A press release from City of Tacoma.
The Tacoma City Council is seeking applicants to fill the following four positions on the Tacoma Arts Commission:
- At-Large Position 8 – Persons representative of acknowledged accomplishment or persons working outside of professional practice in the arts but who demonstrate a deep interest in and appreciation of cultural and artistic activities
- Professional Positions 3 and 4 – Individuals who have had professional experience or training related to the arts, originating from employment or study within the following disciplines: arts or art history, arts administration, architecture, art criticism, art education, curation, conservation, heritage arts, literature, music, new media, performing arts, public art, visual arts, or a related field
- Working Professional Artist Position
The Tacoma Arts Commission is comprised of 15 volunteer members who are appointed by the Economic Development Committee and confirmed by the City Council to serve three-year terms. Members are Tacoma residents who are arts advocates and/or artists.
The Tacoma Arts Commission provides leadership in supporting and enhancing the arts for the benefit of the City and its residents. The primary responsibility of the Commission is to create policies to support the ongoing development of arts programs and projects in Tacoma. Its primary programs include the funding of artists and arts organizations to provide services for the citizens of Tacoma, Tacoma Arts Month, and oversight of public art as part of the Municipal Art Program. The Commission’s functions are outlined in Chapter 1.28A and 1.28B of the Tacoma Municipal Code.
The Tacoma Arts Commission is striving towards social justice. They are committed to supporting equitable opportunities to broaden artistic expression while encouraging intersectional communities through inclusive relationships and outreach. Arts and culture are uniquely positioned to touch every person and every part of Tacoma and the Tacoma Arts Commission is committed to supporting the entirety of the community. For these vacancies, Black and Indigenous community members, people of color, LGBTQ individuals, individuals with disabilities, seniors, immigrants, and refugees are especially encouraged to apply.
Monthly meetings are held from 5 – 7 PM on the second Monday of each month. Typically, meetings are held at the Tacoma Municipal Building (747 Market St., Room 248) but, due to COVID-19, meetings are currently held virtually. Regular attendance at these monthly meetings is required. Beyond monthly meetings, commissioners are asked to sit on at least one subcommittee and one selection panel each year. Commissioners are also asked to periodically attend and evaluate programs produced by artists and organizations that the Commission funds and are expected to attend and assist with all major programs the Commission produces. A major commitment of the Commission is helping support Tacoma Arts Month, which happens each October.
Additional information on the Tacoma Arts Commission is available here.
Applications must be submitted to the City Clerk’s Office by the end of the day Wednesday, October 20, 2021. To apply, please visit cityoftacoma.org/cbcapplication. For questions about the application process, to request the application in an alternate format, or to submit additional documents please contact Katie Foster in the City Clerk’s Office at servetacoma@cityoftacoma.org or (253) 591-5505.
