Programs
The Asian American Arts Alliance offers programs that build community and provide resources through peer-learning, collaboration, and professional development, furthering the careers of Asian Americans in the arts and supporting a healthy arts ecosystem.
Our programs include networking events, talks, workshops, and fellowships that lower barriers for engagement, embed pathways of access for artists to connect with cultural gatekeepers, advance opportunities for artists and arts administrators of color, and provide tools to develop Asian American leaders in the community.
Our programs are developed in response to community input and directly address what Asian American artists say they need to help develop their craft, connect with other arts professionals and audiences/patrons/mentors, and achieve successful careers across their lifetimes.
Community Safety Statement
We aim to create environments in person and online that are welcoming, inclusive, and safe – physically and emotionally – for our community members. If we observe actions or behaviors that can be interpreted as harmful or threatening, A4 retains the right to use our discretion and remove the offending party. For our community’s safety, we further reserve the right to suspend an offending party’s attendance at A4 events both in-person and virtual in perpetuity and removal from our online offerings (e.g. newsletter).
When you register for an A4 event, you will be asked to agree to this community statement. If you have any questions about this, please email a4@aaartsalliance.org.
Town Hall
ConversAAtions
Professional Development
The Asian American Arts Alliance (A4) and The Museum of Contemporary Diasporan Arts (MoCADA) are pleased to announce the The Bandung Residency Program, the first NYC-based residency intended to foster understanding and allyship between the Asian American/Pacific Islander (AAPI) and Black communities.
Inspired by recent events that have deeply impacted these communities, as well as the Stop Asian Hate and Black Lives Matter movements, The Bandung Residency is an opportunity to cultivate a dynamic safe space for changemakers interested in engaging in social justice discourse, restorative healing, location-based cultural activities, and expanding the narrative between communities. To deepen this transformative experience, the 4-month residency will combine facilitated learning exchanges with self-directed cohort meetings.
Applications for the 2023 Residency have now closed! Learn More.
Social Justice Conversation: Hank Willis Thomas and Michelle Woo
What Can We Do? (WCWD?) is a micro grant program that supports AAPI artists and their community care projects in New York City. It was created in response to the sharp increase in anti-Asian hate and violence during the pandemic which caused many people to experience grief, anxiety, and fear. WCWD? empowers artists and gives them a chance to find their place in the ecosystem of care through their talents and community connections.
This program is presented by the Asian American Arts Alliance (A4) and is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council. Special thanks to Council Members Christopher Marte and Sandra Ung.
Applications are now open! Deadline: February 20, 2023 at 11:59 pm EST. Learn More.
The Van Lier Fellowship program aims to advance the careers and creative practice of Asian American artists living in New York City. This program supports early-career arts practitioners whose work shows outstanding promise in the fields of theater, music, and visual art to further develop their talent and to help establish them in the professional arts community.
With support from the Edward and Sally Van Lier Fund through the New York Community Trust, the fellowships provide a cash stipend, mentorship, and career development services. Created by the will of Sally Van Lier, the Trust carries out Edward and Sally Van Lier’s legacy of arts appreciation by supporting arts groups and training programs to provide education, training, or other support.
The Jadin Wong Fellowship recognizes an emerging Asian American dance artist whose work shows strong potential for greater achievement and who hopes to make a significant impact on the Asian American artistic community as a whole. The fellowship provides a cash stipend, mentorship, and career development opportunities.
This award is a tribute to the life and work of renowned Chinese American actress, dancer, and comedienne Jadin Wong (1913–2010), a pioneer and innovator of Asian American performing arts. The award is made possible by the Jadin Wong Educational Fund at the New York Community Trust, established to continue her dream of supporting aspiring artists, musicians, and and dancers of Asian descent.
Established in 2011, the Wai Look Award for Outstanding Service to the Arts is is given periodically to an Asian American who is making a significant contribution to the arts by demonstrating a commitment to outstanding service, advocacy, and/or leadership.
The award is a tribute to the life and work of Wai Look, who served on the Asian American Arts Alliance board of directors from 1999 until her death in December 2010. She spent most of her career in the arts, as an administrator and in artist services, and devoted herself to helping others. Ms. Look also strongly believed in the importance of volunteering, which was reflected in her personal, as well as professional life.