You've probably driven by this building before.

That's the Tacoma Art Museum.

Thousands of people pass by it every day and think, huh, cool building.

But here's the thing.

Don't just drive by.

Step inside.

Because once you get past these doors, the story of northwest art really starts unfolding.

Hi Andy.

Hi.

Tell me what makes the Tacoma Art Museum so special?

Tacoma Art Museum lies in the heart of the museum district in downtown Tacoma.

We've been here for 91 years, and I think one of the things that we're best known for is being a center for northwest art in the United States.

Tell me about how folks can get involved.

Well, there are a million ways to get involved with TAM.

You can become a member of the museum.

You can attend events.

People can take art classes at the museum.

We have programs for all ages.

I think museums occupy a really vital space in both preserving democratic voice and the plurality of the United States, but also as places of creativity and freedom of expression and community.

As part of the embodiment of what community really looks like in a museum, this is a piece that was in an exhibition called Soft Power.

People who visited the exhibition contributed to each of those strands of fabric, really just showing the volume of creativity and community that can be generated through an exhibition.

And what we have is this beautiful waterfall form now, as we've hung it up in sort of long term view in our lobby.

It's so beautiful.

Can I go check out some more exhibits?

Absolutely.

Something that we pride ourselves on here is really understanding that we are in this place.

We're supporting northwest artists and connecting them with audiences.

And in this exhibition you're really getting that range of Pacific Northwest work with artworks from European artists and other American artists.

But what I think would be really important for people to know, or to hear from is our curator, Ellen Ito, who can talk about a very specific program called Project Northwest.

Oh, wonderful.

Let's go talk to her.

Ellen, this is incredible.

Can you tell me about Project Northwest?

I would love to.

So Project Northwest is sort of a response to a need that we're seeing within our arts ecosystem here in the northwest and more broadly.

We were just looking at all the amazing artists in the region and thinking, what can we do with what we have to high.. And so we just decided we're making space and letting artists tell us what they'd like to do.

So.

Awesome.

Yeah, it's been such a delight.

So by the end of the year versus something where we might in the past had one solo exhibition in a larger space, featuring one artist every 3 or 4 years, maybe.

By the end of this calendar year, we will have had the opportunity to work with six artists.

Wow.

So it's huge for us.

It really is attached to our mission and vision.

Totally.

And, I mean with things like this, it's just, we're just having a lot of fun and so far, I think the artists are too.

So we're really excited.

So next time you're headed past, don't just drive by.

Come inside and see what artists across the Pacific Northwest are creating r.. I'm Angela.

Thank you for exploring.

I'll see you.