About Africatown

Africatown is designed to become an economic development initiative to create jobs, for our youth, in Southwest Philadelphia, increase business ownership among the residents of the community and eliminate poverty in one of the most economically depressed communities in Philadelphia. To accomplish these objectives, Africatown, being developed in the community will become a "Tourist Destination Point " for the global African diaspora and other interested persons. Most of the infrastructure already exist in the southwest community, in which Africatown will be situated. Most important are the nearly 500 businesses owned by immigrants that live and work in the community. To accommodate the thousands of new visitors to southwest, additional infrastructure will be required, and several buildings will be proposed to attract businesses, tourist, and shoppers to patronize the many immigrant businesses on the commercial corridors in Africatown.

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The Performing Arts Center

Phila AfricatownThe Performing Arts Center

Historically, Philadelphia has been known as a center for Black culture, entertainment, and education. With the coming of Black immigrants from Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean to the city, a rich and diverse cultural expression has fused with African- American preforming arts to make Philadelphia a destination point to experience the explosion of Black arts and culture. Unfortunately, there are limited locations in Philadelphia in which the growing Black artistic and cultural community can perform. Add to this problem, the issue of the very limited places available for Black artist to learn and practice their craft. With the ACPAC, located in Africatown, tourist, visitors, and city residents will have a permanent venue in which they can see Black artist, from around the world, preform. Thanks to ACANA, the Caribbean Festival, ODUNDE and most recently, the JUNETEENTH celebration, nearly 600,000 Black people frequent these events every year. Most of these events are one day cultural activities, however, with the ACPAC and other venues, artist can be booked to perform over several days.

 

The Philadelphia Black immigrant community has already demonstrated its impact on the Philadelphia arts and cultural scene. In southwest Philadelphia and across the city, African and Caribbean immigrants come from thirty-five (35) nations.  It is reported by the Mayor’s Commission on African and Caribbean Immigrant Affairs, that African immigrants hail from      Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Congo, Ethiopia Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mozambique, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

 

The Caribbean immigrant community in Philadelphia hail from as many nations for example: Antigua&Barbuda, Dominican Republic, Guyana, Grenada, Haiti, Jamacia, Panama, St.Kitts&Nevis, St. Vincent&Grenadines, and many others. Every year, these African and Caribbean immigrants look for venues to host their various events. With the construction of the ACPAC in, Africatown, many of these immigrant communities will have a major performance center to serve their respective communities. It is projected that the ACPAC will earn revenues from ticket sales, facility rentals and provide tax revenues for the city.