The Urban Art Festival is a community driven event with roots in the community its founders discovered in the electronic and psychedelic music scene. June 29 will mark the third annual Urban Art Festival at Fireman’s Park in downtown Tacoma, but these kids have brought the party to Tacoma for more than a decade. I sat in Linda Honeck’s living room with the team this Sunday to ask them some questions about where they see the Festival going.



“We’re all about making things happen in Tacoma” says Laura Eklund from L&M Artworks, who partners with the Art in the Park creators, Bumble Bee Vision to put on the festival. Longtime event veteran Lisa Fruichantie adds, “It’s about bringing music and art to community, exposing people to art that the other festivals don’t cover … in a commercial free venue.” They begin to tell me that they want to see art that is breaking down stereotypes and is cutting edge. They tell me art that is political and dangerous is rarely open to the public. “We want art that is expressive and uncensored,” adds Honeck. 



Does that mean graffiti and techno hip-hop? Yes, but it also means Lynn Di Nino, James Hume and a few other not so hip-pity-hop chaps are welcomed with open arms. Skinny legged rockers like Don’t tell Sophie seem to fit the bill as well, among two stages worth of rock and jam acts mixed with your rapping urban bus riding youth.  A beer garden and vendors make this a one-stop day trip worth the admission. Oh yeah, it’s free.



I asked them if they wanted to be as big as Bumpershoot. They said no. Then they thought about it and Matt Eklund said, “Yes, but only if we don’t have to compromise the event’s  vision or values.” These kids are careful about their vendors and who they accept money from. 



This year there have been three “pre-funk” benefit shows to support the event’s base costs; they also have many fine sponsors and supporters here in the community.



“We would like to know ways to connect with bigger sponsors without having to sell our soul to Budweiser Corp,” says Johanna Gardener, DJ and event co-founder. “We want to grow as much as we can, every festival we learn so much, it’s exciting to see where we could be in the coming years.”



[Fireman’s Park, Sunday, June 29, noon to dusk, no cover, corner of A Street and Ninth Avenue, downtown Tacoma]