Opportunities

Current Opportunities

2027 Community Arts Projects Funding

About Community Arts Projects Funding

The Community Arts Projects funding program financially supports organizations and groups that are based in Tacoma and have a history of serving the Tacoma community, in producing arts-focused community projects that are inclusive, accessible, and/or address equity issues. Applicants can apply for either $4,000 or $6,000 to support their project. This funding is seed money to help support projects; we encourage applicants to consider multiple sources of funding and to scale their proposed project to realistically work within their available budget. Projects must take place in Tacoma and can happen anytime between January 1 – December 31, 2027. This funding can be used for artistic presentations, activities, events, workshops, experiences, festivals, performances, or other projects that are accessible to the general public. Admission may be charged for these projects, as long as the application demonstrates public benefit. The proposal may be for a one-time project, a number of projects that are closely related, or an annual or ongoing project. Collaborations between organizations and/or artists are encouraged but not required. Groups applying are not required to be a 501(c) non-profit nor are they required to use a fiscal sponsor. Only one application per producing organization or group will be accepted.

Projects should be welcoming to all and align with the City’s commitment to access, opportunity, and belonging.

Funding availability is dependent on official approval of the City budget by the City Council. To ensure long-term financial stability to the City’s General Fund, the City is making substantial budget reductions, including cuts that may affect this program. Considering this, and in an effort to cause the least disruption to the creative ecosystem, the Tacoma Arts Commission has established a series of funding priorities outlined in the application guidelines, including a new priority in 2027, focused on applicants who are not currently funded through Tacoma Creates.

Eligibility Overview

Eligibility extends to private non-profit corporations with a 501(c) designation, organized groups of people working together for a specific mission or purpose, for-profit businesses or educational institutions producing projects that are non-profit in nature, and tribes or Native non-profit organizations. Applicants are required to have offices or their place of business within Tacoma, or if they have no offices, a majority of their activities must take place within Tacoma city limits. The artistic or cultural components of the project must be created, performed, or made by humans.

Please read the funding guidelines for full eligibility criteria.

Application Workshop

A free workshop will be held virtually on October 7, 2026, from 5:30 – 7 p.m. via Zoom at bit.ly/27CAPworkshop. The workshop will explain and address questions about the application and funding process. First time applicants are strongly encouraged to attend the workshop or watch the recording, which will be recorded and posted on this web page after October 7.

Application Deadline

Monday, October 26, 2026, 11:59 p.m.

How to Apply

Before applying, please read through 2027 Community Arts Projects Funding Guidelines for complete funding information, including eligibility.

Applications must be submitted through the Community Arts Projects Funding online application form at tacomaarts.submittable.com/submit.

Questions?

Contact Naomi Strom-Avila at nstrom-avila@tacoma.gov or (253) 591-5191.

Apply to serve on Tacoma Arts Commission and/or Tacoma Creates Advisory Board

Application Deadline

October 12, 2026 at noon. Applications must be submitted at tacoma.gov/cbcapplication.

Opportunity

The Tacoma City Council is currently seeking applicants to fill four open positions on the Tacoma Arts Commission and one open position on the Tacoma Creates Advisory Board.

Tacoma Arts Commission seats:

• Three At-Large Positions – Individuals representative of acknowledged accomplishment or working outside of professional practice in the arts, but who demonstrate a deep interest in and appreciation of cultural and artistic activities.
• One Emerging Leader Position – An individual who is between the ages of 16-24.

Tacoma Creates Advisory Board seat:

• One Council District Position – An individual who resides in Council District 3.

About the Tacoma Arts Commission (TAC):

The TAC is comprised of 15 volunteer members who are appointed by the Economic Development Committee and confirmed by the Tacoma City Council to serve three-year terms. Applicants must live within the city of Tacoma.

The TAC provides leadership in supporting and enhancing the arts for the benefit of the City and its residents. The primary responsibility of the Commission is to create policies to support the ongoing development of arts programs and projects in Tacoma. Its primary programs include funding artists and organizations to provide arts and cultural services for the community of Tacoma, administering Tacoma Arts Month, and overseeing public art as part of the Municipal Art Program. The Commission’s functions are outlined in sections 1.28A and 1.28B of the Tacoma Municipal Code.

The TAC is striving towards social justice. They are committed to supporting equitable opportunities to broaden artistic expression while encouraging intersectional communities through inclusive relationships and outreach. Arts and culture are uniquely positioned to touch every person and every part of Tacoma and the TAC is committed to supporting the entirety of the community.

Individuals appointed to sit on the TAC are subject to the Tacoma Municipal Code 1.28A (Tacoma Arts Commission), 1.28B (Municipal Art Program), 1.46 (Ethics Code). Therefore, commissioners and their immediate family members may not be eligible for programs or funding managed by the Tacoma Arts Commission.

TAC meetings are held from 5-7 p.m. on the second Monday of each month. Meetings are held virtually on Zoom and in-person at the Tacoma Municipal Building (747 Market Street, Room 248). Regular attendance at these monthly meetings is required. Beyond monthly meetings, commissioners are asked to sit on at least one subcommittee and one selection panel each year. Commissioners are also asked to periodically attend and evaluate programs produced by artists and organizations that the Commission funds and are expected to attend and assist with all major programs the Commission produces. A major commitment of the Commission is helping support Tacoma Arts Month, which happens each October.

Additional information on the Tacoma Arts Commission is available here.

About the Tacoma Creates Advisory Board (TCAB):

The TCAB volunteer position is filling an unexpired term for a Tacoma resident living in Council District No. 3 who has interest in and familiarity with public programming in arts, culture, heritage, and/or science, as well as interest in Tacoma Creates goals regarding equity, access, and programs that provide public benefit for residents across Tacoma.

The TCAB advises Tacoma Creates administration on funding programs. Its purpose is to guide program development and approve funding recommendations for the benefit of all residents of Tacoma. The primary responsibility of the TCAB is to ensure compliance to Tacoma Creates guidelines and accountability standards. TCAB’s functions are outlined in section 1.55 of the Tacoma Municipal Code.

TCAB holds its public meetings on the first Monday of every month at 5:30 p.m. Regular attendance at these monthly meetings is required; meetings generally last two hours. Currently, meetings are held in person at the Tacoma Municipal Building, 747 Market Street, and virtually via Zoom. Beyond monthly meetings, Advisory Board members will participate in various committees and application review panels and will serve as outreach ambassadors to arts, culture, heritage, science organizations, and the general public.

Additional information on the Tacoma Creates Advisory Board is available here.

About City of Tacoma Committees, Boards, and Commissions:

The City is committed to fostering an equitable and anti-racist organization and wants its committees, boards, and commissions to reflect Tacoma’s diverse community. For these vacancies, all individuals, including BIPOC, LGBTQ+ individuals, individuals with disabilities, seniors, youth, immigrants, and refugees, are encouraged to apply.

Appointed applicants are required to complete Open Public Meetings Act and Public Records Act trainings provided by the Washington State Office of the Attorney General, within 90 days of being appointed to a committee, board, or commission.

Applications must be submitted to the City Clerk’s Office by noon on October 12, 2026, at tacoma.gov/cbcapplication. Questions about the application process, requests for the application in an alternate format, or requests to submit additional documents may be directed to Elizabeth Wing in the City Clerk’s Office at servetacoma@tacoma.gov or (253) 591-5178.

Tacoma Creates – Organizational Eligibility Review Form

Is your organization interested in applying for Tacoma Creates funding?

If your organization has not previously been funded by Tacoma Creates, but you’d like to apply in the next funding cycle, we encourage you to go through the Eligibility Review process.

This process will determine whether your organization is eligible for Tacoma Creates funding and can move on to completing the full funding application, which will be released in late January 2027.

Tacoma Creates has two funding categories, and organizations can only apply in ONE of the categories. Start by reviewing the organizational eligibility requirements, which are explained on the Tacoma Creates website:

• Eligibility for Impact Funding (this funding category is generally for organizations with annual budgets under $400K)
• Eligibility for Comprehensive Organizational Support (this funding category is generally for organizations with annual budgets over $400K and with year-round work in both general public programs and youth education programs)

Organizations are NOT eligible if they are:

• Any agency of the state or political subdivisions
• A municipal corporation
• An organization that raises funds for redistribution to multiple cultural organizations
• Radio or television broadcasting network or stations, cable communications systems, internet-based communications venture or services, newspapers, or magazines

Eligibility for Tacoma Creates funding programs is based on Washington State and City of Tacoma legislation.

How to Apply

Before applying, please read through the Organizational Eligibility criteria, listed above.

The Organizational Eligibility Review Form can be found at tacomaarts.submittable.com/submit, and will be open until 11:59pm on Sunday, January 31, 2027. Within a week after you submit your form, you will receive an update from Tacoma Creates staff on next steps. Eligibility determinations will be made within 2-4 weeks, depending on when you submit.

Questions?

Email Lisa Jaret, Program Manager at ljaret@tacoma.gov. For more information about Tacoma Creates, visit www.tacomacreates.org.

Panel Interest Form

What is a Panel?

A panel is a group of individuals pulled together by staff to review applications or nominations for Arts & Cultural Vitality managed programs or opportunities. Panel members use published review criteria to evaluate applications and make recommendations about who gets grant funding, public art projects, roster appointments, etc.

Panelists are selected for a variety of reasons which can include: their connection to community, knowledge of relevant subject matter, and the diversity of perspectives and experiences they bring to the group overall. For each opportunity, we assemble a unique panel of three to nine people to make collective recommendations about which applicants should receive funding or commissions through our division. Those recommendations generally go to the Tacoma Arts Commission or the Tacoma Creates Advisory Board for final approval.

Why be a Panelist?

The Arts & Cultural Vitality Division (ACV) is deeply appreciative of the time and expertise community members invest in serving on panels. Serving on a panel is a proactive way to impact how public funds are spent in Tacoma, and panelists receive valuable professional development as well as insight into how the application review process works from the inside.

ACV provides panelists with free parking and food during meetings, in addition to offering a monetary honorarium.

The length and number of meetings needed for a selection process vary based on the project. Depending on the application, some panels will require a small amount of prep work in advance, one to two hours, and some panels may require extensive reading and evaluation work in advance of the in-person panel meeting, anywhere from 10-50 hours. Community members will be offered an honorarium for their service as follows:

• Panel Meetings: panelists will receive between $25 – $225 for attending a panel meeting; staff will determine the exact rate, depending on the length of the meeting.
• Pre-Meeting Preparation: panelists will receive between $100 – $500 for pre‐meeting work to digitally read and score applications (only when requested); staff will determine the exact rate, depending on the estimated time this work will take.

Members of a City‐appointed commission or board are volunteers and are not eligible to receive an honorarium for their service on a panel. City of Tacoma employees and project staff are not eligible to receive an honorarium for their service on a panel.

Submit a Panel Interest Form

Please complete the online form to be considered for a position on an upcoming ACV panel: www.surveymonkey.com/r/tacomapanels

Staff will take into account many factors when putting together panels and may not be able to use the services of all qualified individuals who submit. If an individual is offered a position on a panel but is unable to participate because of scheduling or conflict of interest, ACV will continue to consider them for future panels. Panel Interest Forms will be saved and reviewed periodically for up to three years from the submission date.

Questions?

If you have questions, please contact Naomi Strom-Avila or (253) 591-5191.