Tacoma’s Broadway Center for Performing Arts is just one of two Washington presenting organizations to win a $15,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts in its 2010 Access to Artistic Excellence program, it announced today. The grant was awarded in recognition of the BCPA’s 2010 program of high-quality, community-driven and diverse arts presentations.

Specifically, the NEA money will fund five upcoming shows that were chosen in response to recent dialogues between the BCPA and various local community segments such as the African American and GLBT communities. The five shows are: Dance Theatre of Harlem Ensemble (Jan. …

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I don’t often cover Seattle events. When I do, it’s because there’s something really worth going to – and on Sunday night, there definitely is. Tacoma ballet  company MLKBallet is dancing at the Triple Door club in Seattle, home to many funky fusions of classical, rock, alternative and indie. With them will be our very own Vicci Martinez, who’s launching a new CD featuring “Hearts and Bones,” a full-length piece composed in collaboration with MLK choreographer Kate Monthy.

“Hearts and Bones” is a collection of beat-heavy, reverb-chord numbers that reflect in Monthy’s choreography as emotional risk, betrayal and …

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Some great news for Tacoma Opera this week. Regular conductor Sara Jobin (last seen leading “Faust” (2009) and “The Barber of Seville” (2008)) has been nominated for a Grammy music award. Jobin’s “Best Opera Recording” nomination wasn’t for Tacoma Opera; it was for conducting “Volpone” by John Musto with Wolf Trap Opera, but it’s a huge honor for Jobin, who’ll be attending the awards ceremony on January 31 “ball gown and all.”

Jobin will be back in town in March to conduct TO’s production of “The Marriage of Figaro” by Mozart, and the second piece of good news …

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Chris Sharp’s “Tiny” at Mineral

Tacoma painter Chris Sharp shows new small works to highlight the artistic process in “Tiny: New Works by Chris Sharp”, including flip-stacks of studies clipped to the walls. Noon-5 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday through Feb. 2; artist reception 5-8 p.m. Jan. 21. Free. Mineral Gallery, 301 Puyallup Ave. #A, Tacoma. 253-250-7745, www.lisakinoshita.com

“The Hobbit,” with puppets

Like “The Lord of the Rings”? Then you’ll love Théâtre Sans Fils’ production of “The Hobbit,” featuring 50 life-size puppets including a 25-foot-long dragon, 10-foot-high trolls, giant spiderwebs and more, all to tell the …

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Tacoma rocks, right? You buy local, eat local, support local businesses to make our town even better. So this Tuesday, you can hear local composers played by local musicians in a classical music series that’s one of Tacoma’s hidden gems: Classical Tuesdays in Old Town.

Completely free, this monthly series often features unusual instruments or music, and this coming Tuesday is no exception. Music from five Tacoma composers will be on the program, played by a clarinet-heavy selection of instruments. Solo clarinettist Cindy Renander plays Greg Youtz‘s “Lone Wolf,” while Lawrence Bradley plays a clarinet solo …

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Congratulations to the recipients of the 2010 City of Tacoma Arts Projects funding, recently announced. The Arts Projects, awarded annually by the Tacoma Arts Commission, support local arts that are accessible and affordable to the public. Out of 33 applicants, 19 were awarded grants bewteen $1,000-$4,000 each, with a total of $45,000 awarded.

Arts Projects recipients include: 6th Avenue Business District, Asia Pacific Cultural Center, Auricle LLC, D.A.S.H. Center for the Arts, Exquisite Disarray Publishing, Fulcrum Gallery, King’s Books, Northwest Playwrights Alliance, Old Town Business and Professional Association, Proctor Farmers Market, Puget Sound Poetry Connection, Roosevelt Dancers, Second City …

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For something new this Saturday, check out Tacoma Art Museum. To celebrate the ending of its exhibition by Native Northwest artist Joe Fedderson, “Vital Signs”, the museum is holding a Coastal Native Celebration event from noon to 3:30 p.m. The event celebrates the history and traditions of Northwest Coastal Tribes.

From the press release:

Cultural performances will include live woodcarving by Makah artist Alex Swiftwater, Nooksack wooden flute musician Roderick Harris, a performance from a K’lallam drum and dance group, and master artist Al Zantua performing with Quileute dancers. Known as the Northwest Coast Dancers, they will perform

…

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