October 2023 marks the 22nd anniversary of Tacoma Arts Month – a community celebration of the arts that includes many community-hosted arts and culture events, exhibits and workshops for all ages taking place throughout the month. Programming includes music and dance performances, hands-on experiences, visual art exhibits, film screenings, literary readings, lectures, cultural events, and workshops. All events are open to the public and many activities are free.
“We’re excited to welcome Tacoma Arts Month and all the great art events and opportunities it brings our community,” said Tacoma Arts Commission Chair Michael Kula. “Each year, the offerings grow more and more diverse, and it showcases the best of our city’s rich arts and cultural community!”
Tacoma Arts Month Signature Events
- Kaleidoscope Opening Party
The community is invited to attend a free, family-friendly celebration on Thursday, October 5 from 6:30 – 9 PM at STAR Center (3873 S. 66th St.). Start Tacoma Arts Month off with a kaleidoscope of live arts and cultural performances including music performances by Jaziré and Cassio Vianna; dance performances by Metro Arts Tacoma and Sophie Marie Schatz; poetry by Tacoma Poet Laureate Christian Paige; visual art by Roxann Murray, Kalvin Satiacum, and Yoshi Nakagawa; screenings of short films by Donovan Wilson and Melinda Raebyne; printing project with Write253 / Line Break Press; cultural activities with Asia Pacific Cultural Center; poetry with Burl Battersby; collaborative mural making with Mary Mann; ceramics project with Kristina Batiste; crafting activity with Toolbox Laboratories; STEAM-based activity with FabLab; lantern making with Tacoma Light Trail; tree ID exercise with Tacoma Tree Foundation; demonstration with Alchemy Skateboarding; selfie station by Metro Arts Tacoma; a language exchange with Latinx Unidos of the South Sound; and more. The Puyallup Tribe Cultural department will be offering a blessing to commence the ceremony. The event will include appetizers and refreshments by Trini Plate.
The event will include recognition of the Tacoma Arts Commission’s 2023 funding recipients and the AMOCAT Arts Award winners: Foster’s Creative, Southeast Asian Comedy Collective, and Kristina Batiste and Reid Ozaki of the Tacoma Pottery Salon.
The event is presented by the Tacoma Arts Commission in partnership with Metro Parks Tacoma and hosted by STAR Center. - Tacoma Studio Tour
The community is invited inside the working studios of 80 local artists to learn about the artistic process, ask questions and purchase one-of-a-kind creations. All studios will feature demonstrations or will have hands-on activities for visitors. This free, family-friendly, self-guided tour will run October 14 and October 15, from 11 AM – 5 PM, and covers 50 locations around Tacoma.
Studio Tour attendees are encouraged to pick up a Tacoma Studio Tour Passport and have it stamped at each studio location visited. Once at least seven stamps have been collected, the passport can be submitted for a chance to win one of several prize packages containing artwork handcrafted by a selection of artists on the tour.
A complete list of studio locations, including an interactive map and information about the Tacoma Studio Tour Passport, is available at TacomaArtsMonth.org.
Information about Tacoma Arts Month events and programming is at TacomaArtsMonth.org. Tacoma Arts Month’s media sponsors are KBTC, KNKX, Northwest Public Broadcasting, ParentMap, Preview, Showcase Magazine, South Sound Business, South Sound Magazine, and SouthSoundTalk.
