New Nonprofit Kampong Collective Launches to Champion Southeast Asian Cultures and Stories Across the U.S.

Signature Spice & Story Festival debuts August 15–16 with live storytelling and show-inspired food tastings—one ticket unlocks three festivals celebrating Asian food, culture, and community.

A Media Snippet accompanying this announcement is available by clicking on this link.

SAN MATEO, Calif. and LOS ANGELES, Aug. 05, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Southeast Asian communities today number an estimated 8 million¹ people across the United States, yet their cultures, stories, and traditions remain largely unfamiliar to mainstream American audiences.

Kampong Collective today announced its formal launch as a new 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to championing Southeast Asian stories, creativity, community, and entrepreneurship across the United States. Its first signature festival, Spice & Story, will debut August 15–16, 2026, at the San Mateo Event Center.

One ticket provides access to three festivals. At Spice & Story, visitors can experience two unique programs: Kampong Kopi, USA, an original 20-minute play with story-inspired food tastings, and Kampong Gallery, an immersive cultural space featuring art, makers, games, workshops, founders, and community partners, The three-festival Asian food and culture weekend is expected to welcome more than 20,000 attendees.

A Region Distinct, and Distinctly Its Own
Southeast Asia encompasses 11 distinct yet interconnected countries—Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam. The region is rich with kampong and kopitiam cultures, woven textiles, ceremonial feasts, bustling markets, literary traditions, and countless other expressions shaped by centuries of trade, migration, and exchange.

Kampong Collective takes its name from the kampong—meaning village—and evokes a way of life in which doors stayed open, meals were shared, and neighbors looked out for one another. The organization brings that kampong spirit into a modern American context by creating spaces where Southeast Asian stories, flavors, creativity, and relationships can thrive.

Its work centers on celebrating Southeast Asian cultures; amplifying the work of artists, chefs, storytellers, founders, makers, and small businesses; and strengthening connections across communities.

From One Festival to a Broader Vision
Kampong Collective grew from the momentum of Singapore Festival 2025, hosted by SingaporeConnect, which drew more than 3,300 attendees in the Bay Area. Several members of Kampong Collective’s founding team helped organize the event, demonstrating strong community engagement and growing public interest in Southeast Asian culture. Spice & Story builds on that momentum, expanding the lens from Singapore to the wider region.

“The kampong was never just a place. It was a way of showing up for one another—as neighbors, friends, and family,” said Sharon Sim, co-president of Kampong Collective. “We believe Southeast Asian stories, creativity, and community have an important place in the broader fabric of America, not just in our enclaves, but across the country. Spice & Story is where we begin, by bringing people together through storytelling, food, creativity, and shared experience.”

Spice & Story: An Invitation to Wander, Wonder, and Connect
Whether reconnecting with their heritage or discovering Southeast Asian cultures for the first time, visitors of all backgrounds are invited to experience the stories, creativity, and community of Spice & Story.

The festival unfolds across two connected programs. Kampong Kopi, USA is an original 20-minute immersive play accompanied by story-inspired food tastings, exploring themes of home, identity, and belonging. Kampong Gallery carries those themes beyond the stage through seven participatory experiences:

• Art Walk: Co-hosted with Artvocate, featuring a curated digital exhibition exploring home, identity, and belonging. An open call is underway for artists and creators from all backgrounds with an interest in Southeast Asia. Submissions close August 10.
• Founders’ Corner: Co-hosted with Pitch Global and Silicon Valley Access, inviting founders from all backgrounds with an interest in Southeast Asia to apply. Selected startups participate at no cost and receive mentoring, investor access, and a live pitch opportunity.
• Kampong Makers: Make batik, wood-block art, and other hands-on works inspired by Southeast Asian creativity and traditions.
• Kampong Play: Enjoy puzzles, bamboo dancing, Zero Point, cultural dress-up, photo opportunities, and activities for all ages.
• Kampong Kakis: Meet and connect with nonprofits, cultural organizations, and community partners.
• Kampong Marketplace: Shop unique finds from makers and small businesses.
• Kampong Passport: Collect stamps, complete challenges, and enter to win prizes.

Ticket Pricing & Three-Festival Access
Spice & Story is presented alongside the West Coast Asian Foodie Festival and the USA Asian Culture & Food Expo, bringing three co-located festivals together for one of the Bay Area’s largest Asian food and culture weekends.

Discounted community tickets start at $12 for the Gallery Experience. The Full Experience starts at $25 and includes the live performance, story-inspired food tastings, and the Kampong Gallery. Every ticket also includes admission to two additional Asian food festivals at the same venue at no extra cost. Tickets and details are available here.

Sponsors and Partners

Spice & Story is made possible through the generous support of Singapore Global Network, Lead Sponsor, and OMG Group, Festival Host Partner. Strategic, program, and community partners include SingaporeConnect, Pitch Global, Silicon Valley Access, Live Stage Productions, Artvocate, iR!DESCENT Batik Studio, MySelera Bistro, Mama Judy, Dabao Singapore, Canvia, SKC, Mariati Paham Photography, Louis Lim & Partners, GPI–Great Productions Intl., Postal Annex Stanford, Supermomos, Majulah Abroad, and additional community collaborators. 

More Than a Meal Culinary Series in Washington, D.C., New York City, and online
Last month, Kampong Collective presented More Than a Meal, a hybrid cooking and storytelling experience that offered an intimate preview of the ideas behind Spice & Story. Participants gathered in person and online to prepare a three-course Southeast Asian meal while sharing the memories, histories, and family stories woven into each dish. Led by Chef Emily Lim—Food Network alum, James Beard Award semifinalist, Chopped Champion, and founder of Dabao Singapore—the program explored how food carries culture across borders and generations.

“When I cook Southeast Asian food, I’m not just following a recipe. I’m telling a story about where I come from, who taught me, and what it means to carry that with me. More Than a Meal is an invitation for others to sit at that table, share that story, and maybe rediscover one of their own,” said Tabitha Chee, co-president of Kampong Collective.

Kampong Collective: Founding Board of Directors
Kampong Collective’s founding board spans the United States and Singapore, reflecting its commitment to building a national platform with strong ties to Southeast Asia.

• Sharon Sim, Co-President & Incorporating Board Member
• Tabitha Chee, Co-President & Incorporating Board Member
• Mabel Phoon, Secretary & Board Member
• Leonard Ho, Treasurer & Board Member
• Mark Sin, Founding Steward & Incorporating Board Member
• Richard Chan, Founding Steward & Incorporating Board Member
• Chwen Lim, Incorporating Board Member

The organization is led by Mary Jew, Executive Director, and supported by a team of volunteers committed to celebrating Southeast Asian cultural life across the United States.

Kampong Collective is also grateful to SingaporeConnect, its Founding Patron, for its generous early support as the organization takes its first steps.

About Kampong Collective
Kampong Collective is a U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit building a thriving ecosystem for Southeast Asian culture, creativity, community, and entrepreneurship. Inspired by the kampong—the traditional Southeast Asian village where doors stayed open and culture was part of everyday life—it creates spaces where Southeast Asian stories, flavors, and creativity come to life across America. Kampong Collective celebrates and amplifies artists, chefs, storytellers, founders, and community builders, and opens doors for the diverse cultures of Southeast Asia to be experienced and celebrated nationwide. Learn more at www.kampongcollective.org or visit our social channels Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

Media Contact
Sammy Totah
Kampong Collective
media@kampongcollective.org
415.225.8444

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¹ Figures reflect U.S. Census Bureau (2023 ACS) and Pew Research Center estimates of people identifying with each origin alone or in combination with other groups; because individuals may identify with more than one origin, these figures should not be summed into a single unduplicated total. See Census Bureau Table B02018 and Pew Research Center for methodology.

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