SFIAF celebrates the arts by bringing together a global community of artists and audiences and by presenting innovative projects that focus on increasing human awareness and understanding within and across cultures. Our core values are based on principles of cultural and economic equity dedicated to coordinating the shared resources of multiple organizations to reach mutually beneficial goals. Supporting relationships between such organizations and artists is a primary commitment of SFIAF.

SFIAF presents the work of innovative artists from the Bay Area and around the world; many of the international artists make their US debut at the Festival. From 2003-21, SFIAF and more than 100 presenting partners have coordinated, presented and/or produced performances by over 600 arts ensembles from California and 60 other countries (approximately 75% are local), and presented hundreds of educational and outreach activities with diverse communities.

In its role both as a presenter and a producer, SFIAF favors developing long-term relationships with Bay Area artists based on their unique program, organizational infrastructure and capacity needs. The goal is to create original, cross-cultural projects that will advance artistic development, strengthen community connections, give the work an extended shelf-life and help to generate future earned-income opportunities.

In addition to working with larger institutions, SFIAF places a high priority on the participation of culturally diverse and smaller entities—including communities whose histories have been marginalized or left out of the prevailing American narrative. Activating and supporting relationships between such organizations and artists is a key component of SFIAF.

From 2015-2020, SFIAF was presented in collaboration with Fort Mason Center (FMC). After suffering significant financial losses during the pandemic, FMC was unable to continue this relationship and SFIAF had to find a new home. We have been welcomed to San Francisco State University (SFSU), opening up new and exciting possibilities for SFIAF.