHIP
USAAF 2020 JURORSEddie Wong, activist, filmmaker and editor/publisher of East Wind Ezine.
Tatiana Chaterji, performing artist, writer, co-founder of Subcontinental Drift Easy Bay
Sami Schilf, San Francisco Bay Area based visual artist and muralistFunded in part by:
Sponsored in part by:
Stay Up to Date
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Anony Mous published An Important Message from APICC in USAAF 2020 - FINDING KINSHIP 2020-03-16 17:06:18 -0700
An Important Message from APICC
Dear Community,
In light of the rapidly changing circumstances regarding COVID-19 prevention, APICC’s staff and board have been in earnest discussion about the orders and advice coming from local, state, and federal authorities on how best to protect those who could have the worst outcomes from the virus. As of last Friday, March 13, the City & County of San Francisco issued a Public Health Order prohibiting non-essential gatherings of 100 people or more and recommending to cancel meetings of 10 or more people with vulnerable populations until April 30. As of today, an article has also just been released notifying the public of a shelter-in-place order to be in effect in 6 Bay Area counties until April 7.
Over the course of the past few weeks, many other businesses, places of entertainment, worship, and educational institutions have already made the decision to halt non-essential activities, to limit the risk of close contact with potential carriers of the virus. Our community's health is very important to us, so we are postponing any upcoming major events until further notice. Seeing our friends at performances and art openings while presenting our amazing artists are the highlights of our year. We will miss seeing all of you during the spring, but we know we’ll be back together again.
In regards to the upcoming United States of Asian America Festival: FINDING KINSHIP, we are working with this year’s producing artists to find creative alternatives and opportunities to bring API stories to the public.
Amidst racist and xenophobic profiling in relation to the virus, we recognize that presenting art and culture by API artists is most important during moments like this. We encourage our community to stay up to date using accurate information from reliable resources such as those linked below.
During this time of reflection we will be working with our funders to find ways to help mitigate the economic and professional losses our artists will be facing. We thank our major funders such as SF Grants for the Arts, SF Arts Commission, California Arts Council, Cal Humanities, and Zellerbach Family Foundation for taking leadership in trying to understand the impact this is going to have on small cultural nonprofits and community artists. We also thank our civic leaders who have been tireless in gathering information, making historically difficult decisions and keeping us informed.
RESOURCES & FACTS
- Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s info on the virus
- Official Guidelines from the State of California
- Coronavirus Facts from the San Francisco Department of Public Health
- Friday, March 13 Public Health Order, prohibiting gatherings of 100 or more persons issued by the City & County of San Francisco until April 30, 2020
- Monday, March 16 San Francisco Chronicle article on the shelter-in-place announcement
Every member of our community deserves to be safe and although these are difficult decisions, they are the right ones to take. Please remain vigilant in social distancing and look out for your loved ones.
Please feel free to contact us via email at [email protected] if you have any questions or concerns.
Thank you,
Vinay, Melanie and DianaAsian Pacific Islander Cultural Center Staff