Saiyare is proud of collaborative community art projects that have actively included community voice and participation. They have them so much too: Parkland Community Mural Project (2013), 5 Stages Mural with Tiffanny Hammonds (through Spaceworks 2017), Re-emerging in Healing Mural (through Spaceworks 2018) and recent mural with high schools from Franklin Pierce High School, Washington High School and Gates High School in their new classroom at the Farm at Franklin Pierce Schools.

Tacoma Porchfest has grown to a not-to-be-missed status in a very short time, doubling in size each year from its inception in 2022. This year’s Porchfest featured over 300 performers on 110 porch stages across Central Tacoma, the Sixth Ave Business District, and the North End neighborhood.

The Tacomarama Community Street Band brings together skilled and amateur musicians to experience the joy of creating music in community. The band has become a mainstay at community festivals throughout Tacoma at such events as Tacoma Arts Month Opening Celebration, Tacoma Light Trail, Parks Tacoma Healthy Kids Day, and recently got to play in Council Chambers!

Key strategic goals are centered on the provision and accessibility of holistic community support that promotes community engagement and self-sufficiency of our target population via 4 core departmental programs. These include the Maru Mora Centro Familiar, the Dolores Huerta Institute, the Camino al Exito: Centro de Negocios, and lastly the Arreguin Arts & Culture Center. Over the years, Mi Centro has organized and supported wrap-around family support services, youth programming, education support, workshops, arts programming and events, both independently and through our esteemed community partnerships.

Since 2023 the Ramkery has hosted fun workshops, classes and pop-ups where the public can create with existing materials. Workshops attempt to find resources in everyday material like turning plastic bags into rugs, crocheting with t-shirt yarn, sewing quilt coats from actual quilts, using fabric scraps to make slugs, or recycling plastic trash into sewing buttons. On the 4th Friday of every month, folks are encouraged to get together and spend time mending their clothes. Remakery has also hosted other community events like filling a room with cardboard play structures, free craft swaps and an annual event highlighting different types of creative reuse. They love working with local Tacoma artists and highlighting community resources

Tacoma Public Library hosts year-round, all ages programming in its eight neighborhood locations as well as through outreach and collaborative events throughout the city.

In 2019, Tacoma Public Library and Tacoma Creates established a partnership for arts, culture, heritage, and science organizations to offer programs in libraries throughout Tacoma’s diverse neighborhoods, significantly expanding public access to high-quality arts programming while boosting support and collaboration in the local arts and culture sector.

Tacoma Public Library has also been honored to host the Tacoma Wayzgoose, a community letterpress, printmaking, and book arts extravaganza,” for the past two years as a partner of Write253 and other local literary arts organizations.

Write253 is an anchor partner in Tacoma Public Library’s Community Hub, as well. The Community Hub at Main Library is an ecosystem of local partners (currently, those partners are Remakery, Tacoma Tool Library, and Write253) whose work aligns with the mission, vision, and strategic priorities of Tacoma Public Library.

Tacoma Public Library partners annually with the Mayor’s Office for Tacoma Reads, a season of all-ages literary programs that explore contemporary themes. Tacoma Reads often brings in artists of varying mediums (dance, music, sculpture, book arts, storytelling) for programs and performances that promote dialogue, empathy, and shared experience.

These are just a few of the programs that Tacoma Public Library participates in, partners for, and hosts in order to create a more resilient, informed, and inspired city.

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