Washingtoner - City Council Approves Continuation of Tacoma Creates to Build Durable Cultural Organizations and Provide Access to Arts, Culture, Heritage, and Science Programming

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The Tacoma City Council voted unanimously on October 7, 2025 to reinstate a local 1/10^th of 1 percent sales and use tax to continue funding the Tacoma Creates program for an additional seven years. Tacoma Creates is the City's Cultural Access Program that helps fund nonprofit organizations whose primary purpose is to provide public programming in arts, culture, heritage, and science.

"The reinstatement of Tacoma Creates is more than just an investment in our vibrant arts community, it's a commitment to the heart of who we are as a community," said Mayor Victoria Woodards. "By supporting these programs, we are ensuring that every neighborhood, every child, and every family has access to the creativity and innovation that make Tacoma thrive."

Voters first adopted Tacoma Creates in 2018 with overwhelming citywide support, and a recent survey conducted by the Community and Economic Development Department showed public support for continuing this program remains above 90 percent. In 2023, the Washington State Legislature granted municipalities the option to reinstate the sales and use tax for Cultural Access Programs with councilmanic action. Tacoma is the first city in Washington state to use councilmanic action to reinstate a Cultural Access Program, paving the way for other cities to take similar actions.

"Voting to continue Tacoma Creates is an easy decision," said Deputy Mayor Kiara Daniels. "Tacoma Creates funded groups like Vision253 that share Black American cultural practices and the art of step are vital for a healthy and thriving community. I am especially proud of the co-sponsors of this legislation for ensuring that Tacoma Creates funding will continue to play a critical role in sustaining and growing the ability of organizations to meet the needs of all our community members citywide."

"I am proud to continue funding for Tacoma Creates because we need arts, culture, heritage, and science programs now more than ever," said District 3 Council Member Jamika Scott. "Our cultural organizations bring so much joy and learning to our community, and I believe we have put together a set of updates for the program that will ensure continued growth. I'm grateful for all the community engagement and discussion this process has fostered. We need to continue to collaborate to ensure that Tacoma is—and always will be—an arts city."

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"This is an incredibly exciting night for Tacoma," said At-Large Council Member Kristina Walker. "We are the first city in Washington state to use councilmanic authority to continue our beloved Cultural Access Program—Tacoma Creates. This program has helped support cultural organizations across our city that are working hard to help our community learn new skills, express themselves, and find joy. I am proud to vote yes on another seven years of Tacoma Creates and I can't wait to see all the creativity that this program sparks in the years ahead."

Along with the continuation of Tacoma Creates, the City Council passed several updates to the program. Key updates include a restructuring of the funding categories to better reflect current administrative costs and identified needs in the community, including providing support to cultural organizations for capital expenditures to ensure their growth and longevity. In addition, updates include expanding support for the Public School Cultural Access Program to reflect the City's collaboration with Tacoma Public Schools and partner organizations on new programming, such as Summer Late Nights.

"People choose Tacoma because it's fun and vibrant, and every neighborhood defines itself through art and culture," said At-Large Council Member Olgy Diaz. "Reinstating Tacoma Creates is a way to recognize the strength and ingenuity of our people. This is an investment in our youth, giving them access to the arts, heritage, culture, and STEM programs to help them grow and thrive. As a city, we build community with one another, and this continued investment will make our creative sector stronger than ever."

"Tacoma Creates is one of the most powerful tools we have to invest in the cultural organizations that make our city vibrant, inclusive, and connected," said District 1 Council Member John Hines. "As someone who previously served as the City Council representative on the Tacoma Arts Commission, and as a parent whose kids attended the Grant Center for the Expressive Arts, I've seen firsthand the value of creative opportunities in our city. Arts and culture help us tell our stories, bring people together, and shape a sense of identity in every neighborhood. I'm proud to support reinstating Tacoma Creates for another seven years."

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"Tacoma Creates has had a lasting and meaningful impact on our city," said District 2 Council Member Sarah Rumbaugh. "It reflects how much our residents value access to the arts and the organizations that serve every corner of Tacoma. I support the reinstatement of Tacoma Creates because every cultural organization, whether large or small, plays a role in building a stronger community. Arts funding also supports good jobs and local families, and this policy helps sustain that impact. At the same time, I remain concerned about how the capital funding portion was introduced. It lacked the transparent process we have seen in other city decisions. That said, I look forward to seeing how this unfolds and believe we will have opportunities in the coming years to evaluate its impact and make adjustments if needed."

"I am proud to vote to reinstate Tacoma Creates because it reflects the heart of what my district values," said District 4 Council Member Sandesh Sadalge. "Time and again, residents of District 4 have made the intentional choice to celebrate our histories with one another. That choice is rooted in a deep belief that sharing our culture and heritage connects us in a profound manner. Our community showed up, not once but twice, to say this matters. First at the ballot, then again through participatory budgeting, where more than 12,000 people prioritized youth and cultural programming. This is what we need, and we need it now."

"Tacoma Creates has been a transformative program since it was first approved by voters in 2018," said District 5 Council Member Joe Bushnell. "It has brought the arts into more lives, supported local jobs, and helped grow a strong creative economy here in Tacoma. Being able to look back at everything it has offered and see our whole Council support its continuation is truly meaningful. I am especially proud that we are now expanding the program to include capital investments, which will open the door to more economic opportunity and help organizations stay rooted and resilient for years to come."

Since its inception, Tacoma Creates has provided over $30 million in funding to more than 100 cultural organizations, who in turn have produced more than 5,000 programs and events, reaching more than four million participants. Tacoma Creates also helps to reduce barriers to access and expand programming offerings citywide. More information on Tacoma Creates is available at Tacoma Creates.

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