Cultural Arts
Home to various Filipino artists and art organizations, for decades SOMA Pilipinas has been a center for Filipino American art throughout the US. Our goal is to continue this legacy by promoting partnering and promoting Filipino arts and cultural organizations and supporting community artists and cultural workers who serve as our storytellers, healers, teachers and historians.
Latest Projects
Liwanag Volume 3
SOMA Pilipinas proudly introduces "Liwanag 3", the latest installment of the influential Filipino American arts anthology, which captures the evolving Pilipinx identity in today's socio-political landscape. Amidst a global pandemic, anti-Asian sentiments, and other challenges, Pilipinx American artists utilize this platform to assert their narratives and foster connection through diverse genres such as poetry, fiction, and visual arts.
Liwanag Volume 3, produced by SOMA Pilipinas and Kearny Street Workshop (2022).
DUGO, I don’t want her to go
Magic Theatre - Aug 26 & 27, 8PM
Presented by Sean San José in partnership with Rachel Lastimosa, Patricia Barretto Ong, and Joan Osato, and sponsored by SOMA Pilipinas Filipino Cultural Heritage District, this poignant performance revisits a world before AIDS. The project delves into the profound impact of the disease on marginalized communities and the echoes of loss it left behind. "Dugo", meaning 'blood' in Tagalog, takes attendees on a reflective journey through the tapestry of stories tied by blood - representing AIDS, Filipino heritage, family, and resilience. Join us in this evocative commemoration as we remember and reimagine the lives of Filipinx families before the AIDS era in San Francisco's SOMA Pilipinas neighborhood. Tickets: $20.
Cultural Arts Organizations
Bindlestiff
Originally opened in 1989, Bindlestiff Studio became the only permanent, community-based performing arts venue in the nation dedicated to showcasing emerging Filipino American and Pilipino artists.
Kearny street workshop
Founded in 1972, during the height of the Asian American cultural movement, Kearny Street Workshop (KSW) is the oldest Asian Pacific American multidisciplinary arts organization in the country.
kularts
Founded in 1985, Kulintang Arts, Inc., now known popularly as Kularts, is the premier presenter of contemporary and tribal Pilipino arts in the United States.
Photo by Nix Guirre
Manilatown Heritage Foundation
Manilatown Heritage Foundation promotes social and economic justice for Filipinos by preserving history, advocating for equal access, and advancing our arts and culture.
Photo by Kenni Camota
Balay kreative
Since 2019, Kultivate Labs has been developing a new Filipino-American arts hub to build a ~8,000 sqft space with a visual arts gallery, a multi-purpose event space, a food court complete with a chef’s table and bar, along with space for artists workshops by 2025.
Photo by Mogli Maureal
THe hinabi Project
The Hinabi Project (THP) is a trans-Pacific organization dedicated to the promotion, preservation, and practice of the Philippine/American weaving arts in natural fiber.
Pawa,inc.
PAWA’s main goal is to create and encourage literature and arts for the preservation and enrichment of Filipino and Filipino American historical, cultural and spiritual values.
SF Filipino Cultural Center
The San Francisco Filipino Cultural Center (SFFCC) celebrates the Filipino community’s past, present and future contributions to the City of San Francisco through arts and culturally sensitive programmin
Annual Cultural Events
Pistahan Parade & Festival
Experience the best of Filipino art, dance, music and food at the Pistahan Parade and Festival. Billed as the largest celebration of Filipino Americans in the U.S., the the two-day event organized by the Filipino American Arts Exposition.
Barrio Fiesta
Barrio Fiesta is a community-produced springtime festival of family-friendly fun, featuring performances from multigenerational line-ups and offering attendees a taste of traditional lechon.
Photo by Evelyn Obamos
parol lantern festival
Every year in early December, the SOMA community showcases the parol lantern: the quintessential Filipino symbol of hope, blessings, luck, peace, and light during the holiday season.
Photo by Mogli Maureal
FACINE
On its 19th year, FACINE develops and promotes Filipino-American media arts and advance the interests of cinemas from the Philippines and the Filipino diaspora. They organize the annual Filipino-American cine festival in San Francisco and hosts film-related events in the SF Bay Area.
Undiscovered SF
A curated collection of emerging artists and merchants that celebrates the rich cultural heritage of the SOMA Pilipinas district, hosted at rotating locations, all centered in the heart of San Francisco's South of Market neighborhood.
Fil-am international book festival
TheFilipino American International Book Festival is the only festival of its kind in the country dedicated to Filipino/a/x authors and Filipino/a/x books.