The Annual Festival of Philippine Arts & Culture (FPAC) was first conceptualized in 1990 as part of the City of Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department’s Festivals Program, an arts program that was designed to address the multicultural and multi-ethnic population of the city of Los Angeles.
The first FPAC took place at Los Angeles City College on Mother’s Day, May 14, 1992, and was organized by about 100 artists and community leaders. Roughly 3,000 participants braved the aftermath of the L.A. riots, which had occurred just the week prior to the affair. Since this seminal event, FPAC has grown stronger and bigger over the years; moving to Cabrillo Beach in 1994 before finally transitioning to its current location in Point Fermin Park, in the historic district of San Pedro back in 2001.
Today, FPAC is the largest presenter of Philippine arts and culture in Southern California; this annual event presents over 1,200 artists in 9 disciplines, and attracts over 25,000 audience members from all across the country. Despite this amazing evolution though, FPAC is still a grassroots and community-led effort; it is produced by a core group of about 50 volunteer professionals in collaboration with around 50 community-based and civic organizations, and involves over 400 volunteers altogether.
The 18th Annual Festival of Philippine Arts & Culture is just around the corner! Festival staff are volunteers are now in full production mode these past several weeks in preparation for the celebration of the Pilipino-American culture and community at Point Fermin Park on September 11th & 12th.
Please spread the word, bring your friends and family!
For more information, visit the FilAm Arts website.
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By gephine on September 2, 2010 - 5:47am
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I've never had the opportunity to attend this event, but I am all for events like this. I hope that someday soon, us Filipinos in Chicago can gather together and put on an event like this!