in-depth and experimental coverage of the bay area’s arts and cultural scenes
By Julius Rea, with with Michael Arcega, Paolo Asuncion & Rachel Lastimosa
An American-mad motorcycle transforms into a healing container for Filipino lives.
Substrate interviews the creators behind TNT Traysikel, a mobile installation uplifting history, shared grief, and collective joy.
By Hiya Swanhuyser
Nazi punks, fuck off! The night of a small-town rebellion.
Bad trouble came to Petaluma’s Phoenix Theater in the form of skinheads wearing military-style jackets, tall boots, and armbands with swastikas. That night, a group of teenagers banded together to resist that racist violence—culminating in an intense but nearly forgotten confrontation.
By David John Chávez, with Sean San José
As part of Substrate Arts’ Launch Party held at Magic Theatre in June 2023, Substrate Arts co-founder David John Chávez spoke with Sean San José, artistic director of Magic Theatre and co-founder of Campo Santo.
By Hiya Swanhuyser, with Yea-Ming Chen
As part of Substrate Arts’ Launch Party held at Magic Theatre in June 2023, Substrate Arts co-founder Hiya Swanhuyser spoke onstage with songwriter, composer, and actor Yea-Ming Chen.
By Nicole Gluckstern
No EXIT, a post-mortem.
What will become of EXIT Theatre’s vision of an expanding Tenderloin arts district now that they’ve closed up shop at 156 Eddy Street?
By Hiya Swanhuyser
“Sonoma County children both growing and grown share memories of the Running Fence…They don’t notice it lining the community center ceiling to baffle sound. They sell the livestock they’ve raised in front of it. If they do notice it, they wonder why it’s so huge, and what it’s made of, and why it’s so oddly unlikely to catch fire, although if you really try you can set it on fire a little.”
By David John Chávez
“The burgeoning Chicano culture, lowrider cars and bikes, Lowrider Magazine, which published for the first time in 1977 and a firm commitment to a whole new fashion for brown kids everywhere made for the perfect time for the 18-year-old Amaya to move his fledgling audience in a whole new direction.”
By Benjamin Wachs
“Something unique about San Francisco,” they said slowly, “is its interest in tracing community based thinking and networking as part of its artistic process. Community efforts and outreach are almost always included in art experiences. No matter what the project, there’s usually some attempt to bring people together in some ways.”