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Monday 10am - 6pm Tuesday 10am - 6pm Wednesday 10am - 6pm Thursday 10am - 6pm Friday 10am - 6pm

Asian Arts Initiative

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Asian Arts Initiative

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Asian Arts Initiative is a community-based arts center in Chinatown North. Follow us on Instagram at
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Asian Arts Initiative (AAI) is a community-based arts center in Philadelphia dedicated to advancing racial justice and social change through the arts. Created in collaboration between Asian and Black poets in response to the national concerns about racial tension following the Rodney King verdict in 1993, AAI serves a diverse constituency and explores the experiences of all communities, including Asian Americans, through exhibitions, performances, artist residencies, community events, and youth workshops. As a community gathering space for experiencing and creating art that reflects our lives, AAI is proud to present programs that inspire critical thinking about the future we want to build for our communities. To donate to the Asian Arts Initiative, please visit:
https://asianartsinitiative.org/donate

10/10/2026

Our Artist Town Hall is back on Monday, 10/19, 6:30PM! This is a space for local artists and creatives to come together, network, and learn about each other’s work and upcoming opportunities.

This Artist Town Hall is hosted by Cat Ramirez (Cat Ramirez) and features special performances by Mel Hsu (Mel Hsu) and Taj Rauch (Taj Rauch) PLUS, we will offer FREE professional headshots as well as delicious Sri Lankan comfort food provided by sriscompanyphilly

Anyone can sign up to give a quick live or pre-recorded pitch for your own project. You can also simply attend to watch and network without presenting. Sign up to pitch or RSVP to the event at the link in our bio 🔗 Asian Arts Initiative

10/08/2026

LEENALCHI 이날치 is SOLD OUT!! Check out the link in our bio to get on the waitlist and explore our upcoming music programs!

The music of Leenalchi is taken from “pansori”, a traditional Korean style of musical storytelling often compared to opera. Rooted in shamanism and developed during the Joseon Dynasty (17th century), these songs tell epic tales of love, virtue, and sorrow.

The show opens with Sohme (sohme), a sound-based project of Persian-American artist, producer, and architectural designer whose work blends analog and digital synthesis, acoustic instrumentation, and environmental sound into immersive listening environments, exploring memory, place, and cultural identity.

This concert is co-presented with R5 Productions and Asian Arts Initiative

10/07/2026

We’re doubling the fun with TWO upcoming “Careoke” nights at AAI this season! 🎤✨Come as you are and hang out with us as we transform our event space into a casual, joyful evening of karaoke and community gathering:

✨This Friday (10/9): Join us as we officially launch the Careoke Club series!

✨Next Month (11/6): A special edition featuring our currently exhibiting artist, Frank WANG Yefeng (Frank WANG Yefeng) who will kick things off by singing one of his favorite songs!

With Careoke Club, we wanted to expand how we use our venue space to bring you more casual, accessible community programming. Tickets are on a sliding scale and include unlimited song requests and free snacks all night long! Plus, youth under 18 attend completely free when accompanied by a caregiver. Get your tickets today at the link in our bio 🔗 Asian Arts Initiative

09/28/2026

Join us at a special screening of our current Community Media Lab artist Rami George’s (Rami George) “from every river to every sea”! This screening will feature the work’s full sound component, which is not available during the exhibition’s regular hours.

After the screening, Rami George will be joined by Samantha Rise (sam rise) for an artist talk exploring the intersections of art and community organizing, and what it means to archive mass mobilizations for Palestine.

This event is presented as part of Parallel Play Symposium by Collective Futures, a citywide festival taking place this Fall, bringing together more than 40 artist-run spaces and community arts organizations across Philadelphia.

Learn more and RSVP to the event at the link in our bio 🔗 Asian Arts Initiative

09/23/2026

Saturday, October 24, 3-5PM 📚 Come celebrate the launch of a new children’s book by MIchelle Myers (Michelle Myers), 𝙏𝙖𝙡𝙠 𝙈𝙚 𝙖 𝙎𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙈𝙤𝙤𝙣 𝙍𝙖𝙗𝙗𝙞𝙩. Myers is a Korean American poet, educator, illustrator, and author based in the Philadelphia region. A nationally recognized spoken word artist, she has spent more than two decades creating work that explores identity, storytelling, and social justice.

Join the author for a family-friendly afternoon of storytelling, crafts, conversation, book signing, and imaginative activities that invite participants of all ages to create, explore, and connect RSVP today at the link in our bio 🔗 Asian Arts Initiative

09/18/2026

AAI’s iconic Artist Town Hall returns for another season! For this event, we invite local artists to come together to pitch their latest projects, share resources, and see sneak peeks of new work. This Town Hall will be hosted by Cat Ramirez (Cat Ramirez), with featured performances and works in progress by Mel Hsu (Mel Hsu) and Taj Rauch (Taj Rauch)

You are invited to present a live pitch or submit a pre-recorded video pitch for your project. You are also welcome to just attend to watch and network without presenting a pitch. Join us and connect with Philadelphia’s creative communities while enjoying delicious Sri Lankan comfort food provided by sriscompanyphilly. This event is free and open to the public! Both pitch sign-up and RSVP links are at the link in our bio 🔗 Asian Arts Initiative

09/17/2026

Come hang out with us at AAI’s Careoke Club✨🎙️ For our seasonal karaoke night, we transform our event spaces into a vibrant gathering spot to sing and connect with our community. It’s not about vocal perfection and more about amplifying the power of our own voices! Whether you’re ready to command the stage or just want to kick back and cheer on your friends, Careoke Club is a joyful, casual space for all!

Admission is on a sliding scale and includes unlimited song requests and free snacks all night long! Plus, youth under 18 attend completely free when accompanied by a caregiver. Get your tickets today at the link in our bio 🔗 Asian Arts Initiative

09/15/2026

It’s FringeArts festival time in Philly! As part of the festival, we are proud to serve as the primary performance hub for CANNONBALL, hosting 64 shows and 215 performances by over 350 artists across our spaces through September! From cabaret shows to immersive theater, the festival brings a vibrant energy to the city this month and showcases how versatile our spaces can be!

Looking to host your own event? AAI’s new and improved venue rental services offer affordable space options for artists, nonprofit organizations, and anyone looking for an event space near a convenient center city location! Whether you’re looking for space for performances, rehearsals, social gatherings, or professional retreats, explore how our adaptable space can bring your next vision to life! Check out our website to learn more and email us for more information 🔗 Asian Arts Initiative

09/11/2026

Friday, October 2, 7PM 🗓️ Join us for a special screening and artist talk event with Christian Nyampeta (Christian Nyampeta)

Nyampeta’s 𝙁𝙞𝙡𝙢 𝘾𝙡𝙪𝙗 is Pan-African gathering spaces for popular education, film clubs, study circles, and cultural gatherings dedicated to making, developing, and sharing knowledge.

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙁𝙞𝙡𝙢 𝘾𝙡𝙪𝙗 is organized in collaboration with institutions in Philadelphia, New York, Kigali, and Shanghai, and as part of Nyampeta’s contribution to ICA Philadelphia’s upcoming exhibition, 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝘽𝙚𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙉𝙚𝙖𝙧.

This program is presented with Fall Of Freedom, a nationwide wave of creative resistance to counter fascist repression and censorship with joyful communities of defiant creativity.

Don’t miss this special evening! RSVP today at the link in our bio 🔗 Asian Arts Initiative

09/02/2026

THIS FRIDAY (9/4) 6PM‼️We can’t wait to open our Fall exhibition 𝐀𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲 𝟐.𝟎: 𝟗% 𝐆𝐫𝐢𝐧, 𝟑𝟑% 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐯𝐞. At 6:30PM, we will present a panel discussion with the artist Frank WANG Yefeng (Frank WANG Yefeng) joined by Lucas Blalock (LB) and Triton Mobley, exploring how rapid technological shifts redefine art, human agency, and collective authorship. This conversation will also be livestreamed on AAI’s YouTube Channel, if you can’t make it here in person!

Through this Fall season, our main gallery is transformed with an immersive video sculpture showcasing a project by Frank WANG Yefeng. The installation features digital avatars of the artist, created in collaboration with 33 creators across the world hired through an online freelance platform, and explores how human connection, labor, and identity adapt within the precarity of digital space.

Join us this Friday for a fun evening of gallery opening, artist talks, and light refreshments! Free and open to the public. RSVP today at the link in our bio 🔗 Asian Arts Initiative

Address

1219 Vine Street
Philadelphia, PA
19107

Opening Hours

Monday	10am - 6pm
Tuesday	10am - 6pm
Wednesday	10am - 6pm
Thursday	10am - 6pm
Friday	10am - 6pm

Telephone

+12155570455

Website

http://www.asianartsinitiative.org/

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