Mayor Breed to award $4.7 million in arts and culture grants to AAPI and Latino communities – NBC Bay Area

San Francisco Mayor London Breed announced on February 4 more than $4.7 million in funds to support neighborhood events and activities focused on Asian American/Pacific Islander (AAPI) arts and culture and Latinos, a spokesperson for the mayor’s office said.

The funding will include funds for major museums, exhibitions and cultural events, such as a Chinatown exhibit on the career of martial artist Bruce Lee and the Chinatown Light and Arts Festival, as well as Dia De Los Muertos and d other Mission District events.

In addition to wanting to celebrate San Francisco’s thriving cultural scene, a spokesperson for the mayor said the funding is part of the city’s COVID-19 economic recovery plan, which hopes to attract tourism dollars. Additionally, 230 small businesses in Chinatown will receive $5,000 in COVID-19 relief grants.

Mayor Breed allocated the $4.7 million to support community-serving nonprofits selected through an open bidding process in conjunction with the Office of Economic Development and Workforce. (OEWD) and the San Francisco Arts Commission, his office said.

“We’ve said it for the past two years, if we help the arts recovery, the arts will help San Francisco’s recovery, and that’s especially true for the BIPOC communities that have been hardest hit by COVID-19. “said Ralph Remington, director of cultural affairs for the San Francisco Arts Commission.

Other projects include the development of a year-round film and media festival showcasing the AAPI experience through storytelling, supporting performing arts centered on the Japanese-American experience, a program arts for youth in Chinatown; and supporting and creating a Filipino art, history, and cultural exhibit.