Kularts Records, 1986-2011

View only results with digital items
Printable guide [HTML]

Summary

Creators:
Kulintang Arts and Kularts
Abstract:
Kularts has produced contemporary and tribal Pilipino arts in the United States since 1985. The collection contains a five year plan (1985-2000), production notes, educational program files including children's work, meeting agendas, letters of recommendation, some correspondence, brochures, posters, photos, t-shirts, and production recordings.
Extent:
2 cartons, 2 flat boxes, 7 pamphlet boxes (6 Cubic Feet)
Language:
Collection materials are in English .
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Kularts Records (SFH 535), San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library.

Background

Scope and content:

Kularts (originally known as Kulintang) has produced contemporary and tribal Pilipino arts in the United States since 1985. The collection contains Kularts' five year plan (1985-2000), production notes and performer applications, educational program files including children's work, meeting agendas, letters of recommendation, some correspondence, brochures, posters, photos, t-shirts, and production recordings.

Biographical / historical:

Founded in 1985, Kulintang Arts, Inc., now known popularly as Kularts, presents contemporary and tribal Pilipino arts in the United States. Kularts' work makes the contributions of Pilipino Americans visible and creates room for cultural continuity and knowledge.

The founders, musician Robert L. Henry, dancer Marcella Pabros, and choreographer/director Alleluia Panis chose "Kulintang" in honor of the ancient music tradition of Mindanao, Philippines. Its first office and rehearsal space was in the South of Market Cultural Center in San Francisco.

Kulintang Arts's primary program was the work of Kulintang Arts Ensemble (KAE), a ten-member music and dance ensemble which presented contemporary work rooted in the indigenous Filipino traditions. Danongan Kalanduyan, a musician from the Southern Philippines, was KAE's resident artist and Kulintang music director/instructor (1985-88). KAE members included Musiban Guiabar, Frank Holder, Joey Maliga, Dana Nuñez, Anna Sun Foo, Frances Cachapero, Ric Serrano, Joshua Francisco, Daniel Giray, Sharon Sato, Jesse Bie, among others. Panis choreographed full-evening works: Ancient Rhythms/Urban Sounds (1988); Lm' Ehek: at the heART of the sharpenINg stONE (1989); Cycles: Timeless Rituals to Ancient Icons (1990); and Diwata (1993).

KAE performed at the San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival from 1985 to 1990 and toured nationally and internationally; including the Dance Theater Workshop, New York; Lincoln Center, New York City; the Kennedy Center; the Bumbershoot Festival, Seattle; the Verona Jazz Festival, Italy; the Baguio Arts Festival, the Philippines; and the Asian Arts Festival, Singapore. KAE Music recordings include Fred Ho's 1988 album A Song for Manong, originally released by Asian Improv. Recordings released by Kulintang Arts Inc. include Ancient Rhythms/Urban Sounds; Kulintang Arts Live! In Concert with Jon Jang; and Cycles: Timeless Rituals to Ancient Icons.

Custodial history:

Donated by Alleluia Panis of Kularts on January 31, 2014.

Processing information:

Materials were returned from the California Revealed digitizing project in 2022. Media was shifted from a carton (carton 4) to pamphlet boxes for preservation and access. Digitized and non digitized recordings remain in separate boxes.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged in 4 series: Series 1: Kulintang Arts Ensemble, Series 2: Community Engagement, Series 3: Promotion, Series 4: Recordings. Series 2 is further organized into Sub-Series 2.1: POMO (Post Modern Pilipino Performance), Sub-Series 2.2: Kularts Arts Education, Sub-Series 2.3: Kularts PMAIR (Philippine Master Artist in Residence)

Physical location:
Open for research. The collection is offsite and advance notice is required for retrieval. Material must be requested at least 4 business days in advance of visit.
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

The collection is open for research and available for use during San Francisco History Center hours. Photographs are available during Photo Desk hours. This collection must be requested at least 4 business days in advance of visit.

Terms of access:

All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the City Archivist. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the San Francisco Public Library as the owner of the physical items.

All requests for permission to publish from photographs must be submitted in writing to the Photo Curator. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the San Francisco Public Library as the owner of the physical items.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Kularts Records (SFH 535), San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library.

Location of this collection:
San Francisco Public Library
100 Larkin Street
San Francisco, CA 94102, US
Contact:
(415) 557-4567
sfhistory@sfpl.org
Website