USAAF 2016: Civil Dis(place)ment

Each year, the United States of Asian America Festival (USAAF) presents between 20 to 30 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 theme, Civil Dis(place)ment: A variation on civil disobedience, with the city’s rapidly shifting demographics, explores issues and narratives that speak to our diverse communities on the topic of displacement:

• How has art, culture, and placemaking subsisted historically and what does art, culture, and placemaking look like for our communities today?

• How have artists resisted the causes and consequences of displacement?

• How do we ensure a future where arts and culture in San Francisco will thrive?