HISTORY:

Vietnamese American Arts & Letters Association (VAALA) is a community-based non-profit organization founded in 1991 by a group of Vietnamese-American journalists, artists, and friends. VAALA creates opportunities for artists to interact with their audience, and facilitates dialogue among different ethnic groups through various forms of art. VAALA is currently a member of Arts Orange County.

VAALA has organized numerous cultural events such as art exhibitions, book fairs, book signings, recitals, lectures, the biennial Vietnamese International Film Festival, Cinema Symposium, annual Children's Moon Festival Art Contest, and year-long Studio art classes. Local, national, and international press have extensively covered VAALA events.

VISION:

VAALA is the center of Vietnamese arts, research, and archives.

MISSION:

VAALA is a non-profit organization that supports artists to enrich Vietnamese arts and culture.

OBJECTIVES:

To produce artistic programs that promote the vitality of Vietnamese arts and culture
To implement the arts as an educational tool for exploring the Vietnaemse experience, with a focus on the Diaspora
To provide a space for artists and audiences of all backgrounds to interact in an ongoing dialogue
To facilitate communication, tolerance, and understanding among people of diverse identities
To advocate inclusiveness by utilizing the arts to transcend boundaries both within the community and globally