Art that transforms. Community that heals. Great Leap in 2026.

Art that transforms. Community that heals. Great Leap in 2026. image

As funding for small arts organizations grounded in diverse communities continues to evolve, Great Leap remains steadfast in our mission: to create bridges to a more just world by weaving performing arts, cultural practices, and community engagement to transform our relationships to the Earth and each other.

In 2025, Great Leap continued to push forward as we have:

  • Enhanced diverse cultural connections through FandangObon with a new healing ritual at the JANM Plaza, and expanding with Pilipino and Palestinian cultural dances.
  • Enlivened places that matter to our communities, like the much anticipated Manzanar Baseball Project (tba, Fall 2026) and ongoing partnerships with Sustainable Little Tokyo's Toriumi Plaza Project.
  • Promoted solidarity through music with the LABOR OF LOVE Panel @ Democracy Center and Concert featuring Joe Bataan, Quetzal, & Faith Santilla at the Ford.
  • Nurtured new storytelling through Dave Iwataki’s The J-Town/Bronzeville Suite at Grand Performances co-written, directed & narrated by Alison De La Cruz.
  • Facilitated and centered community priorities for the participatory grantmaking project: Vallejo Arts Fund.


Great Leap's 48-year legacy has established a strong foundation that uniquely positions us to meet the cultural and political moment we are in today. Honoring this legacy, together we are poised to deepen and widen Great Leap's impact.

"FandangObon was so powerful this year, I was so happy to be there," said one FandangObon 2025 audience member. "It felt so good to be in the circle with people in a time when there is so much fear. I needed this!"

Your support anchors Great Leap as we continue to build spaces for solidarity, storytelling, and community resilience. In the days and months ahead we'll be planning FandangObon 2026, supporting artists, developing new performance work, and creating more inspiring projects that connect us to each other and the Earth.

Thanks to supporters like you, Great Leap continues to stand tall – supporting diverse artists and cultural communities navigating today's shifting cultural and political landscape.

Please donate today to help Great Leap continue this powerful and meaningful work!

With deep gratitude and goodness,

Alison De La Cruz