Basement Workshop

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Basement Workshop was New York City’s first Asian-American political and arts group, active from 1970 to 1986. It grew out of the Asian American Movement and brought together young Asian Americans who wanted to mix art with community activism. The movement around Black Power and opposition to the Vietnam War helped shape its start.

The group’s mission focused on helping communities understand themselves and providing resources to serve their people. They ran language classes and published a monthly magazine and newsletters.

Basement Workshop began in a basement at 54 Elizabeth Street, later moving to 22 Catherine Street and then a loft at 199 Lafayette Street. Its community arm, the Community Planning Workshop (CPW), moved from East Broadway to 22 Catherine Street and offered English and citizenship classes for Chinese immigrants.

Early projects included the Asian American Resource Center and Bridge Magazine, which ran from 1971 to 1978. In 1972 they published Yellow Pearl, a visual arts collection, and in 1973 released the sea­soned album a grain of sand. Amerasia Creative Arts formed around 1973 as the group’s visual arts arm, producing posters and publicity for community events.

Basement Workshop drew in many artists and activists, such as Danny Yung, Eleanor Yung, Charlie Chin, Chris Iijima, Joanne Miyamoto, Corky Lee, Tomie Arai, Fay Chiang, Arlan Huang, Jason Kao Hwang, Tzi Ma, Frank Chin, Henry Chang, and Jessica Hagedorn. Activists included Michio Kaku and Robert Takashi Yanagida.

The group hosted silk-screening, dance, photography, film, and acting workshops, along with community arts exhibitions and youth programs. It helped start other key efforts, including the Asian American Dance Theater, Asian American Arts Centre, Asian CineVision, Godzilla Asian American Arts Network, and the Chinatown Historical Project, which eventually led to the Museum of Chinese in America.

By 1986 Basement Workshop had four main strands: the Asian American Resource Center, Bridge Magazine, Amerasia Creative Arts, and CPW. When it closed, its impact lived on in its members and in the broader Asian American community, helping people embrace their identity and inspiring future artists and activists.