Cultural Legacy Secured: APICC and KULARTS Celebrate the Purchase of a Permanent Performance Facility in SOMA

A new chapter in San Francisco’s arts and cultural legacy is beginning. In a landmark achievement, the Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Center (APICC) and Kulintang Arts Inc (KULARTS) have announced the groundbreaking acquisition of a building which is slated to become the very first permanent performance facility in the heart of SOMA Pilipinas, the city’s dynamic Filipino Cultural Heritage District. 

This historic moment signifies more than a major real estate transaction– it’s an enduring collaboration to preserve, celebrate and expand the artistic and cultural heritage of diasporic Asian American and Pacific Islanders in the San Francisco Bay Area. Two of San Francisco’s beloved cultural institutions and strongest pillars in the AAPI arts community, APICC (celebrating 28 years) and KULARTS (celebrating 40 years), joined forces to purchase the building and are continuing their longstanding commitment to uplift voices and stories that reflect the rich diversity of AAPI heritage.

About the Facility: 

Address: 65 Langton St., San Francisco, CA 94103
Square Footage: 10,750 sq ft
Use: A state-of-the-art performance facility and gallery space. The building will also serve as the future headquarters for both APICC and KULARTS, ensuring these two cornerstones of the AAPI arts community have a permanent home to nurture new talents and ideas.

Artistic theater rendering by Yi Zhong, 2024.

An Anchor for AAPI Arts and Culture

Thanks to a generous grant from the API Equity Fund, crucial state funding made possible by the advocacy of Assembly members Matt Haney and Phil Ting, as well as the San Francisco Arts Commission’s SOMA Cultural Anchor Fund, administered by Community Vision's for providing essential seed funding for the project's pre-development phase. This facility will be a key space where creative expression can continue to thrive. 

As arts and cultural spaces in San Francisco contend with skyrocketing real estate prices and recover from the severe impacts of the pandemic on the arts industry, the purchase of this facility stands as a powerful testament to the power of communities organizing together alongside San Francisco’s commitment to preserving its artistic and cultural heritage.

Vinay Patel, Director of APICC: "We are very proud to partner with our longtime collaborators at KULARTS to secure a professional theater space stewarded by and for the Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander community. This facility is not just a building—it's a promise that our diverse AANHPI stories, art, and cultural heritage will have a permanent place in the fabric of San Francisco. We are so excited and honored to co-create a space where the next generation of artists can grow and thrive."

Alleluia Panis, Artistic Director of KULARTS: “After 39 years of renting theater and exhibition spaces, we are excited to finally co-own with APICC, a dedicated professional venue for the advancement and preservation of Pilipinx creative arts. This physical space will serve as an anchor, profoundly empowering future generations of artists seeking to connect with their cultural roots while making a vital contribution to the vibrancy of  San Francisco’s diasporic Pilipinx culture.”

Matt Haney, Assemblymember for California’s 17th District: “This is a huge milestone for APICC and KULARTS, and I join them in celebrating their new home in San Francisco’s downtown SOMA neighborhood. This new performance facility will add to our city’s long history of arts and culture and will support our creative performers and artists who thrive here.”

London Breed, Mayor of San Francisco: “San Francisco’s arts and culture offerings continue to gain global attention, and we are so proud to be home for some of the most regarded artists, creators and makers in the world,” said Mayor London Breed. “With this acquisition, our very own Filipino Cultural Heritage District – SOMA Pilipinas – will be the future home for a space designed to lift up and honor our Asian-American communities and their heritage through art. As we honor Filipino American History Month, there isn’t a more fitting moment to come together to celebrate. I want to thank the Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Center, Kulintang Arts and all of our community partners who have helped make this happen.”

About the Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Center

Founded in 1996, the Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Center (APICC) has been a cornerstone for cultural advocacy in San Francisco. The organization supports and promotes the arts within the AAPI community, with a special focus on artistic and cultural programming that reflects the experiences and contributions of Asian and Pacific Islander Americans. For 28 years, APICC has produced the annual United States of Asian America Festival, which highlights the creativity and diversity of AAPI artists in San Francisco.

About KULARTS 

Founded in 1985, Kulintang Arts Inc (KULARTS) has been the premier presenter of contemporary and tribal Pilipino arts in the United States. The mission of KULARTS is to inform and expand the understanding of American Pilipino culture through works that address contemporary issues in our community. The organization plays a critical role in nurturing the artistic development of Pilipino American artists, and preserving the spirit and integrity of ancient Pilipino art forms through research, education and documentation.

For media inquiries and additional information, contact:

Melanie Elvena 
Artistic Director
melanie@apiculturalcenter.org