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Dion Thomas, Jamika Scott, Jesi Vega, Anida Yoeu Ali, and Joe Williams of ArtCity
Dion Thomas, Jamika Scott, Jesi Vega, Anida Yoeu Ali, and Joe Williams of ArtCity

Tacoma Community Days and ArtCity is coming to TAM

Mark your calendars!  For the first time, Tacoma Art Museum will offer all-day free admission to Tacoma residents on Friday, October 13 and Sunday, December 15, 2024. All you need to do is show your id with a current Tacoma address.

Also on October 13, from 1 – 3pm, TAM will host ArtCity : Forging Creative Destinies in Indonesia, a panel of Tacoma-based artist delegates who embarked on a 12-day cultural exchange in Yogyakarta (Jogja) and Jakarta, Indonesia. This public forum invites you to explore the delegation’s experiences and discoveries from their journey.

Presenters Anida Yoeu Ali, Councilmember Jamika Scott, Dion Thomas, and Jesi Vega will share their observations on how Jogja and Jakarta’s art scenes continue to flourish and grow despite challenging economic conditions. Learn about innovative strategies that could potentially invigorate Tacoma’s artistic landscape and hear about the meaningful connections forged during this enriching cultural exchange.

This talk is FREE and open to everyone, not just Tacoma residents.


Presenters

Anida Yoeu Ali is an artist, educator and global agitator born in Cambodia and raised in Chicago. Ali’s artistic works span performance, installation, new media, public encounters, and political agitation. Utilizing an interdisciplinary approach to artmaking, her installation and performance works investigate the artistic, spiritual and political collisions of a hybrid transnational identity.  Ali’s works have been exhibited widely at the Haus der Kunst, Palais de Tokyo, Musée d’art Contemporain Lyon, Shangri-La Museum of Islamic Art, Culture and Design and the Seattle Asian Art Museum. She is a collaborative partner with Studio Revolt, a trans-nomadic artist-run media lab whose controversial works on social issues have agitated the White House and garnered international awards. Ali is also a recipient of the 2024 Arts Innovator Award, 2020 Art Matters Fellowship and the 2015 Sovereign Asian Art Prize. She received her M.F.A. from School of the Art Institute Chicago in Performance and serves as a Senior Artist-in-Residence at the University of Washington Bothell. Her work spans the Asia-Pacific region and the U.S. Visit www.anidaali.com to learn more.

Jamika Scott is a writer, filmmaker, and advocate born and raised in the Hilltop neighborhood of Tacoma, Washington. As a founding member of the Tacoma Action Collective, she works toward building an equitable Tacoma and often incorporates her love of film and photography into her social justice work. An active member of the community with a commitment to volunteerism, Jamika also serves on a number of local boards, commissions, and committees including The Grand Cinema, the Tacoma Public Library Foundation, and the Tacoma Arts Commission. Her impressive history as a staunch community advocate who believes effective leaders need both empathy and courage, won her an elected seat in 2023 as the District 3 Representative to the Tacoma City Council. Jamika believes Tacoma’s greatest asset is its ever-growing creative economy. As such, she actively works on some of the most challenging issues, offering creative and considerate solutions to bring the city of Tacoma to the forefront of an America that is safe, healthy and affordable for all.

“Neon” Dion Thomas is a son of Tacoma’s vibrant streets, embodying the city’s creative pulse and infusing his art with its eclectic spirit. Born and raised amidst Tacoma’s ever-evolving landscape, his artistic vision is shaped by the diverse tapestry of cultures and experiences that define the city. With a keen eye for community and a passion for creativity, he spearheads initiatives that breathe new life into urban spaces, transforming them into vibrant canvases that tell the stories of Tacoma’s past, present, and future. His murals and interactive installations are known to be catalysts for connection and dialogue, like The Broadway Gallery, where he is the founder. As Tacoma’s artistic ambassador, he inspires through his art, activism, and unwavering commitment to community, leaving an enduring imprint on the city he calls home.

Jesi Vega is  the founder of Represent! Editorial which provides comprehensive creative and publishing support for writers of color dedicated to social change. As both a writer and as a champion of BIPOC voices, Jesi’s work is informed by a deep love of community, a passion for the transformative power of storytelling, and a lifetime spent navigating the complexities of racial identity and privilege. She holds a Bachelor’s of Arts in Theater and Film from Vassar College, a Master’s in History of Religion from the University of Chicago Divinity School, and screenwriting certificates from programs in Chicago and Los Angeles. A long-time member of LA’s Filmmakers Alliance collective, she recently joined Tacoma’s One Table team to stage accessible theater performances in local bars and restaurants. Her writing has appeared in the Blue Cactus anthology “We Need a Reckoning,” Quincy Manor Publishing’s “This Land is Your Land, This Land is My Land,” and at WomenWhoSubmitlit.org.