‘Heartbroken, frustrated and tired’: S.F. Filipino arts hub shuts down amid budget cuts

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Written By LeaderSpring

Kultivate Labs Executive Director Desi Danganan holds a parol star, a Filipino Christmas ornament, at Balay Kreative in San Francisco in 2023. Balay Kreative, a Filipino arts collective in SoMa that strived to build community for Filipino Americans, has announced a pause in operations, citing significant financial strain exacerbated by recent budget cuts. Juliana Yamada/Special to the Chronicle

Balay Kreative, a Filipino arts hub in San Francisco, has announced a pause in its operations due to significant financial strain and cuts to its funding. Founded in 2019, the organization has been a key space for Filipino American artists, offering resources like pop-up studios and grants.

Kim Acebo-Arteche, a co-founder of Balay Kreative and a Class of 2023 Women of Color LeadStrong alum, shared her disappointment over the financial difficulties faced by the space. Despite the challenges, Acebo-Arteche remains optimistic about the future of Filipino arts in the community, and she looks forward to new projects like Republika, an artisan marketplace, which will be fully supported by Kultivate Labs.

Learn more about Kultivate Labs: https://www.kultivatelabs.org/

LeaderSpring https://www.leaderspring.org
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