The Asian Arts Initiative (AAI) is a nonprofit organization in Philadelphia which focuses on art and the Asian-American community. It was founded by Gayle Isa, who also served as AAI's first executive director until June 2018.[1] Its current executive director is Anne Ishii.[2]
History edit
Initially a small part of the Painted Bride Art Center, the Asian Arts Initiative (AAI) was created by Gayle Isa, a 1993 graduate of Swarthmore College, who envisioned creating a community of artists which could contribute to the growth of the neighborhood and to its cultural revival.[3] In 1993, as a way of raising awareness about social and racial tension, the Painted Bride Art Center organized an Asian-American festival entitled "Live Traditions/Contemporary Issues,"[4] the first such festival dedicated to Asian American culture in Philadelphia.
In 1996, the AAI separated from the Painted Bride Art Center, becoming an independent nonprofit organization and moved into their own building located in the heart of Chinatown. In the same year, AAI began its first program, Artists in Community Training (ACT), a program meant to provide training for different artists interested in teaching and leading workshops. In 1998, the Youth Arts Workshops was introduced and offered diverse courses in which students of all ages could participate and in order to develop skills in creative writing and the visual arts. In the same year, the Rap Series was created as a way for Asian American artists to be able to meet, dialogue and get involved in the community.
The Asian Arts Initiative was forced to relocate in August 2008, "due to the expansion of the Philadelphia Convention Center,"[5] to a "three-level, 24,000 square-foot building at 1219 Vine Street",[6] in the northern part of Chinatown.[7] With funding from the City of Philadelphia, the State of Pennsylvania and private sources, the organization renovated part of the building into a multi-media facility that includes a gallery space and exhibition area, a theater, a media lab and library, and a generous space for workshops and meetings. As of 2008, the organization had a yearly budget of approximately $650,000.[8]
The Asian Arts Initiative is partnered with the National Performance Network[9] and with the Mural Arts Program (MAP), through which it hopes to promote its belief that "art produced and presented in the community context".[10]
Gallery edit
The Asian Arts Initiative's gallery space hosts a number of contemporary artists of Asian descent originating in Philadelphia. Sparked by activism against large-scale changes to Chinatown, due to the proposal of a baseball stadium,[which?] the gallery was created to exhibit work that reflected the protest of the stadium project. Since the gallery’s opening in 2000, it has continued to host exhibitions ranging from paintings to installations 4 to 5 times a year. It featured several prominent figures in the art community as well as displaying the work of their youth workshops once a year. Visitors and participants become involved in viewing and learning about different artists and their artwork through these galleries. Several different benefactors support the Gallery exhibits, one being the Andy Warhol Foundation for Visual Arts.[11]
Workshops edit
The Asian Arts Initiative provides a number of workshops that encourage participation from Philadelphia residents, focusing on specific types of artistic skills such as mural art, cooking, video editing, radio broadcasting, writing, and poetry.[12]
References edit
- ^ "Asian Arts Initiative celebrates past 25 years, new transition". WHYY. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
- ^ Salisbury, Stephan (20 August 2018). "From publishing gay manga to running the Asian Arts Initiative, Anne Ishii does it all". The Philadelphia Inquirer.
- ^ Salisbury, Stephan (26 February 2018). "Arts & Culture:Gayle Isa is leaving the Asian Arts Initiative, now a force in the future of the city". The Philadelphia Inquirer.
- ^ Asian Arts Initiative website, "History and Mission". Asian Arts Initiative. Mid Atlantic Foundation, Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. 6 March 2009. "Asian Arts Initiative | History and Mission". Archived from the original on 30 March 2009. Retrieved 16 March 2009.
- ^ Leeway Foundation Website – "Asian Arts Initiative Opportunities, 2010". "Asian Arts Initiative Opportunities 2010 «". Archived from the original on 21 October 2009. Retrieved 22 March 2010.
- ^ The Non Profit Centers Network – "Asian Arts Initiative Center Information". "NonProfit Centers: Asian Arts Initiative". Archived from the original on 26 July 2011. Retrieved 22 March 2010.
- ^ Swarthmore News – "Gayle Isa '93 Fight to Save Asian Arts Initiative in Philadelphia". http://www.swarthmore.edu/x25421.xml
- ^ "Asian Arts Initiative yearly Budget" – "Job Ennouncements, Asian Arts Initiative, Director of Finance and Operations." National Performance Network. 2008. Creative Forces Youth Educational Theater Corps, Transforma Projects. 6 Mar. 2009 <http://www.npnweb.org/ job-announcements/>.
- ^ National Performance Network – "Our Partners". "NPN » Our Partners". Archived from the original on 17 February 2010. Retrieved 22 March 2010.
- ^ Asian Arts Initiative Website – "Core Values". Asian Arts Initiative. Mid Atlantic Foundation, Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. 6 March 2009. "Asian Arts Initiative | Core Values". Archived from the original on 19 August 2008. Retrieved 9 April 2009.
- ^ "Asian Arts Initiative Gallery Space" – "Gallery." Asian Arts Initiative. 2009. Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation, Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. 21 Mar. 2010 <http://www.asianartsinitiative.org/programs/gallery.php> Archived 3 April 2009 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ Miller III, G. W. "Northern Exposure," [1], Philadelphia Weekly, Philadelphia, Pa. 22–28 July 2009.