TACOMA, Wash. – Tacoma Creates, Washington state’s pioneering cultural access program, recently completed its fourth funding cycle, awarding $5.8 million to 65 organizations dedicated to advancing arts, culture, heritage, and science. This competitive funding program enabled these organizations to offer over 1,200 cultural programs and events for the Tacoma community during the 2023-2024 period.
“With data from four years of Tacoma Creates funding, it’s clear that this program is having its intended impact: our cultural sector is stronger, more diverse, and there is more access for more people across Tacoma,” said Mayor Victoria Woodards. “Our cultural organizations are providing amazing opportunities for young people, while also ensuring that artists and creative workers remain employed here in Tacoma. These efforts benefit our entire community.”
“Tacoma Creates funding has supported many collaborations that benefit our community,” said Tacoma Creates Advisory Board Chair Brian Robinson. “We’re especially pleased about the growth in partnerships with Tacoma Public Library and Tacoma Public Schools: over 100 free cultural programs were offered at library branches around the city, and many hundreds of local students benefited from cultural field trips and in-school STEAM learning opportunities. During the 2023-2024 school year, 100 percent of Tacoma Public Schools benefited from programming supported by Tacoma Creates.”
Approximately one third of the programs supported were youth education programs, including programs offered in partnership with Tacoma Public Schools. In addition to classes and workshops at Tacoma Public Schools’ campuses, Tacoma Creates supported bus transportation for 245 field trips for Tacoma Public Schools’ students, broadening horizons and supporting experiential learning in arts, culture, heritage, and science. Tacoma Creates also partnered with the Tacoma Public Library and supported over 100 programs at branch locations across the city.
Nearly 80 percent of the programs and events produced with Tacoma Creates funding support were offered free of charge to the community, and there were over 300,000 attendees at free, in-person cultural events. In addition to programming that brings people to cultural facilities downtown, over 65 percent of organizations’ funds were allocated towards producing programs and events in neighborhoods across the city. An interactive map is available on the Program Locations page of the Tacoma Creates website.
Tacoma Creates funding helps cultural organizations build long-term sustainability and broaden access to their programs. Throughout the 2023-2024 program year, organizations utilized funding to invest in staffing, forge collaborations both within and outside the cultural sector, and strengthen their infrastructure. These investments help organizations expand their impact and foster more inclusive and equitable environments. Importantly, Tacoma Creates has enabled many organizations to increase paid work opportunities for artists and other cultural workers, who are vital contributors to the local creative economy.
A copy of Tacoma Creates’ full 2023-2024 Annual Report, including a Spanish version, is available along with other details at tacomacreates.org.
