Arts commission

Meetings

The Gig Harbor Arts Commission meets at 11:00 a.m. on the third Tuesday of every month.

Minutes & recordings

The City of Gig Harbor maintains minutes of the official proceedings in which city business is conducted. The recordings and action minutes are posted and available to the public as soon as possible.

Members

  • Sonja Johnson, Chair
  • Carolyn Vranjes, Vice Chair
  • Deborah Breneman
  • Suzanne Gillman
  • Joanne Brandani
  • Stephanie Killilea
  • Kris Robinson

Volunteer members of the arts commission must be a resident of the greater Gig Harbor area within Pierce County (west of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge and east of the Purdy Bridge). Preference may be shown for city residents. Members serve three-year terms.

Contact Us

  1. Tiffany Aliment

    Assistant City Clerk
    Email Tiffany
    Phone: (253) 851-6137
    More Information

Responsibilities

The arts commission is authorized to encourage, conduct, sponsor, or co-sponsor public programs to further the development and public awareness of fine arts and performing arts in our community. The full scope of the arts commission is defined in Gig Harbor Municipal Code (GHMC) Title 2.49.

Background

The arts commission was formed largely due to a growing interest in public art for Gig Harbor. Prior to 2001, there were no city-sponsored cultural art grants or monies for public art. In 1999, the Fishermen’s Memorial proposal was making its way through a committee of local volunteers committed to creating a bronze tribute to Gig Harbor’s maritime history in partnership with the Cultural Arts Commission (which later disbanded). The group reviewed design proposals from nationally acclaimed sculptors and eventually approved the large bronze design by Russian artist, Alexandre Safonov, of a fishermen pulling his net from the sea that is represented in Jerisich Park today. The same group eventually became the city’s first membership of the Gig Harbor Arts Commission (GHAC) in 2001.

Public art inventory

The Public Art Inventory (PDF) represents a record of all art gifted to, acquired, or commissioned by the City of Gig Harbor. It was published in 2010.

Creative endeavor grant

Applications for the 2026 Creative Endeavor Grant are now being accepted. Deadline to apply is Monday, March 2, 2026. 

The City of Gig Harbor’s Creative Endeavor Grant program is designed to support projects that provide artistic, cultural, and creative experiences for the Gig Harbor community. The program aims to increase public access to the arts and enrich the local cultural landscape. The grant program encourages a wide range of artistic endeavors, including performances, workshops, and other creative projects that are open and accessible to the public.

Funding recommendations, guided by the adopted scoring matrix, will be made by the arts commission at its meeting on Tuesday, March 17, 2026.