Asian American Artists Reclaim Place at 17th Annual APAture Festival
Asian American Artists Reclaim Place at 17th Annual APAture Festival
Over 60 emerging artists featured in multidisciplinary arts festival
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - August 22, 2018 -- Kearny Street Workshop (KSW) has been a hub for emerging Asian Pacific American (APA) artists for 45 years, and is the oldest APA arts organization in the country. Their flagship event, “APAture,” is a multidisciplinary arts festival now in its 17th season, featuring the work of emerging APA artists in the San Francisco Bay Area. The festival showcases talent in film, literature, music, performance, comics, zines and illustration, and visual art. From October 13 through November 4, over 60 artists will present their work to over 1,000 festival-goers across multiple venues. This year’s theme “RE/place” will create art that explores issues dominating the news today, including displacement, migration, and reclaiming place. Among the featured artists on the lineup are Janice Sapigao (Literary Arts/KQED’s Women to Watch), SETI X (Music/United Shades of America with W. Kamau Bell), and APAture newbie Jody Stillwater, film category featured artist.
“Knowing yourself makes your voice more powerful,” shares Stillwater. “I'm excited to help contribute to a deeper and more concentrated modern Asian-American voice. Part of that is looking at where we came from, where we went and why, and of course the vision of where we're going. APAture carries that forward, in one place, and I'm very excited to both have a voice in it and be exposed to other unique & strong voices in the community.”
In a period of U.S. history being called the “watershed moment” for Asian-Americans in the entertainment industry (see Crazy Rich Asians), it’s organizations like Kearny Street Workshop that nurture, inspire, and create safe spaces for APA creatives to thrive.
With famous APAture alums like comedians Hasan Minhaj (The Daily Show), Ali Wong (Baby Cobra), Gene Luen Yang (writer/artist, DC’s Super Man), and Hellen Jo (writer, Cartoon Network’s Steven Universe), Kearny Street Workshop has earned the reputation of being a launching pad for APA artists from the Bay Area.
“APAture 2007 was the very first real ‘show’ I ever performed stand-up at, that seated an audience of over 10 people, who actually paid to be there.” Shares Ali Wong, when she was honored as a recipient of KSW’s inaugural, Focus Award. “I'm so grateful to Kearny Street Workshop for providing me with the opportunity to get up on stage. The experience was electric and motivated me to do stand-up again and again and again.”
Kearny Street Workshop has launched an indiegogo campaign this year to help fund the festival which provides honorariums and stipends to artists. Additional featured artists this year include Jyun Jyun and MissTANGQ (Performing Arts), Malaya Tuyay (Visual Arts), and Jess Wu-O (Book Arts).
For times, locations, and ticket information for the APAture Festival 2018 - RE/place, please visit www.kearnystreet.org/apature. To donate to the Indiegogo Campaign visit: http://igg.me/at/apature2018
About Kearny Street Workshop
Kearny Street Workshop (KSW) is an organization dedicated to producing, presenting, and promoting art that empowers diverse Asian Pacific American communities. Since 1972, KSW has offered multidisciplinary arts presentations and workshops to Bay Area community members. www.kearnystreet.org
About APAture
APAture is a multidisciplinary arts festival for emerging Asian-Pacific American (APA) artists to develop their art, affirm their voices, and share their work with the APA community. For the past 17 years, Kearny Street Workshop's festival has shaped the culture of the San Francisco Bay Area by addressing the realities and narratives of APA lives.
CALENDAR EDITORS:
WHO: Presented by Kearny Street Workshop
WHAT: APAture 2018 RE/place is a multi-day festival featuring 60+ up-and-coming Asian Pacific American artists in Comics, Zines and Illustration, Film, Literary Arts, Music, Performing Arts, and Visual Arts.
WHEN & WHERE: APAture 2018: RE/place Festival Schedule:
(Multiple Locations in SF) Arc Gallery & Studios 1246 Folsom St. | Asian Art Museum 200 Larkin St. | San Francisco Public Library 100 Larkin St. | Z Space 450 Florida St. | Hotel Utah 500 4th St.
**OPENING RECEPTION, BOOK ARTS SHOWCASE, AND CLOSING RECEPTION ARE FREE. ALL OTHER SHOWCASES ARE TICKETED EVENTS**
Performing Arts Showcase
feat. Jyun Jyun and missTANGQ
Saturday, October 13th, 1-4 pm
Asian Art Museum (Samsung Hall), 200 Larkin Street, San Francisco, CA 94102
APAture Opening Reception and Visual Arts Showcase
feat. Malaya Tuyay
Friday, October 19th, 6-10 pm (Opening Reception)
Saturday, October 13th - November 4th (Visual Arts Showcase on display)
Arc Gallery & Studios, 1246 Folsom Street, San Francisco, CA 94103
Book Arts Showcase
feat. Jess Wu-O
Sunday, October 21st, 12-5 pm
SFPL (Latino/Hispanic Community Room), 100 Larkin Street, San Francisco 94102
Purchase tickets here!
Literary Arts Showcase
feat. Janice Sapigao
Saturday, October 27th, 7-10 pm
Arc Gallery & Studios, 1246 Folsom Street, San Francisco, CA 94103
Film Showcase
feat. Jody Stillwater
Sunday, October 28th, 2-5 pm
Z Space, 450 Florida Street, San Francisco, CA 94110
Music Showcase
feat. SETI X
Friday, November 2nd, 9-1 am
Hotel Utah, 500 4th Street, San Francisco, CA 94107
APAture Closing Reception
Sunday, November 4th, 1-4 pm
Arc Gallery & Studios, 1246 Folsom Street, San Francisco, CA 94103
TICKETS: Ticket prices range from $0–$20 (Supporter Level comes with reserved seats and a gift). Festival Pass available for $35. Available now at www.kearnystreet.org/apature/
Media Contact:
Paloma Concordia
paloma@papalodown.com