San Francisco’s SOMA Welcomes APICC & KULARTS to 262 7th Street
Artistic Director of KULARTS Alleluia Panis speaking at the press conference for the APICC and KULARTS announcement
The Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Center (APICC) and Kulintang Arts (KULARTS) have secured a historic new space in San Francisco’s SOMA Pilipinas neighborhood, marking a major milestone. With a $5 million grant from the City’s API Nonprofit Acquisition Fund, these legacy arts organizations have acquired 262 7th Street to create a multidisciplinary performance venue dedicated to Asian- and Filipino-American diasporic arts. Once renovations are complete, the space will feature a 120-seat theater, visual arts gallery, dance rehearsal space, and areas for community events, making it a cultural anchor for SOMA and beyond.
This acquisition, supported by an additional $3 million in funding from the State of California, reflects the commitment of the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development (MOHCD) and dedicated community partners to securing lasting arts spaces in the Bay Area. Mayor London Breed celebrated the acquisition as a “space designed to lift up and honor our Asian American communities and their heritage through art.”
CAST played a minor role in the process by creating the comprehensive checklist of required materials for the API Nonprofit Acquisition Fund application and ensuring it was complete, streamlining the organizations’ path to securing this transformative funding. We applaud APICC’s and KULARTS’ steadfast vision and determination to achieve this purchase, and we look forward to seeing their new home brought to life.
Read the Mayor’s Press Office Press Release
