Bay Area Voices, Histories, and Futures: On View at YBCA
Bay Area Voices, Histories, and Futures: On View at YBCA
www.ybca.org
“Bay Area Then has a grassroots feel that’s rare for a white-walled, capital-A art institution,” wrote KQED in a recent review. Step inside the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (YBCA) and you’ll understand why. The exhibition, now on view through January 25, 2026, is a bold exploration of Bay Area art and identity—past and present.
Featuring works by Nao Bustamonte, Mike “Dream” Francisco, Alicia McCarthy, Barry McGee, and others, Bay Area Then hums with the energy of communities shaping the region’s cultural landscape. From street art to installations, the show embraces the raw, the intimate, and the unapologetically local.
Alongside it, another powerful exhibition fills YBCA’s galleries: MAKIBAKA: A Living Legacy. Presented in collaboration with SOMA Pilipinas, this show celebrates the Filipino community’s resilience, creativity, and contributions to the Bay Area. Described by KQED as “like flipping a breathing scrapbook,” MAKIBAKA is both personal and political, blending memory and activism into an unforgettable experience.
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What’s On Beyond the Galleries:
Art at YBCA doesn’t stay on the walls—it spills into performances, workshops, and gatherings that bring people together.
Landscape Painting Workshop
August 27, 2025
Explore your own identity and surroundings through expressive watercolor painting.
Bay Area Then: Performances by A V Linton & Tony Molina
September 4, 2025, 5–9 PM
Free with RSVP
The galleries stay open late while these two iconic musicians bring their unforgettable sounds to the YBCA Forum.
Let Her Sing® 2025: A Celebration of Female Voices
September 13, 2025
Presented by Diaspora Arts Connection, this evening of music and solidarity uplifts the power and presence of women’s voices around the globe.
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Plan Your Visit:
YBCA is open Wednesday through Sunday, 11 AM – 5 PM (including regular hours over Labor Day weekend).
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
701 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94103
At YBCA, art is more than what you see—it’s what you feel, remember, and carry with you. Bay Area Then and MAKIBAKA remind us that culture is living history, constantly in motion, and always worth experiencing together.