USAAF 2021

THE UNITED STATES OF ASIAN AMERICA FESTIVAL 2021
FORGING OUR FUTURES - SOMA & CHINATOWN

The 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, 2021

LOCAL TV NEWS

Honoring Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
ABC7 News Segment (Watch at 10:00) - May 30, 2021

Documentary honors San Francisco community heroes who stepped up during pandemic
KTVU FOX 2, Debora Villalon - June 11, 2021

48 HILLS

"Arts Forecast: Holy smokes, I went to a show. And ate inside a restaurant!"
Marke B. - May 4, 2021

SIERRA 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 Kuang

CO-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 Asuncion

ARTISTS 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 AF

PROMOTED 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.