Kultivate Labs’ multi-pronged approach to growth in Filipino Cultural Heritage District nurtures ‘Bloom Loop’ in San Francisco
Arts, Culture, and Small Business Initiatives Foster Economic Growth in South of Market
Crowd attends Undiscovered SF Block Party 2023 in SOMA Pilipinas (Photo provided by Kultivate Labs)
San Francisco, CA - January 30, 2024 - Filipino American nonprofit Kultivate Labs is defying San Francisco’s ‘doom loop’ narrative — witnessing significant economic growth in SOMA Pilipinas Filipino Cultural Heritage District through their multi-pronged economic development and arts initiatives in 2023 alone. In addition to nurturing the development of five new anchor businesses in the district — Bituin, Make it Mariko’s Soma Social Club, Izzy’s Sandwiches, Mestiza, and the Filipino American Development Fund (FADF) — the organization will offer at least nine major events and programs in 2024 to continue fostering business and preserving Filipino culture and community.
“While the mainstream media talks about SF’s ‘Doom Loop,’ Filipinos are seeding the ‘Bloom Loop.’ There will be four new businesses and one new non-profit space opening up in 2024 to help grow the footprint of SOMA Pilipinas. While others run from San Francisco, we see the perfect opportunity to rush-in and help rebuild the city. We’re probably the only community that is seeing a net growth during all of this doom and gloom. By 2025 we plan to grow that number to another five or more businesses.”
Balay Kreative Studios (photo provided by Kultivate Labs)
Nurturing Economic Growth in 2023
Since its inception in 2017, Kultivate Labs has been dedicated to building a thriving commercial corridor, in the SOMA Pilipinas Filipino Cultural Heritage District. In 2023, the organization made good on their mission, witnessing significant economic growth through their various projects and initiatives:
Provided a path for artists to showcase and grow their work through the launch of the Cultural Kultivators podcast and their Kreative Growth Grant Program, which supported six grantees.
“Ancestor Altars” not only provided an uplifting space for community, but offered Filipino American artists Emagn and TITTY BOY an opportunity to use their creativity for healing
Success by the numbers:
Cultural Kultivators Podcast downloads: 1600+
Resident Artists as of 2023: 9
Grant Recipients in 2023: 7
Kreative Growth Applicants 2023: 56
Individual supporters and private donors in 2023:
Bago, Sanzo, SOMA Success Centers, Zellerbach, California Arts Council, MoHCD, NEA Youth Podcast Grant
Workshops Virtual and Hybrid 2023: 25
Provided a path for businesses to showcase and grow their work through the launch of season one of the ACE Collective
Program participants garnered $80K in grants and over $50K in new business revenue
Sarap Shop (previous SEED participants & grantees) are now leading SEED Network
Success by the numbers
17 businesses accepted to SEED Network accelerator
Supported 9 entrepreneurs in applying for SF Business Training Grant resulting in $80k awarded
5 new businesses incorporated
1 entrepreneur in accelerator selected for Warriors Tastemaker Program
2 new brand partnerships brokered generating an estimated $23k in new revenue
3 Lease negotiations in progress within the SOMA Pilipinas District
1 entrepreneur awarded 2023 Best Alternative Medicine in Alameda
Returned for its seventh season, honoring the 50 year anniversary of Hip Hop with three block parties across August, September, and October
Success by numbers
63 performers
176 vendors
11K attendees
$256K in sales across all vendors
Participant in Ancestor Altars (photo provided by Kultivate Labs)
Hosted three major events: Be Free Festival, Many Styles Martial Arts class series, and Lavender Cinema Lounge film festival
Success by numbers
200+ vendors selling at Kapwa Gardens
160 events
$115K+ in vendor sales
A non-profit venture designed to be a cornerstone of community, commerce, and culture, serving as an incubator for innovative retail concepts and food pop-ups that will preserve Filipino cultural identity and community. In 2024, plans are being finalized with ground breaking targeted for Q2 2025
Signed a grant award for $500k from MoHCD for the construction of Republika
In 2023, Republika hosted a Holiday Pop-up at the Metreon producing over $6K in sales
“Balay Kreative’s staff & the Kreative Growth Program was paramount in taking my career to another level mainly off of the exposure and social backing. Balay introduced me to influential community members, provided me with venue space that was invaluable to my project such as Kapwa Gardens and Balay Kreative for my music video and writing workshop. Balay was even able to get me on the mainstage at Undiscovered! Each member of Balay has been nothing short of welcoming, guiding, and helpful.”
From Yum Yams 2023 (photo provided by Kultivate Labs)
Seeding the ‘Bloom Loop’ in 2024
Kultivate Labs will continue to offer their signature annual events and programs, designed to accelerate and amplify Filipino American entrepreneurs, artists, cultural producers, and more. The many arms through which Kultivate Labs operates include: Balay Kreative, Kapwa Gardens, SEED Network, Republika, and Undiscovered SF.
Anchor Creatives and Entrepreneur (ACE) is a six-month cohort-based economic development experience for influential anchor creatives and entrepreneurs (ACEs) motivated to be history-making anchors in SOMA Pilipinas. ACE applications open March 1st.
Dye Hard. A funky family-friendly Easter egg hunt at Kapwa Gardens on March 24th! Expect a petting zoo, activities for the young and young at heart among the vibrancy of our urban garden oasis.
Baked! Is a gathering for cannabis enthusiasts & Filipino culture seekers to celebrate 420 in an elevated, intimate, and “purple hazed” outdoor setting on April 20th at Kapwa Gardens.
Yum Yams is an Ube Crawl happening at Kapwa Gardens on May 18th.
Be Free is an annual festival that showcases vibrant Filipino creativity and LQBTQ liberation at multiple venues in SOMA Pilipinas on June 8th.
Balay Kreative’s Kreative Growth Program applications open Spring 2024. This grant program awards six artist stipends ranging from $3,000 to $6,000 to Filipinx artists in the Bay Area, in order to launch new works of art and culture in the Filipino Cultural District in San Francisco.
Season Two of Cultural Kultivators — a podcast focused on Filipino American culture and identity hosted by Balay Kreative Program Manager and community creative, Nicole Salaver — is in progress.
Undiscovered SF is a Filipino creative market produced by Kultivate Labs and Make it Mariko happening in October.
Ancestor Altars is an art installation and healing space for the San Francisco Filipinx, BIPOC & SOMA community to honor their ancestors and grieve for their loved ones that have passed away. This event happens in November, during All Souls Day.
Halo Halo Holidays is a Filipino Christmas crawl featuring artists, merchants, and collectives spread across multiple spaces in the Filipino Cultural District and that is happening on December 9th.
Parol Lantern Festival is an annual holiday event and festival, taking place on December 9th, at Yerba Buena Gardens.
For more information on programs and events, sponsorships, and volunteers visit www.kultvatelabs.org.
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Kultivate Labs is a non-profit economic development and arts organization that creates thriving commercial ecosystems by accelerating businesses that preserve culture and community. The organization provides space and opportunities for the arts to flourish so that commercial activities are activated and reflect the community at large. Kultivate Labs is developing a thriving commercial corridor for SOMA Pilipinas and Japantown — reconnecting their communities with culture and community, preserving their histories, and revitalizing their economies so that they can live with dignity and self-determination.
SOMA Pilipinas is more Than a Cultural District: SOMA Pilipinas is Community-in-Action and a Cultural Movement. The cultural heritage district spanning 1.5 square miles honors 120+ history of Filipinos in San Francisco, and celebrates the community’s living legacy of making home, celebrating culture, building community and fighting for economic and racial justice in the rapidly gentrifying South of Market neighborhood. SOMA Pilipinas is proud to be part of a community-in-action — and a grassroots movement carrying on the legacy of Filipinos fighting for recognition and racial equity.