Evergreen Reporter

Tacoma, WA – On May 24, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, visited Tacoma Arts Live (TAL) in Tacoma’s Hilltop neighborhood to meet with TAL’s leadership, tour its facilities, and meet local small business leaders who are part of TAL’s Accelerating Creative Enterprise program. Senator Murray is pushing to secure $2.12 million in Congressionally Directed Spending to support TAL and its small business incubator program.

“I was thrilled to hear from Tacoma Arts Live and small business owners today about the work they are doing to create art, engage the community, and build an inclusive economy,” said Senator Murray. “The immersive exhibit was so cool to see—what you’re doing here is so important in helping to build a sense of community while at the same time supporting and showcasing local artists and small businesses.”

“Small business owners and nonprofit founders are some of the hardest-working people out there, but when it comes to starting and running a business, we know women and people of color are too often overlooked and underserved—fixing that is crucial to strengthening our local economies and our communities,” continued Senator Murray. “Tacoma Arts Live and the Accelerating Creative Enterprise program are really making a difference for artists and small business owners here by giving people a voice, a space, and the support they need to succeed and grow. This is so important, especially as the Hilltop neighborhood is facing challenges from housing affordability, to addressing crime, to keeping its local economy competitive. The work you do is helping to build a positive and inclusive community identity, promote local economic development, and give a voice to local artists.”

“We were thrilled to host Senator Murray at Tacoma Arts Live today to show her our immersive art exhibit in the historic Armory and meet with some of the phenomenal small business entrepreneurs in our ACE program,” said David Fischer, Executive Director of Tacoma Arts Live. “Tacoma Arts Live works hard to bring new arts experiences to the Hilltop community and create greater access to the arts throughout Western Washington—as well as to support the emerging creativity that is already abundant in our community. We’re grateful to Senator Murray for her being a steadfast champion of the arts and of Tacoma Arts Live.”

Implementation of Senator Murray’s Congressionally Directed Spending requests, including the request to support Tacoma Arts Live, will be contingent upon passage of fiscal year 2024 appropriations bills. Senator Murray’s office solicits input for appropriations requests from communities in every part of Washington state year-round. In submitting Congressionally Directed Spending requests, Senator Murray has long been focused on projects that benefit communities across Washington state, with a strong emphasis on projects that will benefit historically underserved populations and communities. As Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and a member of the committee since her first term in the Senate, Senator Murray has been instrumental in securing major federal investments for key Washington state priorities.

Original source can be found here.