November will mark the eighth anniversary of “Art at Work: Tacoma Arts Month” — a community celebration of the arts that includes hundreds of community hosted arts and culture events, exhibits and workshops taking place every day throughout the month. Programming includes music and dance performances, visual art exhibits, literary readings, lectures and workshops for children and adults. Many of the activities are free and are open to the public. The goal of Art at Work Month is to illustrate the collective talent in Tacoma and to get the public involved in the arts.
Highlights of several free, local art events include:
— Opening Celebration / The public is invited to attend a free celebration Oct. 29, from 6 to 9 p.m., at the Tacoma Art Museum, 1701 Pacific Ave. The event will include an award ceremony, live music by the Tacoma Youth Symphony, poetry readings, hors doeuvres, dessert, a no-host bar and the museum galleries will be open for viewing.
— Studio Tours / Get a look inside the working studios of 75 local artists and collaborative studios. This free, self-guided tour runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Nov. 7 and Nov. 8. The tour covers 39 locations throughout Tacoma. Attendees can meet the artists at work in their studios, see how art is created, purchase one-of-a-kind items and even create their own masterpiece. Visit http://www.ArtAtWorkTacoma.com for a complete list of studio locations and a map.
— Art Slam / Tacoma’s fourth annual Art Slam will take place Nov. 18, from 7 to 9 p.m., at the Rialto Theater, 301 S. 9th St. In a fast-paced format, a selection of work by local artists will be projected on the big screen. Reality Check will open the event with a live dance performance and local spoken-word artists will perform throughout the show. Artists working in all mediums and genres will be showcased. A reception will follow this free public event.
— Arts Symposium / A free, two-day arts symposium for artists and arts organizations is scheduled Nov. 14 from 8:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. and Nov.15 from 10 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. on the University of Puget Sound campus. Sessions will include information on copyrights, marketing, fundraising, financial management, using the internet for promotion, public art and portfolio building. An arts legal clinic, offered by Washington Lawyers for the Arts, will offer artists and arts organizations low-cost, private legal consultations with a lawyer. Pre-registration for all sessions is required, as space is limited. To register, contact Naomi Strom-Avila at (253) 591-5191 or nstrom-avila@cityoftacoma.org .
A comprehensive brochure of all the events is available at the Tacoma Art Museum, Museum of Glass and the Washington State History Museum. For more information about “Art at Work: Tacoma Arts Month,” go to http://www.ArtAtWorkTacoma.com or contact Naomi Strom-Avila at nstrom-avila@cityoftacoma.org or (253) 591-5191.
