The CanAsian Arts Network (CAAN), launched in 2020 by Festival Accès Asie, is a collective of organizations across Canada dedicated to the preservation, amplification, and representation of Asian artists across Canada.
It includes a digital platform designed to connect Asian artists of all disciplines – from visual and performing arts to culinary, folk, media arts and beyond – with other artists, industry representatives, and organizations across the country. With the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, CAAN is a free and accessible resource whose mission is to improve the visibility and representation of Asian Canadian artists at a national level. It helps to amplify artists’ voices, enhance equity, and increase their impact within the Canadian arts scene. By joining, artists can network with others across Canada, thus providing opportunities for new collaborations, projects, and visibility.
Some artists from British Columbia include Hannah, a director, creator, and puppeteer; Jen, an interdisciplinary artist/activist, community facilitator, and cultural producer; Joah, a media arts maker, filmmaker, and community-engaged arts facilitator; and Milton, a digital media artist, game designer, and performance creator. You can find them, and others from across Canada, at canasianarts.com.
CAAN provides professional development for artists, e.g., Mapping out and Accessing Arts Funding; Mapping out and Accessing Arts Funding; and Building Visibility & Engagement on Social Media | Social Media & Digi. Marketing. These videos, plus more are available at https://canasianarts.com/workshops.
One of the highlights of CAAN’s annual programming is the On The Move event, held online in May to coincide with Asian Heritage Month. Organizations from across the country come together to showcase the vibrant talent and diversity within the Asian Canadian community. For the past two years, Pacific Canada Heritage Centre-Museum of Migration sponsored artists at On The Move – composer-performer duo Sapphire Haze with Cindy Kao on violin and Aysha Dulong on electronics in 2023 and lead singer, keyboardist, composer, and improviser Kristin Fung in 2024. Recordings of both events are available for viewing: On The Move 2023 at < https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCF6WJRaf9U>, and On The Move 2024 at <https://canasianarts.com/on-the-move/>.
Kristin Fung (Live at Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden) recording, shared at CanAsian Art’s On the Move 2024.
Artists that join the CanAsian Arts Network artists benefit from the unique opportunity to be part of a larger community focused on celebrating and promoting Asian Canadian culture. There are no fees to join, and artists are encouraged to create profiles and share their work freely on the platform. By doing so, they become part of a movement dedicated to ensuring that Asian Canadian artists are seen, heard, and celebrated at the national level.
Those interested in becoming part of this growing community should visit the CAAN website at https://canasianarts.com/ to create a free profile and start connecting with fellow artists, industry leaders, and organizations. The network continues to evolve, and it’s an exciting time to be part of a movement that is reshaping the representation of Asian Canadian arts on the national stage.
