Southwest Airlines is creating a community that is more than a place – it is at the Heart of what brings us together. We build connections with our customers through their passions, like the arts, and our partnership with Pacific Arts Movements provides unique and meaningful impact by strengthening San Diego as an arts destination. Pacific Arts Movement is also ensuring that students and audiences have access to a wider range of voices and perspectives while allowing artists to share their work directly with the communities they hope to reach. Together we are proud to celebrate and promote artistic excellence, innovation and independent voice.
Pacific Arts Movement
For Pacific Arts Movement (Pac Arts), storytelling is more than entertainment. It is a way to connect, reflect, and build community. For over 20 years, Pac Arts has been at the center of that work, creating spaces where Asian and Asian American Pacific Islander stories can be seen, heard, and celebrated.
Best known for producing the San Diego Asian Film Festival, Pac Arts has grown from a grassroots effort into one of the largest showcases of Asian cinema in North America. Each year, thousands of attendees gather for a dynamic 10-day experience featuring over 150 films, filmmaker conversations, and cultural events that bring global stories to San Diego. At the heart of Pac Arts is a deep commitment to education and access.
Through Reel Voices, high school students gain hands-on experience in filmmaking, storytelling, and media production. The summer program teaches these students the art of documentary filmmaking with the hope of inspiring the next generation of storytellers. Students work alongside mentors, develop original short films, and learn how to express their perspectives with clarity and confidence. Many participants come from communities that have historically been underrepresented in media, and the program creates a pathway into creative industries that might otherwise feel out of reach. Alumni of the program have gone on to pursue higher education and careers in film, media, and the arts, carrying forward the skills and confidence they developed through Pac Arts.
That work continues through Youth Days, a free program that brings hundreds of students to the festival each year. Students attend curated screenings, get direct access to filmmakers, and build critical thinking skills through film. For many, it is their first exposure to independent cinema and to stories that reflect their own lived experiences. These experiences are designed not only to educate, but to inspire curiosity, empathy, and a deeper understanding of the world.
Partners like Southwest Airlines play an important role in making that possible. Travel is essential to Pac Arts’ work, from bringing filmmakers to San Diego to creating opportunities for collaboration and exchange. Southwest’s support helps remove those barriers, ensuring that students and audiences have access to a wider range of voices and perspectives while allowing artists to share their work directly.
Throughout the year, Pac Arts continues to engage the community through curated programs like the Spring Showcase and spotlight screenings that keep audiences connected to new and emerging films beyond the annual festival. These programs offer opportunities for audiences to experience global storytelling in an intimate and welcoming setting.
As Pac Arts looks ahead, the organization remains focused on expanding access to the arts, strengthening community connections, and creating opportunities for stories to be shared with intention and impact.
