Tacoma abounds with artwork, whether it’s professionally curated at the Tacoma Art Museum, or a piece found at one of the neighborhood farmer’s market. Art is everywhere you turn in this community, and part of that is due to the work of Spaceworks Tacoma.

Launched in 2010 as a joint venture between the City of Tacoma and the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber of Commerce, Spaceworks was created to match artists and creative entrepreneurs with vacant spaces in order to activate Tacoma.

Spaceworks collaborates with property owners of vacant storefronts to fill these empty spaces with creative businesses, site-specific installations, short-term projects and pop-up events.

The two specific programs within Spaceworks are the Artscapes Program, which has placed over 90 large-scale art installations in downtown Tacoma, and the Creative Enterprise Program, which provides:

• Temporary space and visibility.
• Facility training and professional development that is geared to the creative class.
• Assistance to allow small businesses to test out products and services in a retail storefront.

Heather Joy, Spaceworks Manager, states that “Tacoma is rich with artists and creative enterprise.” It’s an aspect that makes Tacoma unique and we need to capitalize on that.

If you are interested in being a part of Spaceworks, check out our website for more information, or to apply for a space today! We would love for you to be a part of this growing project.