Tacoma Art Place is closing but not entirely going away. For four and a half years TAP has been offering art classes, exhibitions and equipment to mostly underserved Tacomans. A victim of the recession, TAP now finds itself short of operating funds and is being forced to close the doors on its "brick and mortar" location at 11th and MLK in downtown Tacoma. They will close August 31.
"Unfortunately, there simply wasn't enough public support to keep the facility open," Linda Danforth, founder and first president said at the meeting announcing the closure to volunteers. "We had a good run," added current president, Deborah Dodson. "Remember, TAP itself is not closing, just this building."
In the effort not to close in the red, TAP has some fundraising plans and asks for community support. Most equipment and supplies will be offered first to members for donations, then to the public. TAP will also hold a raffle, with the drawing to be held August 29. Proceeds from the raffle will support the organization. Information will be posted to www.tacomaartplace.org as soon as details are available. Current members can also check the website for open studio hours: TAP plans to remain open with restricted hours for as long as possible, and every effort will be made to help every member finish current projects.
But even after the building is vacated, TAP will focus on outreach to satisfy its core function, which is "to reach underserved groups with arts programming," through artistic pursuit in the Tacoma area. Mobile units will reach out to local schools, community centers - everywhere art can make a difference. 
The mission of Tacoma Art Place has been and continues to be to provide access to equipment and training "that will allow more people to affordably explore their creativity and artistic ability, with a special emphasis to reach under-served individuals with free or reduced-cost memberships and to offer arts education in the community."The raffle to support TAP is for a prize package valued at more $1000. Prizes include a $100 restaurant certificate from Stanley & Seaforts, a $50 certificate for any show at the Broadway Center, $100 worth of Farmers Markets tokens, Art Bus tickets, and much more.