SOMArts Cultural Center

934 Brannan Street (map) 4155521770

MISSION & VISION
The mission of SOMArts is to promote and nurture art on the community level, and to foster an appreciation of and respect for all cultures. Founded in 1979, SOMArts embraces the entire spectrum of arts practice and cultural identity, and it is beloved in San Francisco as a truly multicultural, community-built space where cutting-edge events and counterculture commingle with traditional art forms.

FACILITIES
South of Market Cultural Center, 934 Brannan Street (3 administrative offices, 99-seat expandable black box theater, darkroom, printmaking, ceramics and dance studios, 3 classrooms, Bay Gallery, Main Gallery).

AUDIENCES/CONSTITUENTS ANNUALLY SERVED
Audiences: 40,000 on-site, 450,000+ through technical support of city fairs and festivals

Arts and Cultural Organizations: 80+ Bay Area nonprofits

Artists: over 1000 visual and performing artists

Schools: 25–40 schools in the Bay Area

Students and teachers: over 1,000 students (grades K–12) and 40 teachers, local universities and college students

SELECTED INSTITUTIONAL HIGHLIGHTS
In 2008-09, SOMArts partnered with Philanthropy by Design, Rebuilding Together and more than 150 volunteers to repair and renovate the lobby, theater and garden at SOMArts. This support allowed SOMArts to invest in new ADA-compliant risers for the theater as well as lighting and sound equipment, and to install the new RAMP Gallery space in the reception area.

In 2010, funded by the Western States Arts Federation, SOMArts produced “It’s All A Blur,” a major touring exhibition featuring the work of San Francisco Masters who blur the lines between identity, politics and sexuality in their reimagining of the American Dream. The exhibition will tour to Reno and Las Vegas and will be part of the Time-Based Art Festival in Portland in 2011.

In 2010, SOMArts collaborated with the San Francisco Art Institute’s City Studios program to renovate its ceramics studio and begin offering free classes to students age 12-18.

In 2010-11, with support from the Creative Work Fund, SOMArts partnered with artists Peter Foucault and Chris Treggiari to develop the Mobile Arts Platform, a mobile sculpture that serves the community through a series of curated exhibitions by local artists at neighborhood fairs and festivals.

In 2011, SOMArts is collaborating with the Bay Area Video Coalition to launch the Neighborhood News Network and offer a three-month class in video journalism.

SOMArts is supported by the San Francisco Arts Commission’s Community Arts and Education Program with funding from Grants for the Arts/The Hotel Tax Fund.

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Upcoming Events

Past Events

Asia On Stage

Sat. 05/18 | 7:30PM @ SOMArts Cultural Center (map)

Asia on Stage celebrates Asian heritage through music and dance. Performers include GAPA Men’s Chorus, Harsanari and LIKHA-Pilipino Folk Ensemble, Nguyen Dance Company and Parangal Dance Compa…more»
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Threads in Unbound Kimonos

Sat. 05/18 | 4:00PM @ SOMArts Cultural Center (map)
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Poetry Reading: Navigating the underCurrents

Wed. 05/15 | 7:00PM @ SOMArts Cultural Center (map)
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Emerging Arts Professionals presents Re-Imagining The Box

Mon. 05/13 | 6:00PM @ SOMArts Cultural Center (map)

Emerging Arts Professionals – SF Bay Area (EAP SF) invites you to an evening of open forum discussion to assess where and how R&D fits into arts and cultural innovation. When other sectors are…more»
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Imaginarium Group Exhibition

Sat. 05/11 | 12:00PM - Fri. 05/17 | 5:00PM @ SOMArts Cultural Center (map)

The Department of Art + Architecture at The University of San Francisco presents IMAGINARIUM, an exhibition of BA thesis projects from Design + Fine Arts. EXHIBITING ARTISTS: Frankie Barton N…more»
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Taste of Potrero

Thu. 05/09 | 6:00PM @ SOMArts Cultural Center (map)

Taste of Potrero was designed with a focus on local, independent restaurants and bars featuring hand-crafted, bold tastes. All proceeds will benefit Daniel Webster Elementary School. Get your …more»
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The News: Fresh, Queer Performance with QCC artists

Tue. 05/07 | 7:30PM - Tue. 05/07 @ SOMArts Cultural Center (map)

The News is the new place to see fresh, queer performance by Bay Area artists. On the first Tuesday of each month The News will spotlight performance pieces, experiments, and works in progress…more»
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Opening Reception for underCurrents & the Quest for Space

Thu. 05/02 | 5:00PM - Sat. 05/25 | 8:00PM @ SOMArts Cultural Center (map)

Celebrate the opening reception of underCurrents & the Quest for Space, a multidisciplinary arts exhibition and discussion investigating the space occupied by Asian America, socially, artistic…more»
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underCurrents & the Quest for Space exhibition by APICC & AAWAA

Thu. 05/02 | 12:00PM - Sat. 05/25 | 7:00PM @ SOMArts Cultural Center (map)

underCurrents & the Quest for Space is a multidisciplinary arts exhibition and discussion investigating the space occupied by Asian America, socially, artistically and physically. Asian Americ…more»
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Notice of Public Meeting: SOMArts Board of Directors

Wed. 05/01 | 12:00PM @ SOMArts Cultural Center (map)
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Threads in Motion

Sun. 04/28 | 12:00PM @ SOMArts Cultural Center (map)

The Fashion and Design Society (FADS), a group of Design majors at the University of California, Davis, is pleased to announce its annual fashion show exhibiting the Signature Collections of i…more»
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Night Light: Multimedia Garden party

Sat. 04/27 | 8:00PM - Sat. 04/27 @ SOMArts Cultural Center (map)

What: Night Light: Multimedia Garden PartyWhen: Saturday, April 27, 2013, 8pm–midnight, performances 9pm–midnightWhere: 934 Brannan St. (between 8th and 9th) San Francisco, CA 9…more»
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- Featured Review from San Francisco Bay Guardian
  April 24, 2013
  Disco dancing about diasporas, an opera in shadow, moving crystals, nude hula hooping, a slowed down wave, and a technological cocoon: these are not club names mentioned…more at sfbg.com
- Featured Review from TheBoldItalic
  April 20, 2012
  SOMArts turns its post-industrial warehouse space and bamboo grove into a site to explore luminous artwork through video & live film projections… more at thebolditalic.com
Closing Reception for Dial Collect

Thu. 04/25 | 6:00PM @ SOMArts Cultural Center (map)

SOMArts Cultural Center presents Dial Collect, a group exhibition of large-scale audience-interactive installations open April 5–26, 2013 bridging people and stories. Curated by 2012–2013 SOMA…more»
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Life Cycles and Cosmic Death by Meryl Pataky

Wed. 04/24 | 7:00PM - Sun. 05/26 @ SOMArts Cultural Center (map)

Meryl Pataky creates a discussion of beginnings and endings by introducing cyclical imagery and concepts of existence. Pataky blends psychological and biological themes to bring attention to a…more»
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Art and Music Tea Party with Adriana Atema

Thu. 04/18 | 7:00PM @ SOMArts Cultural Center (map)

“Art and Music Tea Party with Adriana Atema,” is cozy evening of sharing, telling and tea on Thursday, April 18, 6–8pm, in which guest artists share or perform in ways that are unusual or outs…more»
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Feast of Words: A Literary Potluck featuring Raquel Gutierrez and Jenn Hartman

Tue. 04/16 | 7:00PM @ SOMArts Cultural Center (map)

Feast of Words: A Literary Potluck is an intimate monthly dinner party where writers and foodies come together to eat, write, and share. Head to Feast of Words on the third Tuesday of each mon…more»
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ArtSpan Benefit Art Auction

Sat. 04/13 | 5:30PM @ SOMArts Cultural Center (map)

Bid on 100+ artworks by Bay Area artists in juried live and silent auctions. Proceeds benefit ArtSpan’s mission to build community through year-round educational programs for working artists, …more»
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Silent Karaoke and Snippet Interviews

Thu. 04/11 | 9:00PM @ SOMArts Cultural Center (map)

“Silent Karaoke with Paul de Jong and Snippet interviews with Lori Gordon” on Thursday, April 11, 6–8pm is an opportunity to experience karaoke as you never have before— without speakers; de J…more»
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Auctions 101: ArtSpan Collectors Evening

Thu. 04/11 | 6:00PM @ SOMArts Cultural Center (map)

Join ArtSpan for an educational and art-filled panel discussion in anticipation of ArtSpan’s Benefit Art Auction. Art auctions can be thrilling opportunities for collectors and enthusiasts to …more»
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San Francisco Yellow Bike’s Upcycle Ball

Sat. 04/06 | 6:00PM @ SOMArts Cultural Center (map)

This annual event will rally cyclists from across the Bay Area who are in support of local bicycle culture and non-profit organizations alike. Advance tickets and packages go on sale here on M…more»
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Dial Collect

Fri. 04/05 | 12:00PM - Fri. 04/26 @ SOMArts Cultural Center (map)

SOMArts Cultural Center presents Dial Collect, a group exhibition of large-scale audience-interactive installations open April 5–26, 2013 bridging people and stories. Curated by 2012–2013 SOMA…more»
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Dial Collect Opening Reception

Thu. 04/04 | 6:00PM @ SOMArts Cultural Center (map)

SOMArts Cultural Center presents Dial Collect, a group exhibition of large-scale audience-interactive installations open April 5–26, 2013 bridging people and stories. Curated by 2012–2013 SOMA…more»
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The News: Fresh, Queer Performance

Tue. 04/02 | 7:30PM @ SOMArts Cultural Center (map)

The News is the new place to see fresh, queer performance by Bay Area artists. On the first Tuesday of each month The News will spotlight performance pieces, experiments, and works in progress…more»
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April Fools for Life by Michael Gaughan in The Ramp Gallery

Tue. 04/02 | 7:00PM - Mon. 04/22 @ SOMArts Cultural Center (map)

April Fools For Life is a body work that highlights the artist’s enthusiasm for the absurdity of April Fools Day. He drew pictures of his dog urinating on an angel at an angle, his friend Marc…more»
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Closing Event for Overturn the Artifice

Fri. 03/29 | 6:00PM @ SOMArts Cultural Center (map)

SOMArts Cultural Center presents Overturn the Artifice, a group exhibition March 8–29, 2013, curated by one of SOMArts’ 2012–13 Commons Curatorial Residency recipients, Jack Leamy. Locally, na…more»
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- Featured Review from San Francisco Bay Guardian
  March 27, 2013
  What do shoe shining and art have in common? Very much, according to Jack Leamy, curator of SOMArts’ show, “Overturning the Artifice,” which closes in style Friday evening with…more at sfbg.com