FPAC, -- The Festival of Philippine Arts and Culture -- came about to address a most fundamental need: The lack of available spaces and stages for talented Filipino American artists to showcase their artistry.
At the onset of the 1990s, a diverse, Southern California community of artists, social workers, students and progressive professionals tasked themselves with the job to answer this need, and, finding an invaluable ally in the City of Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department, acted quickly and crafted the foundation for the first FPAC.
The timing was impeccable. Putting forth a call to address the multicultural growth in the city, LA's Department of Cultural Affairs designated and seeded FPAC as one of its flagship community projects.
In 1993, one week after Los Angeles was rocked by the LA Riots, FPAC went forward and at Los Angeles City College, mere miles away from some of the heaviest demonstrations and rioting, they gathered and presented to the public, perhaps for the first time in the city's history, the wonderful artistry and rich, layered culture of the Philippines and its peoples.
A year later, it returned to LACC, only larger, and the following year it moved to Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro which was to be the festival's home until 2000, increasing its roster of artists and crowd attendance with every succeeding year.
In 2001, outgrowing Cabrillo Beach, FPAC moved for a third time, to the breath-taking bluff of Point Fermin Park in San Pedro with the Pacific Ocean as its setting. From here, the festival's attendance increased dramatically, buoyed by its out-of-the-box programming -- a multidisciplinary mix of traditional and contemporary. It’s reputation both within and outside the community grew as well.
The likes of Tony Award winner, Lea Salonga, Latin Soul Legend, Joe Bataan, pioneering Fil-Am rocker Dakila, OPM artists such as the legendary Hot Dog and pop star Rachel Alejandro, comedian Rex Navarrete and apl.d.ap of worldwide pop sensation, Black Eyed Peas headlined FPAC's mainstage and saw its average attendance surge to 20,000 over two days.
Beyond the star names, FPAC championed and introduced to new generations the traditional FIlipino art forms such as traditional dance, martial arts, baybayin, balagtasan and of course Filipino cuisine, long before the Filipino food craze took hold in the 2010s.
At the onset of the 2010's, FilAm ARTS, the non-profit parent arm created to steer FPAC's growth beyond the festival weekend, made the decision to return the festival to its original home in Los Angeles. And now, here, in its 27th year, it crosses yet another threshold in a litany of many: It presents its first-ever festival on virtual stages.
FPAC came about as a response for a need to present a rare public outlet for Filipino artists in Southern California. In its near-three decade existence, it has grown to become the nation's largest gathering of Filipino and FilAm artistry, and Southern California's largest annual Filipino American tradition.
Showcasing thousands of artists throughout the 27 years, FPAC is administered by the nonprofit organization FilAm Art, run by a board of volunteer trustees- and fueled by community participation with hundreds of artists, volunteers, student and community organizations, including support from businesses and local and national government. FPAC has, since its inception, had one owner: the community.
After a two year hiatus, FPAC returned virtually reaching over 30,000 communnity members in 2020 despite the COVID pandemic with an impressive lineup of Filipino and Filipino American artists in the various disciplines of: Musika (Music), Sayaw (Dance), Philippine Martial Arts, Pelikula (Film), Komedya (Comedy), Literatura (Literature), Kulinarya (Culinary), Teatro (Theatre), Tradisyonal (Traditional Dance) and Bisual (Visual Arts). The following notable artists have confirmed their participation in this year’s virtual experience: musicians Apl.de.Ap, Ruby Ibarra, Klassy, Jocelyn Enriquez, and actors Jon Jon Briones (Ratched), Isa Briones (Picard), Nico Santos (Superstore/Crazy Rich Asians), Alain Uy (Helstrom on Hulu), choreographer Phil Tayag (Jabawockeez).
The legacy of FPAC continues with a longstanding tradition that has enjoyed the support of four LA Mayors, numerous City Councilmembers and various State, County and Federal officials through its existence, underlying the significance of the Filipino American populace as a voting constituency.
At the onset of the 1990s, a diverse, Southern California community of artists, social workers, students and progressive professionals tasked themselves with the job to answer this need, and, finding an invaluable ally in the City of Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department, acted quickly and crafted the foundation for the first FPAC.
The timing was impeccable. Putting forth a call to address the multicultural growth in the city, LA's Department of Cultural Affairs designated and seeded FPAC as one of its flagship community projects.
In 1993, one week after Los Angeles was rocked by the LA Riots, FPAC went forward and at Los Angeles City College, mere miles away from some of the heaviest demonstrations and rioting, they gathered and presented to the public, perhaps for the first time in the city's history, the wonderful artistry and rich, layered culture of the Philippines and its peoples.
A year later, it returned to LACC, only larger, and the following year it moved to Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro which was to be the festival's home until 2000, increasing its roster of artists and crowd attendance with every succeeding year.
In 2001, outgrowing Cabrillo Beach, FPAC moved for a third time, to the breath-taking bluff of Point Fermin Park in San Pedro with the Pacific Ocean as its setting. From here, the festival's attendance increased dramatically, buoyed by its out-of-the-box programming -- a multidisciplinary mix of traditional and contemporary. It’s reputation both within and outside the community grew as well.
The likes of Tony Award winner, Lea Salonga, Latin Soul Legend, Joe Bataan, pioneering Fil-Am rocker Dakila, OPM artists such as the legendary Hot Dog and pop star Rachel Alejandro, comedian Rex Navarrete and apl.d.ap of worldwide pop sensation, Black Eyed Peas headlined FPAC's mainstage and saw its average attendance surge to 20,000 over two days.
Beyond the star names, FPAC championed and introduced to new generations the traditional FIlipino art forms such as traditional dance, martial arts, baybayin, balagtasan and of course Filipino cuisine, long before the Filipino food craze took hold in the 2010s.
At the onset of the 2010's, FilAm ARTS, the non-profit parent arm created to steer FPAC's growth beyond the festival weekend, made the decision to return the festival to its original home in Los Angeles. And now, here, in its 27th year, it crosses yet another threshold in a litany of many: It presents its first-ever festival on virtual stages.
FPAC came about as a response for a need to present a rare public outlet for Filipino artists in Southern California. In its near-three decade existence, it has grown to become the nation's largest gathering of Filipino and FilAm artistry, and Southern California's largest annual Filipino American tradition.
Showcasing thousands of artists throughout the 27 years, FPAC is administered by the nonprofit organization FilAm Art, run by a board of volunteer trustees- and fueled by community participation with hundreds of artists, volunteers, student and community organizations, including support from businesses and local and national government. FPAC has, since its inception, had one owner: the community.
After a two year hiatus, FPAC returned virtually reaching over 30,000 communnity members in 2020 despite the COVID pandemic with an impressive lineup of Filipino and Filipino American artists in the various disciplines of: Musika (Music), Sayaw (Dance), Philippine Martial Arts, Pelikula (Film), Komedya (Comedy), Literatura (Literature), Kulinarya (Culinary), Teatro (Theatre), Tradisyonal (Traditional Dance) and Bisual (Visual Arts). The following notable artists have confirmed their participation in this year’s virtual experience: musicians Apl.de.Ap, Ruby Ibarra, Klassy, Jocelyn Enriquez, and actors Jon Jon Briones (Ratched), Isa Briones (Picard), Nico Santos (Superstore/Crazy Rich Asians), Alain Uy (Helstrom on Hulu), choreographer Phil Tayag (Jabawockeez).
The legacy of FPAC continues with a longstanding tradition that has enjoyed the support of four LA Mayors, numerous City Councilmembers and various State, County and Federal officials through its existence, underlying the significance of the Filipino American populace as a voting constituency.
