With support from the California Arts Council, Cunamacué will sustain and strengthen its core operations to support the creation, presentation, and teaching of Afro-Peruvian dance and music in the San Francisco Bay Area. Grant funds will support artist and educator compensation, administrative capacity, marketing and outreach, and accessibility services. Cunamacué will continue offering free and low-cost community-based programs, including dance and music classes, school assemblies, workshops, and public performances in libraries, schools, and community spaces, with a focus on Title I schools and communities of color. Funding will also support improvements to organizational infrastructure, including evaluation practices, communications, and accessibility planning, ensuring that programs remain responsive to community needs and inclusive of people with disabilities.
Cunamacué’s work centers on the creation and presentation of original Afro-Peruvian dance and music, alongside free and low-cost community-based education.
Performance Creation and Presentation: Cunamacué produces original dance theater works such as “Huellas” and “Altares”, integrating Afro-Peruvian rhythms, rituals, and contemporary choreography. We regularly present work at festivals, theaters, libraries, and community spaces across the Bay Area.
Festivals and Community Gatherings: Cunamacué produces Afro-Peruvian Fest, the only Afro-Peruvian cultural festival in the Bay Area, as well as Cajón-centered concerts, workshops, and community celebrations that highlight Afro-Peruvian music as a living tradition.
Education and Intergenerational Programs: We offer free Family Shows, Family Dance Classes, Cajón Circles, and school residencies in Title 1 schools, introducing youth and families to Afro-Peruvian history, instruments, and dance through assemblies, workshops, and study guides.
Film and Cultural Documentation: Cunamacué produces dance documentaries such as “Herencia de un Pueblo”, “Barrer”, and “Son de los Diablos”, and publishes research-based articles that contribute to Afro-Peruvian dance scholarship and cultural preservation.