Philadelphia Asian Performing Artists To Present PHILLY ASIAN FUTURES
Immersive “Living Museum” of performance runs October 22–26 at Asian Arts Initiative.
By: A.A. Cristi Sep. 30, 2025
Philadelphia Asian Performing Artists (PAPA) will present Philly Asian Futures October 22–26, 2025, at Asian Arts Initiative (1219 Vine Street, Philadelphia).
Part museum, part performance adventure, this new community-driven project invites audiences to experience a visionary “Living Museum” exploring the future of Philadelphia’s Pan-Asian communities.
Over the past year, PAPA worked with elders from across the city’s Pan-Asian communities through story circles led by Mieke D and Izzy Sazak. Their reflections on lived experiences, struggles, and hopes for the future inspired nine multidisciplinary installation-style performances directed by Joseph Ahmed, Caitlin Alvarez, and Bi Jean Ngo. Audiences will step into spaces as varied as a surreal kitchen, a ritual tea ceremony, a performance garden, and a Chinatown time-travel journey—each offering a unique vision of what the future might hold.
Community partners include SEAMAAC, Al-Bustan, and the Chinatown Friends Senior Care Center, whose contributions shaped the creative process. The project also launches a new pilot venue rental model at Asian Arts Initiative, giving organizations like PAPA the space to rehearse, perform, and host community gatherings over an extended residency.
The run will close on October 26 with a public forum co-curated with Asian Americans United, featuring dinner, roundtable discussions, and interactive “Pollination Stations” for artists and organizers to build connections and imagine new possibilities for art and activism in Philadelphia.
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