MONDAY, DEC. 26, 2011 >>>

1. The Greater Tacoma Community Foundation Award is a big deal. Being nominated is an honor bestowed by one's peers, and being chosen as the award recipient is an even greater honor. It's just about the biggest award granted to local artists. The nominees this year were: Jennifer Adams, Sean Alexander, Nick Butler, Lynn Di Nino, Oliver Dorris, Kristin Giordano, Ellen Ito, Matt Johnson, Rick Lawson, Nicholas Nyland, Elise Richman, Peter Serko and this year's winner, Jessica Spring. Spring is the founder of locally-based Springtide Press. Her piece for the Foundation Award, titled "Ingrained," is an art book created on handmade paper made from ancient Western red cedar logs and printed with poetry written by Spring. The pages hang from a display rack similar to those used by stores to display flooring. Today, check out Spring's works and others from the Greater Tacoma Community Foundation Award show at the Chamber of Commerce Building at 11^th and Pacific Avenue in downtown Tacoma. And for more insight, find Alec Clayton's full feature, click here.

2. One of the best names in Tacoma hip-hop, EvergreenOne, along with the Sandlot Hip-Hop Collective, will bust out the jams tonight at Hell's Kitchen.

3. Usually on Mondays you get wasted on Jager Bombs at Jazzbones then break into the rockaroake. Tonight, do what everything you usually do - only do it under the title of a "Night After Christmas Party." Awesome.

4. Chris Stevens & The Surf Monkeys will drop in on The Swiss in Tacoma for a free show starting at 8 p.m.

5. Get in on the party during Micro Monday with DJ Melodica at Magoo's Annex --  and expand your musical horizons and knowledge.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Live music tonight