Texas has the THIRD largest population of AAPI after CA & NY (US Census), with DFW experiencing the fastest growing Asian population among all U.S. metro areas in 2022-2023 (Asian Texans for Justice, 2023), but Texas falls behind on offering the same level of support and uplift for creative AAPIs that CA & NY offers. According to "The Rise of the Creative Class, Revisited," Florida, 2012, 47% of Asians are in a creative class job, which means Asians are pursuing roles outside of the doctor or lawyer stereotype and they’re not finding support for it locally. DAAART bridges this gap of growing AAPI creatives and lack of opportunity.

AAPIs are not a monolith. With the diversity in background, we are able to have a more nuanced look into the stories we tell and events and opportunities we offer.

Connect & cultivate Asian American creative community in Dallas

An inclusive, thriving, and strong community of Asian American (and Asian Diasporic) creatives in Dallas

Inclusion: There are infinite ways to be Asian American. We welcome, edify, and amplify all the diverse voices of the Asian American story. South Asians, South East Asians, West Asians, Central Asians, and East Asians all, we value & support. We counter the narrative of who and what is defined as Asian by the American mainstream and build shared narratives of our own.

Creativity: Creativity is what fuels and unites us. We welcome and celebrate creatives across industries, mediums, and practices. Whether it's visual, musical, performance, literary, or a previously unimagined category - we uplift creativity in all its forms!

Community: We are stronger together. We want to create in community, not a vacuum.

We seek to provide inspiration, constructive criticism, and feedback to one another. We share opportunities, skills, and networks with one another

Solidarity: We stand in solidarity with all people of the global majority in the US. We all deserve to live in dignity. We identify the model minority myth as a poison pill that seeks to divide communities of color. We reject the model minority myth that has been placed on many of us, which is also disproportionately applied across different ethnicities within Asian Americans. We reject and fight against colorism within our own ethnicities. We reject and fight against anti-Blackness within our own communities, and take it to be our responsibility to educate those in our communities who seek to put other marginalized people of the global majority beneath our own.

Dallas is built on the land of Caddo, Wichita and Comanche people. As a diverse diasporic community of individuals whose families have experienced colonization and live in the shadow of its legacy, we acknowledge that we live on stolen land. We know and express gratitude for the civil and human rights that Black and brown people in America have fought for, paving the way for many other POC, including Asian Americans to be able to exist in America. We know there is a history of Asian American activists who have fought alongside them, and seek to emulate their example.

1. Center the voices of AAPI creatives and make space for AAPI creatives to gather in community with one another. Anyone can join, but all people engaging with DAAART must uphold our primary objective of serving the AAPI creative community in Dallas and North Texas. Our objective is to create a space for AAPI with creative professions and hobbies to connect & build community. We aim to operate in a way that centers the safety and community of AAPI creatives, please respect the boundaries and guidelines we have set. 

2. Uphold our mission, vision, and values as a non-profit organization dedicated to connecting AAPI creatives to one another & amplifying AAPI creatives in North Texas. 

3. Respect people of all races, religions, cultures, genders, and sexual orientations. Fetishization & or cultural appropriation of any race, culture, or sexual orientation will not be tolerated. Recommended Content: Where Did The “Asian Fetish” Come From?, Appropriation and Appreciation: What's the Difference?. 

4. Treat AAPI & the broader BIPOC community with respect and dignity. People who have engaged in harmful behavior towards any member of the AAPI & or broader BIPOC community are not welcome in DAAART. We do not tolerate any kinds of verbal, physical, or digital threats. If you have engaged in any sort of harmful behavior as described above, you will be removed from our community. 

5. Value the work, time, skill, and labor of artists & creatives. We believe in paying our artists for their work & their worth. We reserve the right to choose to work with individuals, organizations, or larger institutions that respect artists & their work. 

• What does being a member mean? 

  • Being a member of the Dallas Asian American Art Collective means that you are joining us in our mission to connect & cultivate AAPI creative community in Dallas.

  • You will have exclusive access to our Discord, featuring private member events including Creative Meetups, Creative Co-Working Session, Photowalks, Food Tours, art challenges, and more. 

  • As we continue to grow, we may revisit what membership can look like, but currently we are a mostly digitally organized community. 

  • DAAART members must uphold our Mission, Vision, Values, and Community Guidelines. 

• Can I come to DAAART events if I’m not a DAAART member? 

  • We host events that are open to the public, such as Hallowmoon Art Market and Mid-Autumn Moon Art Market. Everyone is welcome to attend our public events. 

• How do I join? 

  • In order to ensure that our community consists of individuals (and not bots!) who align with our mission, vision, and values, we ask that you show up in person to one of our Creative Meetups prior to submitting your application for membership. 

    • We hold a DAAART Creative Meetup once a month, where new potential members can connect with current members. All are welcome, especially AAPI & BIPOC creatives, but must respect our Community Guidelines. 

    • Showing up to any of our events, both private and public, means that you consent to respecting our Community Guidelines. If you do not respect our Community Guidelines, you will be asked to leave. 

  • Fill out our membership application. (LINK COMING SOON!) If you are accepted, you will be sent a link inviting you to our Discord, where you will have access to private events for members. You will also be asked to sign an agreement to abide by our Community Guidelines 

  • We are a volunteer-run organization and have limited staff, we will try our best to keep up to date with reviewing any applications. We thank you for your understanding.