Slavonic Mutual Benevolent Society Of San Francisco

SMBS PROMOTES CULTURAL PROGRAMS THAT PRESERVE AND REFLECT THE ARTISTIC TRADITIONS OF CROATIA AND THE BALKAN REGION'S DIFFERENT ETHNIC GROUPS, MAINTAINS A FACILITY FOR THE PRODUCTION OF CULTURAL PROGRAMS, AND PROVIDES SCHOLARSHIPS, SICK AND DEATH BENEFITS FOR ITS MEMBERSHIP.

WE IMPLEMENT OUR MISSION BY PRODUCING AN ANNUAL SERIES OF FESTIVALS AND CULTURAL ARTS EVENTS.EACH YEAR OUR GOAL IS TO ORGANIZE AT LEASE 5 MAJOR FESTIVALS, PRODUCE MASTER ARTIST PERFORMANCES,AND OFFER WORKSHOPS THAT ATTRACT 3000 PEOPLE. OUR ANNUAL CULTURAL EVENTS FEATURE PERFORMANCESBY NON-PROFIT ARTS ENSEMBLES, BY COMMUNITY GROUPS AND BY MASTER ARTISTS WHOSE WORKPRESERVES THE BALKANS RICH CULTURAL HERITAGE. WE ENGAGE EDUCATORS, PUBLICISTS AND OUTREACHWORKERS TO DESIGN AND IMPLEMENT THE MOST EFFECTIVE PRESENTATIONS OF CROATIAN AND BALKANCULTURE TO THE PUBLIC. IN 2021 THE PANDEMIC CONTINUED IN SAN FRANCISCO. ALL VENUES SHUT DOWN. THE PUBLIC HEALTHAUTHORITIES STOPPED ALL LIVE PERFORMANCES FOR THE YEAR OF 2021. AS A RESULT WE ONLY MANAGED TO GET ONE VIRTUAL FESTIVAL ORGANIZED IN JANUARY, THE VIRTUAL SF CROATIAN HERITAGE FESTIVAL. THAT IS ONLY 20% OF OUR GOAL OF 5 FESTIVALS. BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC, LOCK DOWNS, AND SURGES OVER THE PAST TWELVE MONTHS, ITS BEEN IMPOSSIBLE TO GATHER AS A COMMUNITY. THE VACCINATION AND BOOSTER SHOTS HAVE BEEN IMPLIMENTED, BUT IT IS PROBABLY AT LEAST ANOTHER YEAR, BEFORE THINGS STABILIZE ENOUGH TO PLAN ANOTHER LARGE BAY AREA EVENT.