Celebrate Asia: A case of cultural inclusion through participatory arts

Abstract

Immigration has different connotations for many Americans because all Americans, except for Native Americans, are immigrants or descendants of immigrants. There are still serious issues surrounding immigration, such as illegal entry at the Mexican border and hate crimes perpetrated against different ethnic immigrant groups. However, when it comes to the discussion of cultural diversity, the cultures of different immigrant groups are generally appreciated, and there have been many cultural and arts events that focused on the inclusion of cultures from different immigrant and ethnic groups. This paper incorporates a case study of the Celebrate Asia concert and related events to explore relationships among cultural diversity, cultural inclusion, and cultural policy. 2016 sees the eighth annual Celebrate Asia concert organized by the Seattle Symphony Orchestra in partnership with arts groups in Greater Seattle’s Asian communities, including Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indian, and Vietnamese. The concept for this concert was proposed when leaders from these immigrant communities wanted to find a way to enhance their cultural identities and bonds within the broader community through a cultural celebration event. After the inauguration concert in 2009, which was successful not only in terms of increased awareness of the event but also in terms of financial gains from ticket sales, the event became an annual signature event of the Seattle Symphony Orchestra. As an in-depth case study of the event in 2016, the author conducted in-depth interviews with administrators in the Seattle Symphony and in supporting arts agencies, leaders in the local Asian communities, and participating artists ? both professional and amateur ? as well as observations of various group gatherings to prepare/rehearse/perform the concert and events, and the review of various documents. Using action research strategies to gain insight into how local arts groups of Asian immigrant communities work together to perform with a major professional western performing arts organization, the author also participated in the event as a performer. Analysis of the data gathered through this ethnographic research was conducted under the following three lenses: 1) Immigrant communities’ demands for cultural inclusion; 2) Initiatives of a major arts organization to stimulate inclusion; and 3) the roles of local, state, and federal arts agencies to facilitate inclusion. Findings include that the participatory programs/events such as Celebrate Asia not only enhance immigrants’ inclusion in mainstream culture, but also validate the immigrants’ unique cultural identities within the greater society they have joined, which indeed deserves appreciation. The participation of different immigrant and ethnic groups in this arts event also enhanced one’s group-esteem that can encourage members to participate in other non-arts social events in the broader community. Support from public arts agencies and governments also played a huge role in terms of “official” endorsement or recognition by the leaders of the broader community, concluding that cultural inclusion reinforced by cultural policy enhances cultural diversity, leading to a healthier community.