We Art Tacoma

Jamika and Katy get together with elder-in-training Amy McBride: City of Tacoma Arts Administrator, artist, creatrix, mystic, and witch!

Amy shares her experiences from over 20 years in arts administration and creative community building, and what she’s learned when it comes to coalescing communities, practicing in public, justice, sharing stories, and what sustainability looks like for creatives in Tacoma.

Shout outs in this episode include: magic, public art, art as healing, artists as leaders, advocacy, Tacoma Arts Month, ambiguity, Tacoma’s “lets put on a show” and hustle mentality, Tacoma Creates, the creative ecology, Design the Hill, relational leadership, systems, South Tacoma, A Greener Tacoma Starts Today, intersectionality, anti-racism, reconciliation, grief, housing, and equity!

Follow Katy, Jamika, and We Art Tacoma! Tell us what you want to hear more about, or you can email us at [email protected].

We Art Tacoma is back, baby, with some fresh new hosts! It’s Jamika and Katy, at your cultural service!

Jamika Scott and Katy Evans are delighted to take the helm as “art super fans.” In this introduction, recorded in May, Jamika and Katy kick off their reign by waxing philosophical, talking about what art means to them and what art means to and for Tacoma. And don’t worry, we absolutely nail the definition of art. Check it out!

Shout outs in this episode include: filmmaking, writing, singing, public art, glass art, arts accessibility and advocacy, Tacoma Arts Commission, Tacoma Public Library, Tacoma Youth Chorus, Hilltop Artists, The Grand Cinema, Spaceworks Tacoma, The W.W. Seymour Botanical Conservatory, Tacoma Art Museum, and Tacoma Pride.

Follow Katy, Jamika, and We Art Tacoma! Tell us what you want to hear more about, or you can email us at [email protected].

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, Tacoma marketed itself in a variety of ways, including song. Several songs, such as “You’ll Like Tacoma,” and “Watch Tacoma Grow,” were aimed to be catchy jingles for the City of Destiny.

Kim, who runs the Tacoma Music History project, talks about these projects and an upcoming exhibit at the Tacoma Historical Society featuring Tacoma’s music history.

This episode, Rosemary Ponnekanti is back for a record third time in 2020 to talk about a new project—Tacoma Light Trail, a festival/walk/driving tour of light centered around downtown Tacoma. From Wright Park to Dock Street, you can explore this sight and sound installation every night, 5:00 to 9:00 pm, , December 30 to January 24.

Michael. Liang of Spaceworks Tacoma is back on the podcast to talk about what’s happening with Tacoma’s artists, creatives, and entrepreneurs. He also shares some resources for shopping local this holiday season. Enjoy!

(“Flower Power” mural by Lourdes Jackson)

David Fischer, Executive Director of Tacoma Arts Live, joins the podcast to talk about how TAL has been navigating the pandemic, virtual shows (such as The Muse Hour with Karamo Brown on Saturday October 17) and what the future of performing arts looks like moving forward. Check it out!

David Setford, Executive Director of Tacoma Art Museum, joins the podcast to talk about reopening plans at TAM on October 9 and what he sees going forward at museums in general.

Tacoma Art Museum will be hosting virtual events such as their annual Dia de los Muertos celebration later this month.

Two guests join the podcast today to talk about Tacoma Ocean Fest. Executive Director Rosemary Ponnekanti talks about the origins of Tacoma Ocean Fest’s unique blend of art and science. She also shares how the experience will be different this year due to the pandemic.

In the second half of the show, one of the performers at Tacoma Ocean Fest, Dakota Camacho, shares his background from the indigenous culture of Guåhan (Guam) and how that influences his art and dance.

Tacoma Ocean Fest is Sunday, September 13.

Dr. Kimberly Keith joins the podcast to talk about Hilltop Artists, which teaches youth to blow glass and a whole lot more. The organization was recently honored as the Washington State Organization of the Year. Dr. Keith has a lot to say about serving youth through the arts. Check out the episode.

The doors to the Grand Cinema have been closed since March, but that doesn’t mean everything has stopped. Executive Director Philip Cowan talks about how you can stream new movies through the Grand, their online education, and what the future of cinema and movie-going might look like.

Enjoy.