what can we do?

What Can We Do? (WCWD?), presented by the Asian American Arts Alliance (A4), is a grant opportunity for artists looking to support the Asian and AAPI communities in NYC with engaging, creative projects rooted in care.

The lingering effects of the pandemics of COVID and anti-Asian and anti-Arab hate – including Islamophobia – continue to be felt today. In response, many mutual aid groups, direct service organizations, and community and business leaders have stepped in to take care of elders and other vulnerable Asian and AAPI community members across the city.

In addition, the ongoing genocide in Gaza has left Palestinian communities feeling unsafe and unsupported. AAPI artists, organizers, and care workers have come together to demand a ceasefire, raise awareness around the conflict in Gaza, and organize campaigns in support of Palestinian American artists and cultural workers who have been censored and banned from opportunities.

WCWD? gives artists a chance to find their place in the care ecosystem either by complementing existing services and offerings, or creating their own.

PROGRAM GOALS

For this program, a minimum of 15 NYC-based artists will be selected as project awardees by A4. Each artist will receive $1,500 to create and carry out ideas to engage, aid, and care for the Asian New Yorker community with a focus on Chinatown, Manhattan; Flushing, Queens; and/or social justice projects focused on the support of NYC-based Palestinian creators and their communities.

The project engagements must be completed within a four-month period (February 4–June 3, 2025).

Projects may take many forms such as performing music for seniors waiting in line at food pantries, leading workshops with youth to create ‘zines that reinforce positive aspects of AAPI culture, or organizing creative activities in support of the Palestinian community. While we prefer projects to be in-person activities, we understand that for safety reasons, projects might need to be virtual. You can review past projects here.

WHO SHOULD APPLY

Are you a NYC-based artist, community leader, or social justice organizer interested in exploring and/or developing a creative project with the aim to offer care for the Asian community in New York? Do you feel you want to do something about anti-Asian and anti-Arab hate and violence and its effects on the community, but don’t know how to get started? Your skills and talents can make a difference, and we want to hear from you.

What Can We Do? is seeking 15 participants with a range of artistic expression, social justice/social impact expertise, organizing frameworks, and lived experiences.

PROGRAM STRUCTURE + TIMELINE

As part of the program, participants will:

• Carry out their event(s) or project engagement(s) anytime between February 4–June 3, 2025, providing periodical progress updates to A4
• Write and submit a simple, one-page report of their work including 2 photographs, the community they served, its impact, and any next steps
• Present their final project in-person or virtually at the end of the program in a public share out
• Receive an honorarium of $1,500 per awardee; please note that awardees will receive the first half of the honorarium ($750) upon signing the agreement and the second half of the honorarium ($750) upon completion of the final report