Tacoma Art Place (TAP) is celebrating its second birthday by doing what they do best: offering access to art and creativity for all.

TAP is a non-profit organization that offers low-cost studio time and equipment for people who would not ordinarily be able to afford such space or equipment on their own.

On Nov. 21, TAP will offer free tours of their facilities, as well as a handful of free art classes, including a painting class and a reusable bag decoration class, among other things.

Linda Danforth, founder and board president of TAP, hopes those who may have been considering joining come out to the open house event and sign up.

Those who sign up at the event will get $10 off the $48 annual fee (which averages out to less than $4 a month).

Members get full use of the art place’s two kilns, dark room, sewing machines and sergers, painting easels, art supplies and the full schedule of free or low-cost weekly classes.

Currently, TAP has about 160 members and is looking for more to be able to sustain the volunteer-run organization.

“We’d like to be a community asset - like the Grand Cinema; a small staff with a core of community volunteers that help keep it going,” Danforth said. “Because the community loves (Tacoma Art Place) and is willing to volunteer their time, that’s how we’ve been able to stay open.”

A downturn in the economy has made an impact on the number of renewal rates at TAP, despite the low cost of membership.

“We need to grow our membership in order to sustain our service. We hope that people who have been thinking about joining, or buying a membership for someone for Christmas… we hope they will because we need that.”

Since opening in 2007, TAP has increased their level of service to beyond the walls of the facility, taking art workshops and classes on the road to provide higher levels of access to underserved populations, such as a ceramics class through the Tacoma Housing Authority and a jewelry making class at the YWCA’s domestic violence center.

“We try to do that as much as we can - give more accessibility to art mediums and being creative,” Danforth said. “People can’t always come to us, so we try to get out to the community.”

In the future, TAP hopes to partner with businesses, such as a glass blowing studio or a printing press operation, to offer even more art options for members that TAP can’t support individually.

Check out TAP’s open house anniversary celebration between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Nov. 21. Admission is free, and refreshments, tours and classes will be provided. A copper sculpture exhibit honoring Veterans is also currently on display at TAP and available for viewing. 1116 S. 11th St. Call (253) 238-1006 for more info.