What is a Panel?

A panel is a group of individuals pulled together by staff to review applications or nominations for Office of 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 office. Those recommendations generally go to the Tacoma Arts Commission or the Tacoma Creates Advisory Board for final approval.

Why be a Panelist?

The Office of Arts & Cultural Vitality (OACV) 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.

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

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 a stipend for their service as follows:

• $50 – quarter day meeting (1 – 2 hours)
• $100 – half day meeting (3 ‐ 4 hours)
• $200 – full day meeting (6 – 9 hours)
• $100 – pre‐meeting work to digitally read and score applications (only when requested)

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

Preferred deadline: September 7, 2020 – Late submissions accepted on a rolling basis

Tacoma Arts Month October 2020: Cultivate Wonder & Care

During this unprecedented year, as we face economic, health, and racial equity crises, we invite Tacoma's creative community to consider how they can share a message of care and compassion with our community. Participating in Tacoma Arts Month is one way to do this.

Tacoma Arts Month 2020 is a care package to our community, offering sustenance for the spirit as well as modeling and encouraging care for each other in thought and action. Arts and culture invite us into a space of wonder, curiosity, and creativity, where we can imagine possibilities, encourage questions, engage in discourse, and spark insights. Let’s cultivate wonder and care in the heart of these challenging times.

Seeking Arts and Culture Programming for Inclusion in Tacoma Arts Month Promotions

The Tacoma Arts Commission is seeking submissions of arts and culture programming - both virtual and in-person - that will be happening during Tacoma Arts Month this October. We are looking for a variety of activities spanning all categories of arts and culture including but not limited to music, visual art, literary art, dance, theatre, and film. Essentially, all artistic disciplines.

If you will be hosting a virtual or in-person program let us know. Programming can include but is not limited to an exhibition, performance, class, workshop, reception, lecture, tour, artists’ market, celebration, meeting, presentation, or any other programming. All programs should adhere to state and local health regulations. We will list your arts program in an interactive and searchable online calendar of events on tacomaartsmonth.com. There is no cost to you. We will be promoting the many events going on throughout the month through a variety of digital modes of communication.

The deadline for the first round of submissions is September 7, 2020. We will accept programming on a rolling basis after that but submitting your information by September 7 will ensure that your program is included in the first round of information that will go out.

To Qualify
Your arts activity must be located within the City of Tacoma limits and occur during the month of October.

To Participate
Fill out the online submission form via Submittable at https://tacomaarts.submittable.com/submit. Please note: If you are submitting multiple events, please fill out an individual form for each event.

Questions? Contact Chevi Chung at (253) 591-5171 or cchung1@cityoftacoma.org.

Priority Deadline

Monday, September 14, 2020, 11:59 PM

Final Deadline

Wednesday, September 30, 2020, 11:59 PM

What is Artists in Focus?

Artists in Focus is a new virtual platform to showcase Tacoma-based creatives during Tacoma Arts Month 2020. This platform will replace the annual in-person Tacoma Studio Tour, which is not feasible this year due to the global pandemic.

Artists in Focus invites creatives working in all disciplines to help us increase the visibility of the arts by providing an opportunity for the public to connect to their work virtually through the sharing of short videos or digital images. Shared videos and images will help the public understand the creative process, see how and where artists create their work, and demonstrate the breadth of creative talent in our community.

Examples of video content can include but are not limited to:

• Music, dance, or theatrical performances
• Demonstrations of how to use a particular tool or material of your creative practice
• Informative tour of your workspace, studio, or rehearsal space
• Behind-the-scenes look at your creative practice
• Instructions for a simple make-at-home artistic project
• Artist talk about some of your creative work
• Creatives selected for Artists in Focus will be featured throughout the month of October in email newsletters, social media posts, and a dedicated page on the Tacoma Arts Month website, which will include videos and digital image samples as well as artists’ bios and contact information. There is no cost to participate in Artists in Focus.

Submissions will be accepted on a rolling basis through September 30, 2020 but submissions received by September 14, 2020 will be prioritized.

Staff will make the final determination about what submissions to feature through Artists in Focus with an eye on diversity of the artists and artistic disciplines featured, quality of the art, quality of the digital work sample, and appropriateness for general public viewing. People who are members of historically disenfranchised racial, ethnic, cultural, and other identity groups are strongly encouraged to submit work.

Tacoma Arts Month 2020: Cultivate Wonder & Care

During this unprecedented year, as we face economic, health, and racial equity crises, we invite creatives to consider how they can share a message of care and compassion with our community. Participating in Artists in Focus is one way to do this.

Tacoma Arts Month 2020 is a care package to our community, offering sustenance for the spirit as well as modeling and encouraging care for each other in thought and action. Arts and culture invite us into a space of wonder, curiosity, and creativity, where we can imagine possibilities, encourage questions, engage in discourse, and spark insights. Let’s cultivate wonder and care in the heart of these challenging times.

Eligibility:

• You must live within the City of Tacoma limits and/or your working studio, workspace, or rehearsal room must be located within the City of Tacoma limits. A studio, workspace, or rehearsal room is defined as a location where your artwork is created on a consistent basis.
• Content must be appropriate for viewing by a general audience.

To Participate:

Eligible artists interested in this opportunity can participate by filling out the submission form and attaching the following items via Submittable https://tacomaarts.submittable.com/submit:

Digital sample of your work:

• Preferred Method: One digital video file or URL link to a video. Video should be short, ideally under 2 minutes in length. Videos do not need to be professionally produced or edited; videos created on cell phones are acceptable.
• Acceptable Method: Three high quality JPEG images showcasing your artwork.

If selected, we will use the digital sample in materials produced for Artist in Focus.

Artist Statement

• Submit a short (70 words of less) artist statement or bio which describes your work. 

Questions?

For assistance, please contact Chevi Chung at (253) 591-5171 or cchung1@cityoftacoma.org.