The Tacoma Arts Commission awarded $45,000 in 2009-2010 Tacoma Artists Initiative Program funding to 17 individual Tacoma artists. The awards range in value from $2,000 to $3,500 and span artists working in the fields of visual, literary, performing and interdisciplinary arts.
The Tacoma Artists Initiative Program was established in 1999 to assist artists with the generation of new work and in sharing their talent with the public in a free and accessible format. This year the commission received 40 applications requesting $161,477 in funding.
The artists who received funding include: RR Anderson, C. Rosalind Bell, Victoria Bjorklund, Becky Frehse, Robin Jaecklein, Matthew Johnson, Maria Jost, Fumiko Kimura, William Kupinse, Steven McElrath, Chandler O’Leary, Amy Reeves, Claudia Riedener, Tammy Robacker, Mauricio Robalino, Nicholas Stokes and Chholing Taha.
Their proposed new artwork includes the compilation and reading of a poetry anthology, the creation and performance of a new play, the choreography and performance of a dance piece, the public exhibits of two-and three-dimensional visual art and a tile mural at the South Tacoma Public Library.
The Tacoma Artists Initiative Program is one of three funding programs administered by the Tacoma Arts Commission. For a complete listing of funding programs, publicly accessible funded projects, and information about the Tacoma Arts Commission, visit http://www.tacomaculture.org .
