Arts and Culture
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ACANA began as a cultural organization, and has continued to bring arts and culture programs to the community for over a decade. We have developed resources to encourage artistic production and exhibition. We promote interaction among artists and the youth, to encourage youth participation in the arts and to promote the development of new, creative projects. ACANA’s goal is to enrich the community through innovative outreach and in-house programs, including all forms of artistic promotion, festivals and events. It also aims to ensure that African immigrants retain an appreciation for their ethnic and cultural heritage, and to share that appreciation with their new community. ACANA’s programs include the following:
Arts Education
ACANA hosts African dance and music classes to participants which are open to the community. The program is open to all kids and young adults. It offers cultural education, good exercise, and team building, in an area where arts and culture programs are limited.
Annual African Festival
Through a collaborative effort with the Kimmel center, ACANA initiated an annual African Festival, which is held as part of Penn’s Landing’s multicultural series each summer.
The event hosts around ten major African, Caribbean and African American artists, and brings an average of 3,000 audience members.
Recording Studio
ACANA has a fully equipped recording studio which is used by artists and community members for artistic development and music production. It is particularly geared towards the youth in the community. The studio acts as a therapeutic intervention model to engage and at-risk youth in a creative and productive environment. It promotes world music, and allows African, Caribbean, and other artists to share their music with a wider audience, by providing affordable recording, composing, arts management, CD creation and duplication resources.
