Over the years, the San Francisco International Arts Festival has more than lived up to its name, presenting a far-flung array of performers from around the world. From avant-garde Czech theater and Costa Rican modern dance to Pakistani qawwali vocalists and Argentinian tango, the organization has carved out a rarified niche by presenting artists who wouldn’t otherwise get the opportunity to perform here.
But the cosmopolitan nature of the region means that the SFIAF also programs many Bay Area artists steeped in traditions from abroad, and no neighborhood is more visible at this year’s festival than the Mission. Returning to Fort Mason on Oct. 23 and 24 (with online offerings starting Oct. 20), the SFIAF’s condensed fall program encompasses theater, dance, performance art and music, and Mission-connected artists are represented in just about every discipline.
“We know we have global cultural riches right here in the city, especially in the Mission,” said Andrew Wood, the SFIAF’s founder and executive director.