KSW's current programming falls into four areas.

Arts Presentations

For three decades KSW has offered multi- and interdisciplinary performances, exhibitions, readings and symposia presenting some of the most innovative expressions of the Asian Pacific American voice. KSW's current emphasis is on programming dealing with our community's historical, contemporary and cultural issues.

Publications

KSW's small press was one of the first outlets for the publication of Asian Pacific American literature. Since 1982 KSW Press has published 10 books of poetry, prose and photography, including the critically acclaimed Heaven is Just Another Country (Jaime Jacinto, 1996) and The Book of Perceptions (Truong Tran & Chung Hoang Chuong 1999), which were both short-listed for prestigious book awards.

Arts Education

KSW has always mandated community arts education, offering classes and workshops for the past thirty years in visual arts, writing, music, movement, etc. KSW currently offers four writing classes per year in fiction, poetry, writing for performance and multi-genre, a comic book art class, and a number of weekend intensive workshops with visiting and resident writers. This year, KSW will add new illustration, drawing and stand-up comedy classes.

Next Generation

KSW is committed to nurturing the next generation of community artists and fostering intergenerational contacts. KSW-Next, a group of artists under the age of 35, meets monthly in salons and workshops to network and discus issues relating to the contemporary Asian Pacific American art scene. KSW-Next curates and produces other Kearny Street Workshop presentations such as atlas(t) and the 2001 exhibition Limited Edition (co-presented with Oakland Asian Cutural Center). KSW-Next also plans and organizes Kearny Street Workshop's annual young artists festival APAture: A Window on the Art of Young Asian Pacific Americans, which is presented at the end of September.