Asian Arts Initiative

Whoever isn’t acquainted with Asian Arts ought to be. They are an inspiration to Philadelphia, empowering and engaging the community to the various expressions of art. Stop by, get involved, but don’t miss out on their events, ranging from galleries, performances, projects, classes, and even film festivals! (ie. Philadelphia Asian Arts Film Festival). Their staff is always brimming with joy and warmth to the community.

This is long overdue, as I threw an event here in March of 2015 for an adult birthday party. The crew was thorough, helped in decorating and lighting and worked with our preferences before, during and after the event. Alethea was my main contact throughout the planning and was very cooperative and responsive and worked with family members to help make it all happen. Just make sure you check if event insurance is truly necessary. They do work with you. The space itself was perfect for about 70 – 80 people, and can fit even more. We used their tables to lay everything out and there was more for spare. I couldn’t have asked for a better space to have it. We did rent a portable bar as the tables available are too low for serving drinks. I would use them again.

I’ve been going to ASian Arts Initiative since the 1990s as they were forced to move from space to space. I am so psyched that they finally have this amazing facility that features gallery, classroom and performance space. They’ve seriously got some of the best arts programming in the city and are always a highlight on First Fridays (especially when food is involved!)

I attended an open mic session last year where people could sign up ahead of time to read poetry, writing, music, etc. In my opinion, I would have to say that this is not a family friendly event. So be prepared to be shock with subject matter as well as language. In general, I think it’s a good thing there is an organization that allows for Asian American youth to learn from new experiences. Maybe I am old school, but I feel there is a better form of expression without all the cursing. That’s just me.
The gallery is a bit sparse and could be improved a bit. Plus, there is a snack table during the open mic session if you wanted something to munch or drink.
Parking situation is a bit of a headache since it is on Vine Street. I just parked in Chinatown and walked over. There isn’t an obvious sign on the door with Asian Art Initiative. Just look for the street address 1219 Vine Street and you’ll see what looks like an art gallery through the windows.

I’ve been to AAI to see a few different exhibitions, all totally excellent. I’ve also volunteered as a workshop facilitator here and have had a wonderful experience. Toni Dang, a program coordinator there, is the bomb. If you’re interested in working with this organization, I definitely recommend contacting them and getting involved.

I had the extreme pleasure of visiting this organization’s visual arts gallery yesterday when I had some free time before work. What a pleasant surprise. I discovered it through one of the few weekly free newspapers in Philly, and after having gained an interest in Chinese pop art over the past couple years, I’d see what some local and national Asian artists were up to.
The exhibition, called Transplants, features sculpture, painting, photography, mixed-​media/​collage pieces, video art, and interactive travel art. There is quite a lot of lighting through the huge open windows at the front of the gallery. Who knows what the place looks like at night, but it’s a loft/​warehouse style gallery so I’m sure there’s a «cutting edge» feel to it.
I visited on Monday. Please note that the gallery does not usually open on Mondays, but the executive assistant was kind enough to let me in and set up all of the video pieces for me. Definitely quality service. I also got to meet the director, who personally greeted me as I browsed.
In regards to size, there were about thirty to forty individual pieces in the one-​room gallery. There was also a giant table that I’m assuming is used for special events, and there is a second, back-​room that is probably used for the events as well. I hear that there was recently an open-​mic for poets and performers.
I recommend you check the place out. It’s inconspicuous but well-​worth the visit. The information provided on the featured artists is fulfilling, and there’s a great sense of quality overarching the entire space.