Thought Leadership and reach            WESTAF Leadership Visits the Pacific Jurisdictions During the Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month of May, a delegation of WESTAF’s leadership undertook a two-week trip to Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), and American Samoa to learn about and celebrate the cultures of these vibrant yet isolated Pacific communities that are now a part of the WESTAF region. The trip covered more than 18,000 miles from Los Angeles to Hawaiʻi, Hawaiʻi to Guam and CNMI, then back to Hawaiʻi to get to American Samoa, with a return...

Thought Leadership and reach            FestPAC Returning in 2024 Arts The 13th Festival of Pacific Arts & Culture (FestPAC, the world’s largest celebration of Indigenous Pacific Islanders) will convene in Hawaiʻi, June 6–16, 2024. The South Pacific Commission (now The Pacific Community - SPC) launched this dynamic showcase of arts and culture in 1972 to halt the erosion of traditional practices through ongoing cultural exchange. While originally scheduled to take place in 2020, FestPAC was the first major festival in Hawaiʻi to be postponed as the COVID-19 pandemic grew. This decision was made early on in...

Thought Leadership and reach            2023 Arts Leadership and Advocacy Virtual and In-Person Programs Conclude The 2023 Arts Leadership and Advocacy Seminar programming took place this month featuring an online pre-session on February 7th and a fly-in advocacy day to Washington D.C. February 13-15. Virtual panelists included Michelle Ramos, BIPOC-Led Arts Advocacy Coalition; Claire Rice, Creative States Coalition; Ernesto Balderas, Creative States Coalition; Heather Noonan, Cultural Advocacy Group; and Najean Lee, Cultural Advocacy Group. The fly-in to Washington D.C. welcomed 71 advocates from 13 states and Guam. Advocates spoke to over 50 Congressional offices and highlighted...

Happy Holidays from WESTAF As 2022 draws to a close, we are reflecting on the past year with gratitude and want to thank you for your part in making it a rich and memorable one. To give our staff time to recharge and connect with families and friends during the holidays, our office will be closed December 24, 2022 through January 1, 2023. We will resume regular business hours and operations and respond to emails and calls starting January 2, 2023. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we take this much-deserved break. From our WESTAF family to you and...

Thought Leadership and reach            The Creative Vitality™ Summit Returns! We invite you to register to join us virtually on November 30 and December 1, 2022, for a series of discussions from today's creative economy experts, arts and culture leaders, and equity champions. Check out the Summit site to view session information, learn what to expect from the event, see the schedule, and get to know the Summit speakers. This year’s Creative Vitality™ Summit will feature four panels with community-led discussions around how the creative economy intersects with technology, digital placekeeping, and more. These discussions will...