Welcome to the application form for Tacoma Creates – Comprehensive Organizational Support for the July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026 funding cycle.

We encourage you to read the complete Comprehensive Organizational Support Application Guidelines before you begin filling out this form. In the Application Guidelines, you will find important background information, requirements, and details about how applications are evaluated.

If you are looking for the application form for Impact Funding: Level A or Level B, you will find a separate link for those applications at https://tacomaarts.submittable.com/submit.

HOW TO APPLY

Comprehensive Organizational Support applications must be submitted by Monday, March 10, 2025, 11:59pm. The online form will close automatically at that time; it will not be possible to submit an application after the deadline. Note that staff will not be available to answer questions or provide technical support after 5pm on March 10.

• Saving your application: If you have more work to do on your organization's application, click the Save Draft button below to save your progress and return to the form later. You may work on the application in stages, but if you take a break from the application, we recommend logging out and logging back in when you start up again. Submittable.com does time out if you are inactive for long periods of time, and this can impact how your application information is saved. Draft applications can be found in the "Saved Drafts" section under the "Submissions" section in your Submittable account. Note that Submittable.com works best on Chrome, Firefox, and Safari.
• Required questions: Prompts with a red asterisk * must be completed in order to submit your application. You will not be able to submit your application if any required prompts have been unanswered.
• Submitting your application: Once you have completed, and reviewed your application, you may click on the “Submit” button at the end of the form. Do not click the "Submit" button until you are completely finished with your application. Once you click "Submit" you will not be able to edit your application. If you submit before the deadline and would like to make an edit, email staff to request that your application is re-opened. Once the deadline has passed, no edits will be possible. You will receive an automated email confirming that your application has been successfully submitted.

QUESTIONS?

You are welcome to contact Tacoma Creates staff at any time:

• Lisa Jaret, Tacoma Creates Program Manager: ljaret@cityoftacoma.org, or 253-591-5161
• Clarissa Gines, Tacoma Creates Coordinator: cgines@cityoftacoma.org, or 253-591-5174
• Elm McCrummen, Tacoma Creates Program Assistant: emccrummen@cityoftacoma.org, or 253-591-2038

Welcome to the application form for Tacoma Creates – Impact Funding: Level A, for the July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026 funding cycle.

We encourage you to read the complete Impact Funding Application Guidelines before you begin filling out this form. In the Application Guidelines, you will find important background information, requirements, and details about how applications are evaluated.

If you aren't sure if your organization is eligible for this category of funding, we encourage you to contact staff to talk about your organization’s eligibility, and/or submit the first two sections of this application as soon as possible for an Eligibility Review. You may check out the Eligibility information here.

If you are looking for the application form for Comprehensive Organizational Support, or Impact Funding: Level B, you will find a separate link for those applications at https://tacomaarts.submittable.com/submit.

HOW TO APPLY
Impact Funding applications must be submitted by Monday, March 24, 2025, 11:59pm. The online form will close automatically at that time; it will not be possible to submit an application after the deadline. Note that staff will not be available to answer questions or provide technical support after 5pm on March 24.

• Saving your application: If you have more work to do on your organization's application, click the Save Draft button below to save your progress and return to the form later. You may work on the application in stages, but if you take a break from the application, we recommend logging out and logging back in when you start up again. Submittable.com does time out if you are inactive for long periods of time, and this can impact how your application information is saved. Draft applications can be found in the "Saved Drafts" section under the "Submissions" section in your Submittable account. Note that Submittable.com works best on Chrome, Firefox, and Safari.
• Required questions: Prompts with a red asterisk * must be completed in order to submit your application. You will not be able to submit your application if any required prompts have been unanswered.
• Submitting your application: Once you have completed, and reviewed your application, you may click on the “Submit” button at the end of the form. Do not click the "Submit" button until you are completely finished with your application. Once you click "Submit" you will not be able to edit your application. You will receive an automated email confirming that your application has been successfully submitted.

QUESTIONS?

You are welcome to contact Tacoma Creates staff at any time:

• Lisa Jaret, Tacoma Creates Program Manager: ljaret@cityoftacoma.org, or 253-591-5161
• Clarissa Gines, Tacoma Creates Coordinator: cgines@cityoftacoma.org, or 253-591-5174
• Elm McCrummen, Tacoma Creates Program Assistant: emccrummen@cityoftacoma.org, or 253-591-2038

Welcome to the application form for Tacoma Creates – Impact Funding: Level B, for the July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026 funding cycle.

We encourage you to read the complete Impact Funding Application Guidelines before you begin filling out this form. In the Application Guidelines, you will find important background information, requirements, and details about how applications are evaluated.

If you aren't sure if your organization is eligible for this category of funding, we encourage you to contact staff to talk about your organization’s eligibility, and/or submit the first two sections of this application as soon as possible for an Eligibility Review. You may check out the Eligibility information here.

If you are looking for the application form for Comprehensive Organizational Support, or Impact Funding: Level A, you will find a separate link for those applications at https://tacomaarts.submittable.com/submit.

HOW TO APPLY
Impact Funding applications must be submitted by Monday, March 24, 2025, 11:59pm. The online form will close automatically at that time; it will not be possible to submit an application after the deadline. Note that staff will not be available to answer questions or provide technical support after 5pm on March 24. 

• Saving your application: If you have more work to do on your organization's application, click the Save Draft button below to save your progress and return to the form later. You may work on the application in stages, but if you take a break from the application, we recommend logging out and logging back in when you start up again. Submittable.com does time out if you are inactive for long periods of time, and this can impact how your application information is saved. Draft applications can be found in the "Saved Drafts" section under the "Submissions" section in your Submittable account. Note that Submittable.com works best on Chrome, Firefox, and Safari.
• Required questions: Prompts with a red asterisk * must be completed in order to submit your application. You will not be able to submit your application if any required prompts have been unanswered.
• Submitting your application: Once you have completed, and reviewed your application, you may click on the “Submit” button at the end of the form. Do not click the "Submit" button until you are completely finished with your application. If you submit before the deadline and would like to make an edit, email staff to request that your application is re-opened. Once the deadline has passed, no edits will be possible. You will receive an automated email confirming that your application has been successfully submitted.

QUESTIONS?

You are welcome to contact Tacoma Creates staff at any time:

• Lisa Jaret, Tacoma Creates Program Manager: ljaret@cityoftacoma.org, or 253-591-5161
• Clarissa Gines, Tacoma Creates Coordinator: cgines@cityoftacoma.org, or 253-591-5174
• Elm McCrummen, Tacoma Creates Program Assistant: emccrummen@cityoftacoma.org, or 253-591-2038

Deadline to Apply: March 24, 2025 (5pm Pacific)

Budget: $5,000 design stipend

Call Summary

The City of Tacoma’s Environmental Services Department (ES) and Arts & Cultural Vitality Division (ACVD) seek an artist to design seventeen (17) digital vector graphics for Foss Waterway Seaport. Graphics will capture the salmon life cycle for a multi-part art installation on Foss Waterway Seaport Esplanade. The Seaport and the City will also use the graphics in printed educational materials. This project is work-for-hire — the artist will grant the City of Tacoma and Foss Waterway Seaport license to use and reproduce the artwork as needed for educational purposes. 

Project Overview

This project is inspired by the Foss Waterway Seaport’s educational program. Local students raise chum salmon from eggs to fry in classroom tanks before releasing them into local waterways. The art will celebrate this program and emphasize the importance of protecting the aquatic ecosystems that support the salmon life cycle. It will also educate our community on their potential impact on the salmon from polluted stormwater runoff entering the stormwater system. This supports proper use and stewardship of the stormwater system as part of the award-winning “If It Hits The Ground, It Hits The Sound!” campaign. Graphics should attract attention by being bright, fun, and engaging.

Eligibility

• Artists cannot be a member of the Tacoma Arts Commission or an employee of the City
• Artists may be required to have a City of Tacoma business license, if chosen

Key Features

Graphics Scope

• A comprehensive depiction of the entire salmon life cycle. (1 graphic)
• Individual graphics for each stage of the salmon life cycle. (8 graphics)
• Wayfinding graphics connecting each stage. These will be smaller graphics that point viewers to the next cycle along the esplanade path. (8 graphics)

Design Specification: At minimum, artist will provide 17 individual graphics, in both color and black and white versions. Artist must deliver graphics as vector files.

Sponsorship Integration
Designs must allow space for sponsorship logos, which may include 3rd party sponsors managed by Foss Waterway Seaport. The selection committee will provide logo files and direct the artist in which logos to include. 

Budget: The $5,000 design stipend will be the contract amount for the artist’s design work. Environmental Services has a separate budget for printing and installing the graphics.

Materials
Environmental Services staff will translate the final artwork into Alumigraphics Grip with NW Print. Alumigraphics Grip is an eco-friendly material made from recyclable aluminum. Environmental Services and Foss Waterway Seaport staff may also produce graphics in workbooks, curriculum extension materials, and other print materials as needed for educational purposes, such as signage, banners, postcards, wraps, match games, etc.

Artwork Requirements

• Must be appropriate for public spaces and suitable for a general audience.
• Cannot include vulgar, profane, prejudiced, offensive, or insensitive content.
• Must avoid political or religious messaging, breaches of intellectual property, trademarks, illegal activities, or unauthorized logos.
• Designs must be the artist’s own original work and should not be AI generated.
• Any fauna depicted should be accurate, and City staff is available to review and give input 

How to Apply

All application materials should be submitted here in Submittable as requested. We ask you to provide 8 work samples or portfolio images of existing work. In addition, we will ask you to answer the following questions:

1. Why are you interested in this project? (200 words or fewer)
2. The work will be installed at the Foss Waterway Seaport. Do you have a connection to this part of Tacoma or the surrounding areas. (200 words or fewer)
3. Please describe your experience creating artwork that connects to the cultures, creatures and communities located within Tacoma. (200 words or fewer)
4. OPTIONAL: Anything else you want to tell us? (200 words or fewer)

Review Process & Selection Criteria

A panel that includes ACVD staff, ES staff, the Tacoma Arts Commission, Foss Waterway Seaport, and community members will review applications considering the below criteria:

• Artistic quality as exemplified in past work
• Ability to design to a scale that can be translated to the site and materials
• Ability to support the goals of Foss Waterway Seaport’s educational programs and "If It Hits The Ground, It Hits The Sound!" campaign
   

Timeline (all dates subject to change)

March 24                          Applications due (5pm)

April                                  Artist selected, notified, and contracted

May                                   1 hour site visit with panel to review goals and expectations

June                                  Initial drafts due for panel feedback

July                                   Final drafts due

August                             Production and installation of artwork on esplanade (by City)

Questions?

Contact Marissa Laubscher, Public Art Program Manager at mlaubscher@cityoftacoma.org or 253-500-8051.