the arts

AMOCAT Arts Awards

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AMOCAT Arts Awards

The AMOCAT Arts awards recognize those in our community who provide distinctive contributions to the arts. The honorees work hard to support and build our community by innovating in artistic excellence. AMOCAT award recipients are nominated and selected by the Tacoma Arts Commission. 

The three categories for recognition are Community Outreach by an Artist, Community Outreach by an Organization, and Arts Patron. Each exhibit vision, dedication, and action in creating a lively arts community in Tacoma.

 

2009 Community Outreach by an Artist award - William Kupinse
William Kupinse is the author of Fallow, a book of poems released this past spring under the imprint of Exquisite Disarray Publishing, with the support of the Tacoma Arts Commission. The 84-page volume features 43 poems, many of which are set amid the natural and urban landmarks of Tacoma. A non-profit organization newly founded by Kupinse and dedicated to highlighting the work of Northwest poets, Exquisite Disarray also published In Tahoma’s Shadow, an anthology of Tacoma-area poets that Kupinse co-edited with Tammy Robacker.

Kupinse is Associate Professor of English at University of Puget Sound, where he teaches British and Irish modernism, literature and the environment, and creative writing. His poems have appeared in numerous journals, including Cimarron Review, The Fourth River, and Green Letters, and he is the author of a chapbook, Raw Materials. 

As 2008-09 Urban Grace Poet Laureate of Tacoma, Kupinse offered poetry workshops for the community on topics linking poetry to environmental sustainability and to spirituality. He also gave and/or organized readings at local venues including Urban Grace, King’s Books, and Showcase Tacoma, and he read at events ranging from the American Civil Liberties Union’s Bill of Rights celebration to the Pierce County AIDS Walk to the Tacoma Food Co-op First Public Outing.

Contact:
William Kupinse
wkupinse@pugetsound.edu
www.exquisitedisarray.org

 

2009 Community Outreach by an Organization award - Hilltop Artists in Residence
In 1994, world-renowned glass artist Dale Chihuly and Kathy Kaperic began working with volunteers, community leaders, students, and local organizations to promote the concept of using the glass arts to address the issue of youth involvement in the drugs, crime and gangs that deeply troubled Tacoma. Part of the solution focused on developing ways to keep kids in school and to provide afterschool and summer school alternatives during the peak hours for juvenile violence and delinquent behavior. Hilltop Artists in Residence (HART) became the flagship for that effort.

Through HART, young people have an opportunity to learn the art of glass blowing, mosaics, fused glass and beadwork. The program serves a diverse group of youth and is especially effective with young people who are searching for ways to connect and belong. There is an additional focus on assisting those who find themselves struggling academically, socially and/or behaviorally. HART also does specific outreach in communities that are dealing with high risk factors related to poverty, neglect, homelessness, substance abuse, and violence.

HART currently operates nine tuition-free programs at Jason Lee Middle School, Wilson High School and Ford Middle School and serves an average of 550 students annually. No students are refused services based on their past behavior, grades, disabilities, or artistic talent.

Contact:
Hilltop Artists in Residence
253.571.7670
www.hilltopartists.org

 

2009 Arts Patron award - City Arts
City Arts Magazine, launched right here in Tacoma, now publishes three titles monthly, focused on the distinct cultural identities of Tacoma, Seattle and the Eastside. Each unique edition is dedicated to building and supporting an engaged place to live. City Arts does it by turning the spotlight on the organizations and individuals who contribute to the fabric of the creative community; the world class museums, the renowned sculptor, a boutique designer, and the independent musician. The pages are filled with stories of arts intersecting with the everyday. They are easy to fill, and hard to contain. 

City Arts increasingly stands alone while arts coverage dwindles elsewhere. Their commitment is to continue to provide a forum for the arts community and artists to share ideas, garner recognition, and inspire each other. They are equally committed to being an approachable source for the casual reader to discover new perspectives and have new experiences. It’s at this crossroads that they hope they do their best to support the arts.

City Arts can be found free each month at coffee shops, galleries, and businesses throughout Tacoma and the South Sound.

 

Contact:
City Arts Magazine
www.cityartsmagazine.com

2008 AMOCAT award recipients
 Click here to learn about the 2008 recipients

2007 AMOCAT award recipients
 Click here to learn about the 2007 recipients  

2006 AMOCAT award recipients
 Click here to learn about the 2006 recipients   

2005 AMOCAT award  recipients
Click here to learn about the 2005 recipients.
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