Brass and Organ Unlimited

This Sunday sees Brass Unlimited’s 14^th annual “Sounds of Brass Concert” atSt. Mark’s Lutheran Church, featuring the church’s new digital organ in music by Gabrieli, Saint-Saens, Mozart and Holst, with brass and percussion ensembles directed by Dr. John Falskow. 3 p.m. Jan. 22. Free. St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, 6730 No. 17th St., Tacoma. 253-752-4966,www.smlutheran.org, www.brassunlimited.org

Eight hands, two pianos at UPS

Three of Tacoma’s best concert pianists and a guest artist will combine at the University of Puget Sound tonight to play orchestral works as you’ve (probably) never heard them before: Ravel’s “La Valse” played with four hands on two pianos and Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture played with eight hands on two pianos, plus more. Artists include Duane Hulbert, Tanya Stambuk, Keith Ward and Central Washington University’s John Pickett, who’ll also play Liszt’s monumental Sonata in b minor for solo piano. The program opens the university’s 21^st annual piano festival. 7:30 p.m. tonight. $12.50/$8.50/free for UPS students. Schneebeck Hall, University of Puget Sound, 1500 N. Union Ave., Tacoma. 253-879-3419, ups.universitytickets.com

Grand Click Flick: “Astroboy”

This month’s free Click Family Flick at the Grand is the 2009 “Astroboy,” based on the classic Japanese animé series about a young robot with incredible powers. Doors open 9:30 a.m., screening 10 a.m. Jan. 21. Free to first 100 people. The Grand Cinema, 606 S. Fawcett Ave., Tacoma. 253-593-4474, www.grandcinema.com

New artists at Fulcrum

With a New Year come new artists, at least at Fulcrum Gallery, where the newly-opened “Dawn of 2012” features six emerging Tacoma artists. Julian Pena, Kelsi Finney, Gabriel Brown, Kirsten Marie Piso, Meghan Mitchell and Branden Urban present a variety of forms, imagery and materials, including repurposed. Noon-6 p.m. Friday-Saturday through March 10. Free. Fulcrum Gallery, 1308 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Tacoma. 253-250-0520, www.fulcrumtacoma.com Read more »

Dorito-fed Americans in GTCF show downtown

Twelve nominees for the Greater Tacoma Community Foundation’s annual Foundation of Art award, as well as award winner Jessica Spring, will exhibit their work in the street window of Tacoma’s Chamber of Commerce building this week. Among them is Lynn Di Nino, whose installation of five rotund, corn-fed paper-mache figures is titled “Pin a Dorito on an American.” Preview 5-7 p.m. Nov. 30, then viewable 24/7 through January. Free. Chamber of Commerce building, 11^th and Pacific Avenues, Tacoma.www.tacomafoundation.org

Pacific Northwest Ballet’s “Nutcracker”

PNB’s famous “Nutcracker,” a sparkling collaboration between choreographer Kent Stowell and illustrator Maurice Sendak, opens this weekend in Seattle, with local caroling groups and lobby activities before each show. Nov. 25-Dec. 27. $28-$123. McCaw Hall, Seattle Center, 321 Mercer St., Seattle. 206-441-2424, www.pnb.org

Artist market and mural at skate rink

When Tollefson Plaza turns into an outdoor skating rink today, it’ll include some art: See Jeremy Gregory’s 27-foot Seuss-inspired “Twoville” on a wood frame surrounding the Christmas tree lot trailer, the yellow-floats pool installation by Holly Senn, Janet Marcavage and Bret Lyon, and the many artist-made goodies on sale at the European-style holiday market. Art 24/7, market 4-10 p.m. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday through Jan. 2. Free. Tollefson Plaza, 1900 Pacific Ave., Tacoma. www.polarplaza.com

Caribou art by Lisa Kinoshita at Fulcrum

Local metalsmith, jeweler and installation artist Lisa Kinoshita explores themes of backyard wildlife and suburbia in “Study #1: Backyard” at Fulcrum Gallery. Noon-6 p.m. Friday-Saturday through Dec. 3. Free. Fulcrum Gallery, 1308 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Tacoma. 253-2500520, www.fulcrumtacoma.com

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Gig Harbor Film Fest

The annual Gig Harbor Film Festival runs this weekend, featuring a gala appearance by Julie Andrews plus features and shorts by regional, national and international filmmakers. October 14-16. $40 3-day pass, $75 gala or $8/$6 per film. Galaxy Theatre Uptown, 4649 Point Fosdick Drive NW, Gig Harbor. www.gigharborfilmfestival.org

Tacoma Art Museum tapetes

This Sunday, watch artists Fulgencio Lazo and Jose Orantes install two giant tapetes (sand paintings) on the floor of the museum’s lobby area in honor of Dia de los Muertos, coming up at the end of this month. Schools and community …

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Gig Harbor studio tour

Gig Harbor’s annual self-guided Open Studio Tour is on again this weekend, with 28 artists in 25 studios in a variety of media. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sept 17-18. Free. Various locations; get map online. 253-549-7551
www.gigharboropenstudiotour.org

Temporary street art on Park(ing) Day

Walk around downtown today and check out the temporary art literally on the street for Park(ing) Day, a one-day global event when artists, activist and regular citizens transform city parking spots into temporary public parks. Last year saw parking spots become tropical zones, picnic areas, art installations and even a tiny farm. …

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Industrial oils at Fulcrum

Fulcrum Gallery’s latest show “Science and Industry” features Peter Sheesley’s moody oil paintings of the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry. Noon-6 p.m. Thursday-Saturday through Aug. 13. Free. 1308 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Tacoma. 253-250-0520, www.fulcrumtacoma.com

“In the Spirit” at the History Museum

The Washington State History Museum has just opened its annual “In the Spirit: Contemporary Northwest Native Arts” exhibit. The juried show features 21 artists like Chholing Taha and Jennifer Johns in a range of media and styles from traditional to modern. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday through Aug. 28. $8/$7/$6/free for …

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It might have a pretentious name, but don’t let that put you off. Fulcrum Gallery’s latest show “Pr3v1ews & Pr0toTyp3s” is an inventive combination of two of Tacoma’s most edgy glass artists – Galen McCarty Turner in flashing weird-science neon, and Oliver Doriss with elegant in-your-face cast glass – and together the effect goes way beyond the sum of the parts.

With Turner around the walls and Doriss in the center, “Pr3v1ews” is an extremely balanced show, which only highlights the way each artist pushes boundaries. Turner creates neon sculptures – twisty, spirally, bulbous tubes of clear glass …

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“Stick Soup” debuts at Pierce College

Pierce College Pierce College’s spring theater production features “Stick Soup, A Steilacoom Indian Story.” Written by Danny K. Marshall and his daughter Lacie. B. Deck, both leaders in the Steilacoom Indian tribe, “Stick Soup” tells the story of a girl struggling to find her place in the local community. 7 p.m. May 20, 21, 27, and 28; 2 p.m. May 22 and 29. $3/ $2 students. Pierce College Fort Steilacoom, 9401 Farwest Drive SW, Lakewood. 253-964-6710, www.pierce.ctc.edu

Click Flick: “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs”

This month’s free Click Family Flick …

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UPS piano trio returns

The Puget Sound Piano Trio, recently revived after a 15-year hiatus, will give its debut performance tonight featuring faculty members Duane Hulbert on piano, Maria Sampen on violin and the recently appointed, Naumberg-winning cellist David Requiro playing works by Beethoven, Brahms, Omiccioli and Cassado. 7:30 p.m. tonight. $12.50/$8.50 seniors, students, and UPS faculty and staff/free for UPS students. Schneebeck Concert Hall, University of Puget Sound, 1500 N. Warner St., Tacoma. 253-879-3419, www.pugetsound.edu/music

The Tacoma Symphony rocks with electric harpist

Deborah Henson-Conant rocks the Tacoma Symphony Orchestra with a strap-on electric blue harp, a powerful voice …

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