Submitted by Tacoma Art Museum
Tacoma, WA – Tacoma Art Museum (TAM) is pleased to announce that staring in July admission for youth 18 and under will be free every Saturday!
TAM is committed to its mission to connect people through art, by removing the financial barrier on Saturday admission and increase access for our community.
TAM is also committed to providing access to quality arts education for the youth in our community. Our student and youth educational initiatives provide exposure to visual arts through museum visits and hands-on experiences. Participation in visual arts activities helps students and youth learn 21st century skills that are essential to career and college readiness, develop empathy and tolerance, and deepen their understanding of what they learn in the traditional classroom, which TAM is uniquely poised to support. Experiences in art museums fill learning gaps in all schools where arts instruction has steadily declined.
TAM’s Director of Education and Community Engagement, Samantha Kelly shares, “We are delighted to offer multiple access opportunities for youth in our community to have meaningful encounters with original works of art.” Free Saturday admission for youth 18 and under enhances our free offerings for youth, which include:
• Free High School Admission – A new partnership gives all Tacoma Public Schools high school students free access to TAM and the Museum of Glass (MOG).
• TAM’s Art After School program provides youth with new ways to connect to art and their community! Youth participating in local community-based organizations engage in dynamic conversations about contemporary social issues sparked by encounters with original works of art in TAM’s galleries. Transportation funds ensure there are no barriers to access.
• Second Saturday Studio and Storytime is a free art making and literacy program for children ages 2-8 and their families. Program includes a facilitated art activity, storytime in the galleries, and guided exploration of a related work of art.
• Children’s Museum of Tacoma (CMT) and TAM partner to provide free and dynamic arts engagement for families, connecting our youngest learners through the arts. After visiting CMT, families receive free entry to TAM and can check out a free Family Explorer Pack, filled with fun activities to do in the galleries. This new free access further builds on our commitment to the community. Tacoma Art Museum aims to provide multiple opportunities for the entire community to access original works of art and experience the benefits of such exposure. Each initiative creates broader access to life-long learning and cultural activities, needs identified by the community through the Tacoma 2025 Report. Current initiatives include:
• Neighborhood Nights which invite the community into the museum for free admission and programming every Thursday evening from 5:00-8:00pm.
• Extending evening hours and increasing weekend programming eliminates many scheduling barriers that prohibit participation in the arts.
• TAM exhibitions and the programming highlight the diverse points of view and lived experiences of the artists of the Northwest and broader western region.
• UNFRAMED 21+ programming creates opportunities for social connection with other visitors via conversation, dialogue, and shared group activities. By connecting people to art and others, we are strengthening the fabric of Tacoma.
• Free Community Festivals feature interactive art experiences, live music and dance performances, gallery exploration, storytelling, and providing a platform for Tacoma’s diverse communities to share their heritage.
• Free TAM Local art shows highlight the creative talents of our community via quarterly art installations coordinated by community partners.
• Art Access Pass provides free admission to TAM. Passes are available to check out at each of the 29 public libraries in Tacoma and Pierce County, as well as Joint Base Lewis-McChord Resource Libraries.
For up to date information on the project visit: www.tacomaartmuseum.org/events/
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