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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The Tacoma Arts Commission has announced the recipients of its 2011 AMOCAT Arts Awards, given in three separate categories plus one more created for the 10^th year of the commission’s Art at Work Month. The new Arts Leadership award goes to David Fischer, executive director of arts presenter/manager the Broadway Center for the Performing Arts; the Greater Tacoma Community Foundation receive the Arts Patron award; the D.A.S.H. Center for the Arts receives the award for Community Outreach by an organization while the Community Outreach award by an artist goes to poet and filmmaker Stella …

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Lisa Kinoshita, Tacoma artist and owner of Mineral studio gallery, has been announced as the winner of the 2010 “Foundation of Art” Award by the Greater Tacoma Community Foundation. The award, which carries $7,500 in unrestricted prize money, is in its third year, and recognizes artistic talent and commitment to the artistic life of Pierce County. It also results in a commissioned piece for the Community Foundation, to be unveiled in fall.

Previous winners of the award have been painters Jeremy Mangan and Chris Sharp. The award was juried this year by a committee of local art professionals. Other …

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