Happy Friday Newsletter 6.20.25

Posted on by Ande Dunn

Arts & Entertainment

  • 5-Week Drawing Fundamentals Class Starts July 2
    • New to drawing, or looking to strengthen your skills? The foundation is crucial to a sound structure. In this class students will enjoy appreciating, and drawing from works of the old masters–perfect to perceive the building blocks of the visual world, such as Line, Shape, Volume, Tone, Light and Shadow. This class is suitable for all skill levels. Tone of class will be challenging yet enjoyable. Weekly homework projects assigned.
      Drawing Fundamentals –       5-week course, Wednesdays, July 2-30, 12pm-1:30pm; Location: Urban Grace (902 Market St Tacoma, WA 98402) Taught by Tim Mansen; To register, or for inquiries, contact Tim.Mansen@gmail.com
  • Creative Colloquy Calls for Autistic Authors for New Poetry Zine
    • Creative Colloquy is seeking bold, brilliant, and boundary-breaking poems from autistic authors for a special collection that dismantles the recent claim that autism and poetry are incompatible. This call is a direct refutation to those who would sideline autistic voices, perpetuating the false narrative that neurodivergence limits creativity, emotion or lyrical expression. Together, we will share the truth that autistic writers don’t just belong in poetry; they are essential authors of the form! Send your sonnets, your free verse, your experimental forms, your raw truths. Write about anything — identity, perception, silence, joy, rage, rhythm, humor, resilience, sensory perception, or that amazing cupcake you had last week. They want pieces that prove, through their very creation, that autistic voices are as nuanced, emotional, and poetic as any other.” Selected pieces will be featured in Stimming in Stanzas: A Poetry Zine by Autistic Writers Who Break the Form as part of a collaborative workshop at CC’s space in The Mecca (date tbd). Who Can Submit: Only poets diagnosed or who self-identify as being on the autism spectrum. No gatekeeping. Your voice matters. Accepted pieces may be published anonymously, should the author indicate that preference.
      Deadline is July 11. https://creativecolloquy.submittable.com/submit
  • Zion International Film Festival at the Blue Mouse Theater 6/27 – 7/3
    • Zion International Film Festival -a celebration of cinematic excellence from around the world. Join us as we spotlight powerful stories, innovative filmmaking, and diverse voices Location: The Blue Mouse Theatre in Tacoma (+ many films available to stream online from anywhere!) Date: June 27th-July 3rd, 2025 This year’s festival promises a vibrant lineup of screenings, filmmaker Q&As and special events! Highlights: *Friday, June 27th: Opening Night screenings of Sugarhouse at 7pm & Comedy Shorts at 10pm at the Blue Mouse* *Saturday, June 28th: FREE Family-Friendly Shorts at 10am at the Blue Mouse* *Saturday, June 28th: Screening of Death of Recess at 4:30pm at the Blue Mouse, FREE to educators – simply show your school ID at the box office on arrival* Whether you’re a film lover, industry expert, or creative visionary, the Zion International Film Festival offers a unique platform to connect, discover, and be inspired. Tickets & Passes On Sale: https://2025ziff.eventive.org/welcome View Festival Schedule: https://2025ziff.eventive.org/schedule See you at the movies!

Neighborhood News

  • Recognize Tacoma’s Creative Changemakers, Nominate for AMOCAT
    • Do you know someone whose work in the arts has made a lasting impression on Tacoma? Like a ghost sign on a brick wall, their impact sticks with us—bold, meaningful, and rooted in place. The 2025 AMOCAT Arts Awards celebrate the people and organizations who bring Tacoma’s creative spirit to life through passion, innovation, and commitment to the arts. Award Categories include: • Community Outreach by an Individual – Someone who uses the arts to build bridges, create access, and inspire connection. Think about how they serve others, center inclusion, or build community through creativity. • Community Outreach by an Organization – A group or organization creating lasting impact through arts programming, collaboration, or cultural leadership. Consider who they engage, what partnerships they’ve built, and how they’ve shaped Tacoma’s cultural landscape. • Arts Patron – An individual or business who champions the arts through advocacy, support, or direct investment. Think about how they uplift artists, fund the future, or foster creative opportunities for others. Nomination Deadline: Monday, July 15, 2025 Awards Presentation: Tuesday, September 30, 2025 at Tacoma City Council Follow this link to submit your nomination today! Help celebrate those who make Tacoma’s cultural life stronger, more inclusive, and more inspired.
  • Youth Violence Prevention Town Hall
    • Join Deputy Mayor Kiara Daniels and Council Member Jamika Scott for an important conversation about youth violence prevention. The event will feature guest speakers, opportunities to share your input on City actions, and a resource fair with local agencies. Event Details: Date: Saturday, June 28, 2025, Time: Noon to 3 PM, Location: People’s Community Center (1602 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Tacoma), All are welcome to attend. No RSVP required.
  • New Tacoma Documentary “Take the Meat to the Streets” Sparks National Interest in Local Outreach Effort
    • What do you do with a bag of dry beans when you don’t have a stove? For Pastor Penny Baker of The Gathering Place Fellowship in Tacoma, the answer is simple: you cook them, season them, and serve them hot—because people deserve better than scraps. That belief drives Take the Meat to the Streets, an 18-minute documentary now streaming on Amazon Prime. The short film offers a close-up look at how one woman’s grassroots outreach to unhoused neighbors grew into a weekly community mission—and is now inspiring people far beyond Tacoma city limits. Each week, Pastor Penny and a team of volunteers turn food donations into home-cooked meals. Then, they hit the streets—not just to serve food, but to connect with people in a real way.  “I went to shake a man’s hand and he pulled away, saying, ‘No, my hands are dirty.’ I said, ‘So what?’ and I shook it anyway,” Pastor Penny says in the film. “People need to realize just because they are homeless and living that lifestyle that they are still human beings – they still deserve compassion and respect.”
    • This deeply human approach caught the attention of Barry Maylor, owner of local family entertainment center Odyssey 1. Moved by what he saw, Barry connected with David White, Onner of David White Marketing Services, and filmmaker Beau Chevassus of Knok Studios to help capture and share the story. Together, they produced Take the Meat to the Streets—a short, powerful film that has already sparked a ripple effect. Since its release, the team has received inquiries from across the U.S., including Texas, Tennessee, and Michigan, from people eager to bring similar outreach to their own communities. “This started as a simple act of kindness,” says David White. “But what Pastor Penny built—through care, consistency, and humility—deserves to be seen and supported. We just helped shine a light on it.” Unlike some outreach efforts that serve expired food or maintain distance from those they’re serving, Pastor Penny and her team are intentional about offering real meals, real connection, and real respect. She recalls seeing other programs where the approach felt dehumanizing—like people were being called to slop. “We are here to bring life and hope,” she says in the film, a message reflected in every handshake, hug, hot meal, and heartfelt conversation her team shares each week. Get Involved – No Donations Needed! The team isn’t asking for money—they’re asking for people. Volunteers. Cooks. Listeners. Community members ready to get out of their comfort zones and into the streets to make a real difference.
  • Two Great Resources Available to Support Kids this Summer
    • Free Summer Meals + Grocery Support for Kids! Two great resources are available this summer for families in our community: SUN Bucks are back!: Eligible families can receive $120 per child this summer to help buy groceries. If your child qualifies for free or reduced-price meals at school, you may be eligible. Apply here: https://loom.ly/PMKtCr8  Summer Meals: Thanks to Parks Tacoma, free activities and lunches are available Monday – Friday for all youth 18 and under at parks across Tacoma—no sign-up or paperwork required. Program starts June 23: parkstacoma.gov/summer-meals

Local Governance

  • Tacoma City Council Updates Animal Code to Curb Overpopulation
    • The Tacoma City Council, led by Councilmember John Hines, adopted sweeping updates to municipal animal codes on June 10 with the aim of curbing pet overpopulation and easing strain on shelters. The ordinance now prohibits the unlicensed commercial breeding, sale, and advertising of companion animals without a valid Tacoma business license. It mandates spay/neuter for all animals impounded by Animal Control, unless already altered or deemed unfit by a vet. Additionally, pet licensing fees will increase, with additional revenue earmarked for low-cost spay/neuter clinics and expanded trap-neuter-return (TNR) programs targeting “community cats”—a newly defined category of free-roaming felines. Councilmember Hines, chair of the Government Finance & Performance Committee, emphasized animal-related complaints have doubled since 2023, driving shelters past capacity and underscoring the need for decisive action. Co-sponsors Olgy Diaz, Sarah Rumbaugh, and Sandesh Sadalge supported the measure for its humane, long-term approach. The updates also require impounded animals to be microchipped and held for 72 hours to improve reunification rates. Together, these changes reflect Tacoma’s most comprehensive effort yet to balance humane animal care and responsible pet ownership.
  • City of Tacoma Partners to Create New Downpayment Assistance Program
    • Racial disparity in homeownership is stark in Tacoma, steeped in a long history of racial exclusion and discrimination. These gaps persist among demographics for first-time homebuyers, indicating that the trend may worsen rather than improve in coming years. The lowest homeownership rates today are observed among Black (32%), Pacific Islander (32%), Hispanic (43%), and households that identify as “Other race” (37%). The City of Tacoma has contracted with the Tacoma Community Redevelopment Authority (TCRA) to operate a down payment assistance program. This program is designed to be consistent with and address disparities identified in the City’s 2021 Homeownership Disparity Study. This study found that one of the lowest homeownership rates in the City of Tacoma was for Black households. As a result of the outcomes of the study this program has a goal of serving at least 65% Black households. This program can provide up to $60,000 as a down payment for a home. Assistance is provided as a no interest 30-year loan. This loan must be repaid: – At the end of the 30-year term; – If the home is sold; or – If the borrower does not occupy the home as their primary residence. For more information on the program or if interested in applying visit the Downpayment Assistance webpage.
  • HearMeWA Supports Youth in Crisis
    • HearMeWA provides support to Washington youth 25 and younger who are going through a tough time. If you, a friend, or classmate needs support, there are resources here to help. Call 888-537-1634 or text HearMeWA to 738477 Online: HearMeWa.org Crisis counselors are available 24/7/365.

Business & Opportunities

  • Ebb Tide Gallery in Gig Harbor’s Historic Waterfront District is Seeking Guest Artists for July and August
    • Ebb Tide Gallery located at 7809 Pioneer Way, in the heart of Gig Harbor’s Historic Waterfront District is looking for guest artists for the summer. This is a one-month guest artist position and is available for both 2-D and 3-D artists. This is your opportunity to showcase and sell your artwork in a beautiful friendly, light filled gallery at the height of the tourism/art buying season. If your art is accepted by our guest artist committee, you are interviewed and agree to sign our one-month contract. You will be given an area to display your work, as well as a reception where you can talk to the public about what inspires your creative spirit. We provide support, space and a hand up to artists. We do the sales, you show/sell your art.
      Cost is $75. for the month and a 20% pre-tax commission on sold art.
      Apply Now! July Guest Artist Application Deadline: June 23th 5pm
      August Guest Artist Application Deadline: July 23rd 5pm Guest Artist application and 4-5 samples of art medium due
  • 2025 Tacoma Studio Tour & Arts at the Armory Applications NOW OPEN!
    • Applications are now open for the 2025 Tacoma Studio Tour and Arts at the Armory! These free opportunities are designed to help you share your work, connect with the public, and celebrate Tacoma’s vibrant arts community. You may apply for one or both events using a single application form. Apply online by Sunday, July 6, 2025, at 11:59 pm: https://tacomaarts.submittable.com/submit
    • Tacoma Studio Tour Open your working studio or performance space to the public and share how you create your work. • Dates: Saturday & Sunday, October 11 & 12, 2025, • Time: 11 am – 5 pm (choose one or both days) • Location: Your studio or creative space in Tacoma • Free to apply and participate. No commission on sales. APPLY HERE
    • Arts at the Armory Participate in an indoor arts market at the historic Tacoma Armory. Share and/or sell your work in a booth-style setting. • Dates: Saturday & Sunday, November 15 & 16, 2025 • Time: 11 am – 5 pm (choose one or both days) • Location: Tacoma Armory, 1001 S Yakima Ave • Free to apply and participate. No commission on sales. APPLY HERE
    • Eligibility Applicants must live within Tacoma city limits and/or have a working studio or performance space within Tacoma. All work must be original and created by the applicant. Applications are strongly encouraged from artists who identify as members of the Global Majority; Black, Brown, Indigenous, People of Color (BBIPOC); ALAANA communities; LGBTQIA+; people with disabilities; and those from economically marginalized communities.
  • Call to Artists for All Along the Riverwalk Arts and Education Event
    • Artists Wanted!  “All Along the Riverwalk” arts and education event is still looking for more artists to participate!  It all happens July 26th at Veterans Park along the Riverwalk trail and artisans will be distributed along the trail as well.  There’s a $25 booth fee.  To find out more and apply: allalongtheriverwalk.org
  • Host a Student, Open Your World
    • Open your door and let the adventure begin! Are you looking for an enriching cultural experience? Do you want to make a difference in the lives of students? Our International Student Housing program may be your opportunity to make a difference and experience a life-changing adventure. TCC is now accepting applications for qualified hosts looking to share and make culture connections. Whether you choose a short-term (one week) or long-term (one year) program, you and your student will have the full support of the TCC International Program every step of the way, to help make the experience easy, rewarding, and memorable. Hosts are also given a stipend to cover their costs. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19TvqymLjP/
  • Tacoma City Theaters are Hiring Production Manager
    • Join the team! Be a part of the magic behind the scenes at the Pantages, Rialto and Theater on the Square! They’re hiring a Production Manager to join the ASM Tacoma crew at Tacoma City Theaters. Apply Here: bit.ly/tctPM

Recreation & Wellness

  • Detour in Effect at Point Defiance Park
    • How will drivers get to their destination in the park? Gardens, Pagoda, and Marina – use the Pearl Street Entrance; Zoo, Owen Beach, Fort Nisqually, Rhododendron Garden, and Outer Loop – use the Mildred Street entrance
    • Google Maps are provided on the website and show the best way to reach each of the park attractions. Visit the link below to find your destination and the quickest way to reach it by car.

TV & Film Reviews

  • Film Review: Friendship by Elizabeth Mulloy
    • Oh, to be a bro who simply cannot hang because you are too awkward, too weird for the world. I feel for you. The second-runner-up in TIFF’s Midnight Madness section, this film follows Craig Waterman (Tim Robinson), a socially anxious marketing exec who, despite seeming fine on the surface, is quietly crumbling. His marriage is on the verge of collapse, his connection with his son is slipping, and he’s got no real friends. Enter Austin (Paul Rudd), his new neighbor, a magnetic, overly charming weatherman, and suddenly, Craig has someone. The two hit it off instantly. But after one fateful incident, their blossoming bromance nosedives into a full-blown toxic spiral of envy, obsession, and all the cringe you can handle.
    • Pulling from the chaotic brilliance of Tim Robinson’s I Think You Should Leave, writer-director Andrew DeYoung zeroes in on the human condition, specifically, how deeply messy our relationships with others can be. Craig is a guy you can’t help but feel bad for. He’s awkward, kind of grating, and carries a quiet streak of narcissism that makes meaningful connection nearly impossible. So when someone finally shows him attention, by basically love bombing him, it’s easy to see why he clings to it so tightly. He spins up fantasies, casting himself as some kind of mythic, misunderstood hero in their budding friendship. Which is exactly why it hurts so much when everything unravels, over something that, honestly, could’ve been solved if everyone had just sat down and talked like adults. But Craig’s so desperate to feel seen and wanted, that once that validation slips away, he’ll go to absurd, even destructive lengths to claw it back.
    • Striking a near-perfect balance between off-kilter, absurdist satire and cringe comedy with the creeping dread of a horror film, Friendship is laugh-out-loud hilarious, until it isn’t. It walks that uncomfortable line where you’re never sure whether to laugh, look away, or brace yourself for something deeply unsettling. And that’s kind of the point. Now, I totally get why this film might not click for everyone. At times, it does feel like an extended sketch comedy bit that’s been stretched maybe a little too thin. The rhythm can get repetitive with Craig spiraling, self-sabotaging, torching every social bridge he stumbles across, but if you let the film wash over you, if you give in to its weird, unrelenting tone, it becomes a wild and surprisingly emotional ride.
    • Andrew DeYoung proves here that he’s got serious chops behind the camera. Instead of playing things visually safe like most comedies do, he plunges us headfirst into a surreal, awkward nightmare. The film doesn’t look like a comedy, and that’s exactly why it works. There’s a deliberate discomfort to the way it’s shot. The cinematography is hushed and restrained, drenched in bleak, washed-out winter pastels that ooze quiet sadness and unease. The music is equally unsettling, ambient and eerie, like it’s slowly wrapping around your neck with every single boom. All of this works to place us directly inside Craig’s cracked headspace, where every social interaction is a potential disaster and every slight feels like the end of the world. It’s a perfect reflection of Craig’s mounting insecurities, his festering rage, and his desperate need to feel seen, no matter how much destruction it takes.
    • Friendship may be a comedy, but DeYoung plays it like a psychological horror and that’s what makes it such a fascinating, uncomfortable, and strangely empathetic experience. And let’s be real, when you’ve got comedic geniuses like Tim Robinson and Paul Rudd steering the ship, you’re almost guaranteed an unhinged, hilarious ride. Their chemistry carries the film through even its darkest and most uncomfortable moments, injecting it with just enough levity to keep things from tipping into full-on despair. Overall, Friendship is a sharp, strange, and unexpectedly affecting dive into the messiness of male insecurity, fragile egos, and the twisted lengths we’ll go to feel wanted. It’s weird, it’s uncomfortable, it’s funny as hell and honestly, it’s a good time.
    • My Rating: B+
  • Film Review: Bring Her Back by Elizabeth Mulloy
    • After the breakout summer horror hit Talk to Me in 2023, I was fully on board for whatever the YouTuber-turned-filmmaker brother duo, the Philippou Brothers, would do next. Rather than following up with another adrenaline-fueled, emotionally-charged horror ride exploring addiction and grief, they took a sharp left turn. Staying within the genre, they’ve returned with what may be one of the bleakest, most disturbing, and unrelentingly dark horror film of the decade.
    • We follow Andy (Billy Barratt) and his younger, visually impaired sister, Piper (Soro Wong) as they navigate the harsh realities of the Australian foster system following the death of their father. Haunted by guilt and trauma, Andy is consumed by the fear of being separated from Piper and clings to the hope of gaining custody once he turns 18. Piper, meanwhile, remains unaware of the full weight of her brother’s emotional burden. Their lives take a turn when they’re placed with Laura (Sally Hawkins) and her mute son, Oliver (Jonah Wren Phillips). What begins as a seemingly kind and comforting home, at least for Piper, slowly unravels into an occult nightmare, as it becomes clear Laura’s intentions are far more sinister than they first appeared.
    • Let me just say it up front: Bring Her Back is not going to be for everyone. This isn’t a horror film that relies on cheap jump scares to get a reaction out of you. It’s a slow-burn descent that crawls under your skin, unsettling you with a cocktail of occult dread, gnawing melancholy, and some truly grotesque body horror. This isn’t the kind of horror you can just numb yourself to because nothing is more terrifying than reality. And while Laura may come across as warm and motherly at first, there’s something undeniably off about her kindness. That nurturing presence becomes a weapon, one that only the internet’s favorite mother, Sally Hawkins, could wield so chillingly.
    • Fueled by grief and simmering rage, she seizes every opportunity to gaslight Andy about his past and begins manipulating Piper through relentless love bombing. Bit by bit, she drives a wedge between the siblings, all in the service of one goal: bringing her daughter back from the dead. Her grief is all-consuming, a black hole of sorrow and obsession that justifies any means which includes the sacrifice of innocent children. It’s a grief so warped and desperate, yet disturbingly believable, because deep down, many parents would give anything, do anything, just to see their child again.
    • Driven more by mood and theme than by plot, the Philippou Brothers have crafted a horror film that plunges deep into the emotional wreckage grief can leave behind. Yet somehow, they avoid falling into the “elevated horror” label that’s been attached to so many A24 releases over the last decade. Sure, the narrative has its shaky moments, but that doesn’t make it any less terrifying. The sound design is cranked to eleven as every bone crunch and every blood drop lands with a visceral jolt. With this film, the Philippou Brothers continue to sharpen their directorial voice, pushing their grotesque and haunting visual style to even more unsettling extremes.
    • Overall, Bring Her Back cements the Philippou Brothers as a rising powerhouse in modern horror. While the narrative may stumble at times, they command the atmosphere of dread and visual storytelling is undeniable. This is not a film for the faint of heart. Its bleakness and deeply unsettling imagery won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. But for those drawn to horror that challenges, disturbs, and dares to go somewhere new, Bring Her Back is a bold, visceral experience and well worth the price of admission.
    • My Rating: B

Screenshots: We Scrolled so You Don’t Have to…

Related Posts

May 30th, 2025 Happy Friday Newsletter

Special Announcement: 100 Limited Edition Volcano Shirts Designed by Shroom Brothers on sale now Read story here: https://weekly-volcano.com/?p=996Buy Yours Now here: https://www.etsy.com/listing/4311572395/the-weekly-volcano-black-light-t-shirt Arts & Entertainment […]

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *