Culturas Music & Arts is a non-profit organization committed to promoting art and culture in the Eastern Coachella Valley. Since its establishment in 2009, Culturas has worked tirelessly to combat stigma by providing art and music venues in the Valley. Culturas has collaborated with artists, musicians, and local organizations to…
Danza Azteca/Mexica
Terry Nguyen, known as “tsugaruterry,” is a musician and educator specializing in minyo (folk) and traditional music of Japan as performed on the Tsugaru shamisen and taiko drums. Terry began playing the Tsugaru shamisen in 2006. Initially self-taught, in 2010 she started her training with instructor Mitsuru Sasaki of the…
Makeda Kumasi (MFA / M.Ed) is the founder of WE 3 PRODUCTIONS, as well as the co-founder and artistic director of The Umoja Ensemble of the Inland Empire. Along with being a featured performer on stage and T.V., Kumasi has danced for two prominent Southern California based African dance ensembles,…
Nobuko Fukatsu is a Biwa (Japanese lute) player based in Los Angeles, California. Born in Japan, she started to study Satsuma-biwa under the prominent biwa musician Yoshiko Sakata in 2005. After moving to the Los Angeles area, she started to perform at various cultural gatherings, festivals and educational settings, as well as…
Mexican arts and culture
Moving the Traditional Arts Online
West African dance and music
Indian classical music
The origins of Tejidos Purépecha project began in the Eastern Coachella Valley as a collaboration with the residents, ACTA, and Building Healthy Communities (a project of the California Endowment). In an effort to promote health and well-being, an on the ground approach employed by ACTA asked the indigenous Purépecha, whose…
