Case Studies | Ground of Sound Film & Arts Festival

City of Tacoma
Website

CLIENT

Full creative production and project management
35-minute full-length documentary
Artist-led community pop-up events
Original music production and live recording
Citywide arts festival at Foss Waterway Seaport Museum
Promotional content (video, graphics, written)
Full-cycle marketing, social media, and communications strategy

PROJECT

Context & Challenge

The City of Tacoma partnered with Foster’s Creative to deliver the second annual Ground of Sound Film & Arts Festival—an initiative focused on uniting the Tacoma community around local art and waterway preservation. The project aimed to:

Empower local artists to lead meaningful, community-driven experiences
Deliver environmental messaging through creative, accessible storytelling
Build civic trust and participation using music, film, and performance
Establish a scalable model for artist-led engagement that connects with broader city goals

GOALS

Tacoma residents of all ages and backgrounds
Environmentally conscious community members
Local artists and creatives
Amateur and professional filmmakers
Civic stakeholders and community organizers

AUDIENCE

Process and Implementation

Foster’s Creative led all aspects of project execution, from ideation through delivery. The team curated a local artist roster and worked closely with them to co-create pop-up events across Tacoma, blending performance, public art, and live music with environmental storytelling. A highlight of this collaboration was a community-involved live recording of an original song, co-written by artists Champagne Sunday and AG Joints.

Simultaneously, a 35-minute documentary was produced, capturing the spirit of the events, artist interviews, citizen stories, and the city’s environmental mission. A comprehensive marketing strategy was developed and executed across social channels and community networks to drive awareness and attendance throughout the year.

Foster’s Creative also managed the culminating Ground of Sound Festival event—coordinating film submissions, programming, live performances, and interactive experiences at the Foss Waterway Seaport Museum.

Results and Impact

Results & Impact:

Over 400 attendees at the final festival
4 community pop-ups hosted across Tacoma neighborhoods
A 35-minute documentary capturing the entire project journey
Live, participatory music and performance stages at the festival
Widespread social media engagement and local visibility
Direct community involvement in music recording and film submissions

The project successfully bridged policy and culture by positioning artists as leaders in civic storytelling. It demonstrated how creative production can deepen community trust, elevate environmental initiatives, and provide a replicable blueprint for future city-driven engagement projects.