Arts Events
Arts and culture programming to fill October
Opening Party
Launch Arts Month at STAR Center on Oct. 5!
Studio Tour
AMOCAT Arts Awards
Honoring vision, dedication, and action in our community
Arts at the Armory
Arts Events image: Snippet of 2022 Tacoma Arts Month Events calendar, learn more here: tacomaartsmonth.org/events.
Opening Party image: The Playground Kiki ballroom performance at Kaleidoscope, the Tacoma Arts Month opening party in 2022. Photo by Jamika Scott.
Studio Tour image: 2022 Tacoma Studio Tour attendees participate in a group painting at the studio of Mary Mann.
AMOCAT Arts Awards image: AMOCAT Arts Award design by Chandler O’Leary
Arts at the Armory image: Panoramic view of Arts at the Armory event in 2022.
Sponsors
Thank you to all our sponsors for their support!
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We're pleased to announce the most recent Art Town segment featuring the Tacoma Boat Builders. They create "transformational opportunities for marginalized and court-involved youth through positive mentorship" through their program. You can learn more about their program, mission, and how they provide for our community by following this link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tKLqiJY1C4
It's 'Tacoma Artist Tuesday'! Today we are featuring Merilee Tanbara -
Merilee is a third-generation Japanese American. Her mother’s parents are from the island of Kyushu and, during the turn of the century, immigrated to Tacoma, where her mom and her aunts were born. Her parents met in Wyoming at a concentration camp called Heart Mountain, then many years later, they married and raised their family in Tacoma, where Merilee’s children were also born.
After Merilee’s mother died, she gave her eulogy - a collection of stories from her family. Now Merilee is writing a novel based on these stories and interviews with family friends. The book begins in the 1920s inside Tacoma’s Japanese community with a population of two thousand living and working in Tacoma’s downtown core. In 1941, the characters experienced the aftermath of the attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese Empire, then mass incarceration in remote areas of the US interior, and finally, rebuilding their lives after the camps. The book is historical fiction, so the characters are not family members but instead from her imagination. Merilee explores questions such as, what was it like to be an American when you look like the enemy? How does that shape your life? What were the hardships of camp? How does it feel to come home to Tacoma when your community is gone?
Merilee’s mother earned her bachelor’s degree from the College of Puget Sound, now referred to as the University of Puget Sound. Merilee received her higher education outside of Tacoma; a bachelor’s degree from the University of Redlands and Parson School of Design and a Master of Public Administration from Evergreen State College. She is a member of the Omoide Project, a writers group supported by the Nikkei Heritage Association of Washington and the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Washington.
We are honored to support Merilee's work through the Tacoma Artists Initiative Program.
Join Tacoma Arts Commission!
Are you passionate about the arts and eager to make a difference in Tacoma? The Tacoma Arts Commission (TAC) is seeking volunteers to join their ranks. TAC plays a vital role in supporting and enhancing the city's arts scene, from funding artists and organizations to overseeing public art initiatives. You can be part of this dynamic team, helping shape policies, fostering artistic expression, and enriching the community. Whether you're an arts advocate or an artist, consider applying for the five available At-Large Positions. TAC is committed to social justice and encourages individuals from diverse backgrounds, including BIPOC, LGBTQ, those with disabilities, seniors, immigrants, and refugees, to apply. Don't miss this opportunity to serve your city's vibrant arts community.
Application Deadline: Sunday, October 1, 2023
If you reside in Tacoma and want to be a part of this exciting endeavor, apply today! For details and to submit your application, visit cityoftacoma.org/cbcapplication. Join TAC in its mission to promote art, culture, and inclusivity in Tacoma. Your involvement can help make a lasting impact on the city's artistic landscape.
You are invited inside the working studios of Tacoma artists to learn about the artistic process and purchase one-of-a-kind creations. All studios will have a demonstration or hands-on activity for visitors.
October 14 & 15
11:00 am – 5:00 pm
Various artist studios across Tacoma
Free and family-friendly
See our website for more details and artist information! tacomaartsmonth.org/studio-tour/
Looking for more audience members at your event? What you have planned is worth it, and we're happy to get the word out!
The City of Tacoma's Office of Arts & Cultural Vitality is seeking submissions of virtual and in-person arts and culture events happening during Tacoma Arts Month this October. We are looking for various events spanning all categories of art and culture, including but not limited to music, visual art, literary art, dance, theater, and film.
Let us know if you will be hosting an exhibition, performance, class, workshop, reception, lecture, tour, artists’ market, celebration, meeting, presentation, or any other programming. We will list your arts event in our interactive and searchable online calendar at tacomaartsmonth.org/events. It’s totally free! We will promote the many events throughout the month through print and digital advertisements and articles, e-newsletters, television ads, radio ads, and through various social media outlets.
Tacoma Arts Month would not be possible without the participation of local businesses, organizations, and community members. We encourage you to participate by hosting your own arts event.
To Qualify: Your arts event must be located within the City of Tacoma limits, open to the public, and occur during the month of October.
To Submit Your Event:
Submit your event using the ‘Add Event’ button located directly above the events calendar at tacomaartsmonth.org/events.
If you need assistance, message us here or email dgarcia2@cityoftacoma.org for help.
Let's do this!
Join us from 6:30 – 9 pm on Thursday October 5th, at STAR Center for Kaleidoscope, the free #TacomaArtsMonth opening party!
We have a host of performances, activities for everyone, delicious food, and more! Come and enjoy this great part of our community!
Marketing Toolkit
ʔuk’ʷədiitəb ʔuhigʷətəb čəɫ txʷəl tiiɫ ʔa čəɫ ʔal tə swatxʷixʷtxʷəd ʔə tiiɫ puyaləpabš dxʷəsɫaɫlils gʷəl ʔutxʷəlšucidəbs həlgʷəʔ.
We gratefully acknowledge that we rest on the traditional lands of the Puyallup People where they make their home and speak the Lushootseed language.
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