The City of Tacoma and Tacoma Art Museum have received an Our Town grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), one of only 51 grants awarded nationwide. The $200,000 grant will support the redesign of the Tacoma Art Museum Plaza and adjacent Pacific Avenue Streetscape. The redesign will increase access to the museum and connections between the museum district and the rest of downtown.
Our Town is the NEA’s latest investment in creative placemaking, through which partners from both public and private sectors come together to strategically shape the social, physical and economic character of a neighborhood, town, city or region around arts and cultural activities.
“I remember sitting in the US Conference of Mayors TAPES (Tourism, Arts, Parks, Entertainment, Sports) Committee meeting in January when this grant opportunity from the NEA was announced, and thought that the redesign of Pacific Avenue and the Tacoma Art Museum plaza area fit perfectly in line with the vision of creative placemaking they were describing,” recalled Tacoma Mayor Marilyn Strickland. “And, now, we’re the recipient of our full request.”
“Tacoma Art Museum is proud to partner with the City on this project,” said Stephanie A. Stebich, Director, Tacoma Art Museum. “In the 1990s, the museum worked closely with the City during the construction of its current facility, transforming downtown Tacoma. Our continued work together will build on that success and ensure Tacoma is a thriving, creative and welcoming community with the arts at its core. We are pleased the NEA recognizes the good work happening in our community, and has chosen to invest significantly in our collaboration.”
The NEA was established by Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government. To date, the NEA has awarded more than $4 billion to support artistic excellence, creativity, and innovation for the benefit of individuals and communities. The NEA extends its work through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies and the philanthropic sector.
