Kearny Street Workshop
A San Francisco multidisciplinary arts nonprofit supporting and presenting Asian American and Pacific Islander artists and communities.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Kearny Street Workshop (KSW) is a San Francisco multidisciplinary arts nonprofit focused on producing, presenting, and supporting work connected to Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. Founded in 1972 as an artists’ collective in the International Hotel on Kearny Street, the organization emerged from the Asian American movement and combined cultural production with community organizing. Its early activities addressed the experiences of Chinese American and other Asian American communities through visual art, creative writing, photography, silkscreen printing, exhibitions, poetry, music, and public events. KSW’s origins were closely tied to the International Hotel, a low-income residential and commercial building whose tenants faced a prolonged anti-eviction campaign. The organization’s artists created posters, pamphlets, murals, and other visual materials supporting the tenants, while members participated in rallies, court hearings, exhibitions about affordable housing, and public education. This work helped establish KSW as both an arts organization and a vehicle for cultural activism. The group also developed youth programming in Chinatown and helped organize the Hop Jok Fair, which combined Asian American cultural programming with access to social and health services for low-income residents. Although its initial constituency was largely Chinese American, KSW expanded quickly into a multiethnic Asian American organization. In its first years, it offered classes, salons, workshops, and exhibitions that attracted large numbers of Bay Area participants. The Jackson Street Gallery, opened in 1974 in a nearby storefront, provided a venue for member exhibitions, readings, and musical performances. After the International Hotel was cleared in 1977, KSW moved temporarily to North Beach, a change that weakened its direct connection to Chinatown and Manilatown. It returned to Chinatown by 1981 through a basement location on Clay Street. During the 1980s and 1990s, KSW broadened its institutional and cultural infrastructure. It helped establish the Asian American Jazz Festival in 1981 and operated Kearny Street Workshop Press, which published poetry by Bay Area Asian American writers. In 1995, Nancy Hom became executive director, KSW created its first board of directors, incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and moved to South Park. In 1999, it launched APAture, an annual multidisciplinary festival intended to promote emerging Bay Area artists of Asian and/or Pacific Islander descent. Since 2010, KSW has operated from Arc Studios and Gallery at 1246 Folsom Street in San Francisco’s South of Market district. The site includes gallery and office functions, artist studios, and the Cafe Suspiro coffee shop. KSW’s programming has included visual arts, writing, publishing, film, music, performance, martial arts, readings, exhibitions, and artist development. Its best-known continuing initiative is APAture, while its Asian American Jazz Festival ran continuously from 1981 until its final production in 2006. Participants and contributors associated with KSW programs have included writers, poets, musicians, performers, filmmakers, and visual artists such as Russell Leong, Jessica Hagedorn, Janice Mirikitani, Al Robles, Lane Nishikawa, Gene Luen Yang, Ali Wong, Hasan Minhaj, Jane Kim, and Goh Nakamura.
History
Kearny Street Workshop was founded in 1972 by Jim Dong, Lora Joh Foo, Mike Chin, and other artists and activists associated with the Asian American movement. Its first home was the International Hotel, a landmark of San Francisco’s Kearny Street community. The group began as an artists’ collective and initially concentrated on Chinese American cultural expression, but it soon developed a broader Asian American and Pacific Islander constituency. Early programming combined artistic training with community education. KSW offered opportunities in photography, creative writing, silkscreen printing, and other forms of visual and literary production. Classes, salons, workshops, and exhibitions attracted participants from across the Bay Area. The organization received early support through the National Endowment for the Arts’ Neighborhood Arts Program, administered through the San Francisco Arts Commission. Although some founders were initially reluctant to accept government support, a grant arranged with the assistance of liaison Bernice Bing helped finance a graphics workshop. KSW became particularly visible during the campaign to prevent the eviction of International Hotel tenants. Its artists produced screenprinted posters, pamphlets, poetry, and other materials that documented the residents’ lives and advocated for their rights. Members helped create a large mural on the hotel’s Jackson Street side and took part in rallies, court proceedings, exhibitions, and public events related to affordable housing. The organization also developed summer youth activities in Chinatown and helped organize the Hop Jok Fair, which combined cultural programming with information about social and health services. The International Hotel’s tenants were evicted in 1977, and KSW moved to a small storefront in North Beach. The move separated the organization from the Chinatown and Manilatown communities that had shaped its work. By 1981, it had returned to Chinatown, leasing basement space in a Clay Street hotel. During this period KSW expanded its role as a presenter and publisher. It organized the Asian American Jazz Festival with George Leong and Paul Yamazaki and operated Kearny Street Workshop Press, which published poetry by Bay Area Asian American writers. The Asian American Jazz Festival ran from 1981 through 2006 and featured artists including Mark Izu, Fred Ho, Vijay Iyer, and Jin Hi Kim. It became a major platform for Asian American musicians and an important part of San Francisco’s jazz culture. KSW’s publishing and literary activities similarly supported writers and poets whose work was underrepresented in mainstream arts institutions. A significant institutional transition occurred in 1995, when Nancy Hom became executive director. KSW added its first board of directors, incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and moved to South Park. In 1999, the organization established APAture, an annual festival for emerging Bay Area artists of Asian and/or Pacific Islander descent. The festival’s multidisciplinary format has included visual art, performance, music, writing, film, and other practices. Artists associated with APAture have included Gene Luen Yang, Ali Wong, Hasan Minhaj, Jane Kim, and Goh Nakamura. Since 2010, KSW has been based at Arc Studios and Gallery at 1246 Folsom Street, between Eighth and Ninth streets, in San Francisco’s South of Market neighborhood. The facility includes gallery space, offices, artist studios, and Cafe Suspiro Coffee Shop. KSW’s continuing identity is rooted in the relationship between artistic experimentation and community empowerment. Its activities encompass exhibitions, workshops, readings, performances, film screenings, music, martial arts, literary publishing, artist festivals, and other public programs. Notable people connected with its history and programs include Russell Leong, Jessica Hagedorn, Janice Mirikitani, Al Robles, Lane Nishikawa, and Crystal K.D. Huie.
- 2010
Move to Arc Studios and Gallery
[1]KSW establishes its office and programming base at 1246 Folsom Street in San Francisco.
- 2006
Asian American Jazz Festival concludes
[1]The festival ends after a continuous 25-year run.
- 1999
APAture is established
[1]KSW creates its annual multidisciplinary festival for emerging Asian American and Pacific Islander artists in the Bay Area.
- 1995
Nonprofit incorporation and governance expansion
[1]Under executive director Nancy Hom, KSW adds a board, incorporates as a 501(c)(3), and relocates to South Park.
- 1981
Return to Chinatown and creation of the Asian American Jazz Festival
[1]KSW returns to Chinatown and launches its long-running jazz festival with George Leong and Paul Yamazaki.
- 1977
Relocation after the International Hotel eviction
[1]KSW moves to North Beach after tenants and businesses are removed from the International Hotel.
- 1974
Jackson Street Gallery opens
[1]KSW adds a nearby exhibition and performance venue for visual art, poetry, and music.
- 1972
Kearny Street Workshop is founded
[1]The artists’ collective begins operating from the International Hotel on Kearny Street in San Francisco.
Products and positioning
A community-rooted Asian American and Pacific Islander arts organization that combines multidisciplinary artistic production, emerging-artist support, cultural presentation, and social activism.
Arts festival · 1999
APAture
An annual multidisciplinary festival founded in 1999 to promote emerging artists of Asian and/or Pacific Islander descent who are based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Its programming has encompassed exhibitions, performance, music, writing, film, and other creative disciplines.
Music festival · 1981
Asian American Jazz Festival
A festival founded by KSW in 1981 with George Leong and Paul Yamazaki. It presented Asian American and allied jazz musicians, including Mark Izu, Fred Ho, Vijay Iyer, and Jin Hi Kim, and continued through 2006.
Literary publishing
Kearny Street Workshop Press
A small press associated with KSW that published poetry by Bay Area Asian American writers, including Virginia Cerenio, Bob Hsiang, Jaime Jacinto, Genny Lim, Lenny Limjoco, and Jeff Tagami.
Arts education and presentation · 1972
KSW workshops and exhibitions
A broad program of classes, salons, workshops, exhibitions, readings, performances, film screenings, music events, and other public activities supporting Asian American and Pacific Islander artists and communities.
Marketing campaigns
- 1999APAture
San Francisco Bay Area
KSW created a recurring festival to give emerging Asian American and Pacific Islander artists a multidisciplinary platform and public audience.
Outcome. APAture became a continuing signature program of the organization.
- 1970International Hotel anti-eviction campaign
San Francisco
KSW artists and members supported International Hotel tenants through murals, screenprinted posters, poetry, pamphlets, exhibitions, rallies, court attendance, and public advocacy during the decade-long struggle over the building.
Outcome. The tenants were evicted in 1977, after which KSW relocated from the hotel.
- 1970Hop Jok Fair
San Francisco Chinatown
KSW members helped develop an annual community fair that promoted Asian American art while connecting low-income Chinatown residents with social and health services.
Brand decisions
1999
Launch of APAtureProduct launchBackground
KSW sought to create a recurring platform for emerging Asian American and Pacific Islander artists in the Bay Area.
Action taken
It introduced APAture as an annual multidisciplinary festival.
Aftermath
The festival became one of KSW’s best-known ongoing programs.
1995
Formalization as a 501(c)(3) nonprofitStrategyBackground
After more than two decades as a community-based arts collective, KSW undertook a formal institutional reorganization.
Action taken
It added its first board of directors, incorporated as a 501(c)(3), and moved to South Park.
Aftermath
The changes provided a more formal governance structure and supported the organization’s continued arts programming and fundraising.
1977
Relocation from the International HotelStrategyBackground
The eviction of International Hotel tenants and businesses forced KSW to leave its original headquarters.
Action taken
The organization moved to a storefront in North Beach before later returning to Chinatown.
Aftermath
The move temporarily separated KSW from its core Chinatown and Manilatown constituencies, while the later return restored a direct presence in Chinatown.
Recent events
- 2010
KSW moves to Arc Studios and Gallery[1]
Other
KSW established its office at Arc Studios and Gallery on Folsom Street in San Francisco’s South of Market district.
- 2006
Asian American Jazz Festival ends after long-running series[1]
Other
The Asian American Jazz Festival concluded after operating continuously from its 1981 founding through 2006.
- 1999
APAture launches as an emerging-artist festival[1]
Campaign · Other
KSW founded APAture, an annual multidisciplinary festival designed to showcase emerging Bay Area artists of Asian and/or Pacific Islander descent.
- 1995
Nancy Hom becomes executive director and KSW incorporates[1]
Leadership change · Other
Nancy Hom became executive director, KSW added its first board of directors, incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and relocated to South Park.
- 1981
KSW returns to Chinatown and establishes jazz festival[1]
Campaign · Other
KSW returned to Chinatown through a Clay Street location and helped launch the Asian American Jazz Festival, which later became one of the Bay Area’s longest-running jazz festivals.
- 1977
International Hotel eviction leads to KSW relocation[1]
Other
Following the eviction of residential and commercial tenants from the International Hotel, KSW moved to a North Beach storefront and temporarily lost its immediate base in Chinatown and Manilatown.
- 1974
KSW opens Jackson Street Gallery[1]
Other
The organization opened an adjacent gallery venue for exhibitions, poetry readings, and musical performances.
- 1972
Kearny Street Workshop is founded at the International Hotel[1]
Other
Artists and activists established Kearny Street Workshop as a collective in San Francisco’s International Hotel, linking Asian American cultural work with community organizing.
Sources1 sources
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