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Kearny Street Workshop archives
CEMA 33
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Title: Kearny Street Workshop archives
Identifier/Call Number: CEMA 33
Language of Material: The collection is in English.
Contributing Institution:
UC Santa Barbara Library, Department of Special Research Collections
Physical Description:
14.75 Linear Feet;
11 document boxes, 5 oversize boxes and 176 posters
Creator:
Kearny Street Workshop
Date (inclusive): 1972-2002
Date (bulk): 1980-2002
Abstract: The nonprofit agency Kearny Street Workshop (KSW) is the oldest multidisciplinary Asian American arts organization in the
United States. Established in 1972 as a collective of artists in San Francisco's Chinatown/ Manila town neighborhood, KSW
is now a nonprofit agency that serves many Asian/Pacific American communities from its office in San Francisco. This collection
covers material from 1972 - 2002. It contains posters, publications, and photos. The struggles of the neighborhood such as
low-income housing, strikes by garment and electrical union workers, and the eviction of the elderly tenants defines much
of the art in this collection.
Physical Location: Special Research Collections, UC Santa Barbara Library
This collection is divided into eight series, mostly arranged by subject and then alphabetically by type of material or event.
Kearny Street Workshop (KSW) is a nonprofit agency in San Francisco, California and the oldest multidisciplinary Asian American
arts organization in the United States. Their mission is "to produce and present art that enriches and empowers Asian Pacific
American communities."
KSW was established in 1972 as a collective of artists in San Francisco's Chinatown/Manila town neighborhood. The social climate
of the time and region played an influential role in shaping the artwork, activism, and community involvement by KSW members.
KSW supports the efforts of Asian Americans in the visual, performance, and literary arts and encourages intergenerational
and cross-cultural history. Through local and national collaborations with other arts organizations and cultural communities,
KSW provides a forum for Asian American artists to reach a wide, diverse audience. They have developed programs focusing on
four areas: adult arts education, next generation arts support and training, multidisciplinary arts presentations, and publications.
KSW also offers workshops, classes, and arts management seminars; they produce a Bay Area resource guide for Asian American
artists and present works by established and emerging artists. KSW has hosted events such as the The I-Hotel Symposium, Angel
Island Immigration Station exhibit, and the annual Asian American Jazz Festival. More information about KSW history, programs,
and artists can be found on their web site www.kearnystreet.org.
[Identification of Item], Kearny Street Workshop Archives, CEMA 33. Department of Special Research Collections, UC Santa Barbara
Library, University of California, Santa Barbara.
The collection is open for research.
Copyright has not been assigned to the Department of Special Collections, UCSB. All requests for permission to publish or
quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Special Collections. Permission for publication is given
on behalf of the Department of Special Collections as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply
permission of the copyright holder, which also must be obtained.
Donated by the Kearny Street Workshop, May 1999. On April 23, 2011 Lora Jo Foo donated 4 additional posters to this collection.
The KSW Archives include administrative records, photographs, artwork, press materials, ephemera, publications, regalia, and
audiovisual materials. The items in this collection reflect activities from performing arts events, community work, KSW Press,
program planning, and grant proposals. The photographs in this collection are from the 1977 International Hotel evictions
and protest to these evictions.
A majority of this collection, at this point, consists of KSW workshop and performing arts press materials, I-Hotel photo
documentation, and grant application materials. The collection also holds a complete run of the KSW News from 1995- to the
present.
KSW materials created before 1980 (with the exception of the I-Hotel contents) and audiovisual materials are sparse. There
is also an archival copy of one published work by KSW Press, Ed Badajos: A Retrospective. Some circulating copies of KSW Press
titles can be found by looking in "Pegasus," the UCSB Davidson Library Catalog. The overall collection reflects the activities
of the organization, information about individual KSW members and artists that are not yet represented in as much detail.
Some artists' information can be found in Series I: California Arts Council (CAC), Artists-in-Residence and in news press
releases found throughout the collection.
Series I: Administrative Records. This series contains unpublished materials such as correspondence, grant proposals, applications, event planning records,
and institutional reports. The years represented are from 1973-1997. These files are alphabetically arranged by type of material,
then year.
Series II: Classes and Workshops. This series contains flyers, publicity materials, and schedules for classes and workshops sponsored by KSW. The years represented
are from 1982-2002. Materials are arranged by type of class or workshop, then year. In some instances, the artist who instructed
the class is noted between type of class and year.
Series III: External Materials. This series consists of non-KSW related publications such as programs, flyers, press releases, and periodical articles. They
reflect related events or events that mention the KSW organization or affiliated artists from there. Materials in this series
are organized by type of material and then by year. In some instances, they have an added note of the event being publicized.
Series IV: Graphic Arts. This series lists 176 posters by various artists. The posters are stored in the map cases in Del Norte. In addition, there
are two
Broadsides, both anniversary events dating from 1979, found in Box 3.
Series V: Performance and Visual Arts Events. This series consists of press materials and schedules for KSW dance, music, theatre and spoken word, and showcase events.
Showcases highlight the works of different types of artists in one event. This series is arranged by type of material, type
of event, and then year. The years represented in this series are from 1985-2002. Some folders are additionally noted with
a specific event name such as the "Asian American Jazz Festival."
Series VI: Publications and Public Relations Materials. This series consists of promotional material for KSW, informational brochures, published artwork, published written works,
and newsletters. Also included are the records of KSW Press, which include correspondence, catalogs, and flyers. The years
represented are from 1985-2002. They are arranged by type of material and then year. For published written works, the name
of the title is included.
Series VII: Special Events. This series consists primarily of press materials, flyers, and photographs from special events or programs outside of the
KSW regular arts series such as conferences, benefits, symposiums, anniversary celebrations, and special projects. Includes
the publicity, regalia, and photo documentation from the I-Hotel evictions exhibit in 1977 and the commemorative events to
follow years later. The years represented in this series are from 1974-2002. The materials are arranged by type of material,
event, and then year. Some titles of specific events are also noted.
Series VIII: Audiovisual Materials. This series consists of video and sound recording materials produced by KSW. Currently there is only one sound recording
from 1981 in the form of a kit entitled "Pan Asian Holiday Tour" that includes audio cassettes, a songbook, and original artwork
from Nancy Hom. The printed materials are stored separately from the cassette tapes.
Nancy Hom Papers. CEMA 46. Department of Special Research Collections, UC Santa Barbara Library, University of California, Santa Barbara.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Asian American theater -- California -- San Francisco
Asian American Artists -- California -- 20th century