WHAT IS THE FEATURED ARTIST?
Each year, APICC’s Artistic Director will choose a Featured Artist whose work will be highlighted to represent Asian and Pacific Islander artists in San Francisco’s arts community in its annual United States of Asian America Festival (USAAF). The artist chosen: is committed to API arts in San Francisco and the greater Bay Area; demonstrates leadership in building arts communities; creates high quality and engaging arts experiences for both artists involved and its audiences; and has participated in USAAF and/or has cultivated a deeper, collaborative relationship with APICC.
The Featured Artist not only receives fiscal support for the creation and presentation of their work for the festival, but will also be part of the jury that curates USAAF’s events and programs. The Featured Artist will be a leader and mentor in the festival’s process by leading professional development workshops and providing artistic feedback during the creation process to the other artists participating in USAAF. This level of support aims to fulfill APICC’s festival goals:
- Implement a commissioning program that will function as an artists incubator - creating multiple career pathways for API artists to grow.
- Facilitate community building with and between local API artists.
- Attain flexibility to address production and professional development needs of individual artists.
- Be more directly involved in supporting the artistic creation process.