MICHAEL SWAN: ART AT WORK MONTH >>>

The Tacoma Arts Commission has announced this year’s AMOCAT Arts Awards winners. The awards, according to a press release, “recognize community members’ vision, dedication and action in creating a lively arts community in Tacoma. The three categories support community outreach in the arts by a patron, an organization and an individual.”

And … the winners are:

The Arts Patron award goes to the Hotel Murano. This beautiful hotel, which replaced the Sheraton Tacoma in downtown Tacoma, is designed around glass and showcases more than 45 artists from around the world. Why its sleek lobby bar remains unused most nights is beyond the Weekly Volcano. Maybe this award will be the ticket. The Weekly Volcano grabbed this award last year. Now we can’t go anywhere without the Paparazzi tailing us.

The award for “Community Outreach by an Organization” goes to King’s Books. No brainer. Not only do they open their space to every artistic and cultural event under the sun, they also host their own events, too, such as poetry readings and Banned Book Week, which kicks off Sept. 27. Oh, and they also give money to local public schools.

The “Community Outreach by an Artist” award goes to Linda Danforth, a local jewelry artist who has become the Queen of Cooperatives, as in Jet Artist Cooperative and the Broadway Artist Cooperative.  She also founded Tacoma Art Place that provides the community with affordable art instruction.

The awardees will be honored at the Art at Work Opening Celebration on Oct. 29 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Tacoma Art Museum. Besides speeches by each winner, the night will include music by gypsy jazz band Pearl Django, poetry readings, a hands-on art activity, hors d’oeuvres and an opportunity to view the museum’s galleries.

Visit the Tacoma Culture Web site for more information about November Art at Work month.