KeyBank, The Grand Cinema, and Katy Evans have been selected to receive the Tacoma Arts Commission’s 2012 AMOCAT Arts Awards, which recognize organizations and artists who provide distinctive contributions to the arts in Tacoma.

The “Arts Patron” award goes to KeyBank for its investment in the arts in Tacoma. When the new Children’s Museum of Tacoma opened, a gift from the KeyBank Foundation made free admission to the Museum possible. “Our gift means that the cost of admission will no longer be a barrier to any child who can benefit from the museum’s impressive educational and skill-building programs,” said KeyBank’s South Puget Sound District President Steve Maxwell. Additional KeyBank contributions have extended programming at the Broadway Center, Tacoma Art Museum and Washington State History Museum to audiences that are traditionally underrepresented. Other KeyBank gifts have supported ArtsFund as well as in-school programs operated by the Museum of Glass and Tacoma Symphony Orchestra.

The “Community Outreach by an Organization” award goes to The Grand Cinema for its ongoing collaborations with local artists, organizations, and schools to bring unique and relevant films and film programming to Tacoma. Since The Grand Cinema was founded as a non-profit cinema in 1997, it has seen over 1.4 million patrons come through its doors. In addition to regular films 365 days a year, The Grand creates other film-based events including the 72-Hour Film Competition, “25 New Faces” film series, and the Tacoma Film Festival. Throughout each year, The Grand works with other local organizations to create conversations through the art of film including post-film discussions that allow people to talk about the topic of the films in a very personal way. It also has a strong history of working with educational institutions such as Tacoma Community College, University of Washington Tacoma, University of Puget Sound, and Tacoma School of the Arts to partner on film events.

The “Community Outreach by an Individual” award goes to Katy Evans, a writer, editor, civic advocate and fundraiser.

“The AMOCAT awards come from nominations brought forward from Arts Commissioners throughout the year,” said Tacoma Arts Administrator Amy McBride. “I think it provides unexpected, yet well deserved validation to the awardees.”

“The AMOCAT awards recognize and celebrate the labor of citizens who have demonstrated extraordinary effort in expanding the arts and culture of Tacoma for the benefit of all,” added Tacoma Arts Commission Chair Robin Echtle.

Awardees will be honored at the annual Art at Work Opening Party on Thurs., Nov. 1, from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Tacoma Art Museum. In addition to honoring the awardees, the museum galleries will be open for viewing and there will be live entertainment, appetizers, dessert and a no-host bar. Sponsors for the free public event include Click! Cable TV, The Greater Tacoma Community Foundation and the Washington State Arts Commission.

More information is online at ArtAtWorkTacoma.com.