Exploring Asian improv

This thesis examines the work of Asian Improv aRts (AIR), a 30 year old non-profit 501c3 community organization with branches in San Francisco, California and Chicago, Illinois. The organization was founded during the height of the Asian American Movement in the 1980s to provide a vehicle for Asian American musicians to realize artistic works with collaborators, both Asian and non-Asian, reflecting on Asian American experiences and perspectives. It has since evolved to support works in many disciplines including dance, literature, theater, and film. Its impact is felt in Asian American communities nationally as well as in broader inter-cultural arts communities. The goals of this study are to: 1) Provide a glimpse into the work of artists affiliated with AIR. 2) Examine how artists and the AIR organization form communities of support for the work in the context of Asian Pacific Islander communities and local and national arts economies. 3) Explore AIR's impacts on the affiliated artists' work.