There’s a bright new energy on the Hilltop and it’s got creativity written all over it.

The Tacoma Art Place is gearing up for it’s grand opening open house on Saturday, Nov. 3, and looks to be coming together beautifully.

The vision born out of a trip to cooperatives in Africa, where lives were changed through the creative process inspired Linda Danforth to spread the idea to the Hilltop, with a little help from friends and big-hearted people willing to give time and valuable equipment for a good cause.

That good cause is a community space where, for a nominal fee (about the cost of one twenty ounce latte a month) people can use art equipment like the kiln from a stained glass artist in Chehalis, the serger from a local housepainter, and even the blackroom with two enlargers put together through the efforts of SolaRichard and Chip Van Gilder.

And there are additional donated items, like easels and silk screening equipment, as well as knitting needles, yarn and cameras donated by Jaime Chase, who made the trek to Africa with Danforth and felt the need to be involved in the inspiring project.

“It’s a place to explore your creativity by having affordable access to art equipment,” explains Chase of the space, which includes inspiring art on the walls as well as a library to inspire more creativity.

Tour the facility yourself, and be inspired, on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; there’ll be classes like knitting, beaded jewelry, and acrylics painting, as well as drop-in instruction on card-making and an Introduction to kid’s photography taught by an expert eight and a half year old, which will be on-going all day.

Go to www.tacomaartplace.org for more information, be inspired, and either go to have a difference made in your life, or be a part of the action to help make a difference. â€" Jessica Corey-Butler