After receiving 40 applications — all of them requesting money — the Tacoma Artists Initiative Program has made its decisions — at least when it comes to the 2009-2010 funding cycle. A program established by the City of Tacoma in 1999 to “assist artists in generating new work and in sharing their work with the public,” according to the award letters sent out earlier this week, the Tacoma Artists Initiative Program will hand out $45,000 to 17 applicants who were able to sell the powers that be on their artistic vision.



One of those artists is the infamous R.R. Anderson, whose editorial cartoons (Tacomics) regularly appear in the pages of the Weekly Volcano. Anderson was awarded $2,500 to-self publish a hardbound collection of 100 of his best and most noteworthy Tacomics by December 2010. The collection will be known as 100 Tacomics: The Secular and Apolitical Cartoon Life of Tacoma and Her Moral People(s).



Naturally, here at the Weekly Volcano we’re happy to see the Tacoma Artists Initiative Program has shown Anderson the money. However, we also can’t help but (at least sarcastically) wonder if this isn’t an effort by the city to get chummy with one its most vocal critics.



“For years the power-users of Tacoma have been trying to buy my loyalty. Well one tremendous recession later they’ve got it. I am completely loyal now. What is more, I believe this will save my marriage,” says Anderson. “Before this news I was bitter. I would cling to things like fake-guns and freedom-from-religion in a bitter fashion. Absolute cynicism. I couldn't even open the notice letter. I handed the envelope to my wife, saying ‘Oh look, Porkchop, they sent my rejection letter.’ My wife snatched it from my meaty fingers and read aloud to my surprise the language of victory.”



So what can Tacomans expect from the now funded and forthcoming collection of Tacomics?



“Over one hundred pages of pure, unbridled emotion,” says Anderson. “Each page turn will be an improvised explosion in your face of raw creativity. A man’s struggle alone in the wilderness ... a coming of age story ... love ... romance ... but human. Funny. Ultimately, a tragedy, like real life.”



We can hardly wait for December, 2010. Money well spent, Tacoma. Kudos.