The arts community is entering a critical moment. Across the country, organizations committed to racial equity, cultural preservation, and community voice are seeing the fallout from escalating attacks on DEI. Here in the Bay Area, and nationwide, several groups are already experiencing cuts in National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) funding—and Kultivate Labs is among them. These losses are not just financial—they’re a chilling signal about whose stories are seen as valuable.

At the same time, we’ve faced internal transitions of our own. The closure of Balay Kreative and the departure of cherished team members marked a hard season. These changes were painful—and deeply felt throughout our community.

Yet through this reckoning, something new is taking shape.

🌸 In Japantown: KOHO Launches New Creative Home

KOHO Art Installation by Thank You Saint & Hanna Yuan Chen for “Not Too Sweet Art” Exhibition Opening Night, photos by Jeremy Chiu

We’re thrilled to announce that KOHO, our artist-centered initiative, is launching a new model: a community-rooted coworking space for creatives, available at an accessible $150/month. KOHO offers not just affordable space—but a home for collaboration, inspiration, and long-term artistic sustainability.

To celebrate, we invite you to our KOHO Community Open House on Friday, June 7. Come tour the space, connect with fellow artists, and be part of the growing ecosystem we’re building in Japantown. All are welcome.

LEARN MORE ABOUT KOHO COWORKING

📍 In SoMa: A Second Corridor Rises

In the southern edge of SOMA Pilipinas, a second commercial corridor is emerging—anchored by Mestiza, Victory Hall, and Little Skillet at 3rd Street and Townsend.

This corridor is expanding fast. Sarap Shop, just off 3rd and Stillman Alley, continues to serve bold Filipino cuisine with cultural depth. Nearby, IV SF Catering is transforming the iconic HRD Café into its new home. In a powerful move toward solidarity and collaboration, they’re also opening the doors to two Toronto-based Filipino food ventures: Ocean’s Malasadas and Patty’s.

This cluster of small businesses represents more than revitalization—it’s a declaration of presence and a reimagining of what a community corridor can look like when it’s grounded in cultural pride and interdependence

🌱 Looking Ahead with Purpose

From UNDSCVRD to Kapwa Gardens, we’ve always centered people over property, culture over capital. And as we face forward, we’re doubling down on building lasting cultural infrastructure—spaces, programs, and ecosystems where community and creativity can thrive on their own terms.

We are grateful to each of you for standing with us in this work. These are difficult times, but they are also clarifying ones. Together, we are rising into a new frontier—rooted in community, and ready for what’s next.

Celebrating Filipino Creativity, Queer Joy & Liberation

🎉 Save the Date: Be Free Festival – June 13, 2025

To kick off our next chapter with joy, we’re proud to announce our first festival of 2025: Be Free, happening on Friday, June 13, 2025. We’re teaming up with our friends at Into The Streets to bring you a vibrant Pride Month celebration that centers QTPOC joy, resistance, and liberation. Expect music, dance, and radical celebration in the streets of SOMA Pilipinas.

Get Your Free Tickets

🎶 Coming Soon: Minted at Mint Plaza – July 4, 2025

This summer, we’re returning to where it all began. Mint Plaza, the site of our very first UNDSCVRD event nine years ago, will once again come alive with sound, style, and spirit.

We’re partnering with Make It Mariko and the Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD) to launch Minted, a new series of music events starting Thursday, July 4. All of the restaurants in Mint Plaza will be participating, offering exclusive dining specials and immersive experiences that celebrate community through flavor and rhythm.

It’s not just a show—it’s a full plaza takeover. Come for the music, stay for the memories.

With gratitude,

Desi Danganan

Executive Director

Kultivate Labs

From Transition to Transformation: Kultivate Labs Charts a Bold Path Forward