Disaster Preparedness
Disaster Preparedness for Artists and Arts Organizations: Safeguarding Your Work and Livelihood
Disasters and emergencies are the largest threat to the careers of artists and the livelihood of arts organizations across the country. Yet, addressing these issues often falls to the bottom of the to-do list when skies are blue, and danger is out of sight. In a field driven by passion and creativity, who wants to dwell on the “what ifs” of potential disasters?
But as devastating weather-related events become increasingly common, the arts community can no longer afford to ignore the importance of disaster preparedness. This is about more than preserving artwork; it’s about protecting the future of artists’ livelihoods and ensuring that organizations can bounce back from adversity. Are you or your organization prepared to handle a devastating emergency if it came your way?
Understanding the Risks to the Arts Sector
Our work in the arts sector brings unique vulnerabilities. In many cases, artwork is irreplaceable, and materials may be fragile or difficult to relocate in emergencies. Arts materials may be damaged or even destroyed during a natural disaster. For performing arts organizations, disruptions can mean lost revenue, damaged venues, compromised relationships with patrons, and, in the worst cases, permanent closures. Meanwhile, independent artists risk losing original works of art and their livelihoods. Disaster preparedness for the arts is about developing a plan for readiness, response, and recovery. We’ve included some resources for artists and arts organizations to take proactive steps to protect their artistic assets during a disaster.
Disaster Preparedness Resources:
National Coalition for Arts Preparedness and Emergency Response
The National Coalition for Arts’ Preparedness and Emergency Response (NCAPER) was formed in 2006 in response to the significant losses and devastation suffered by artists and creative economies in the wake of hurricanes Katrina and Rita. As a voluntary task force of national, regional, state and local arts organizations, public agencies, and foundations, the Coalition helps ensure that artists, arts and cultural organizations, cultural funders, and arts businesses have the capacity and ability to respond effectively to disasters and emergencies affecting the arts and culture sector. The Coalition believes that the arts sector is an essential collaborator in broader societal efforts in preparedness, emergency response, and recovery to ensure the resilience of the general community.
NCAPER Artist Recovery Resources
NCAPER Arts Field Guide to Federal Disaster Relief
NCAPER Arts Field Guide to Federal Disaster Relief in Spanish
Recording of 11/21/24 Zoom meeting with NCAPER
Slide Presentation from the 11/21/24 Zoom meeting with NCAPER
Chat File from the 11/21/24 Zoom meeting with NCAPER
National Endowment for the Arts
The NEA has a long history of responding to natural disasters and national emergencies, including disaster relief in the wake of September 11th; Hurricanes Katrina, Harvey, Maria, and Ian; and the devastating tornadoes in Joplin, Missouri, and Western Kentucky. NEA staff have also deployed through the Federal Disaster Management Agency (FEMA) and Department of the Interior to the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico to assist with the natural and cultural resources recovery efforts following Hurricanes Maria and Irma.
As climate disasters increase in number and severity, we know firsthand that artists, culture bearers, and arts and cultural organizations are some of the most vulnerable populations and often have difficulty accessing relief funds and services. NEA is focused on improving equitable and inclusive access to resources before, during, and after disasters for the arts field through strengthening existing networks, uplifting effective practices, and convening field leaders. The NEA also partners with the Regional Arts Organizations and State Arts Agencies to support disaster response and recovery efforts as well as guide policy development at the local level.
The NEA helps to shape policy, track trends, and support dialogue at the federal and national level on disaster readiness, response, and recovery by serving as an active member on the following:
- Department of the Interior, Natural and Cultural Resources Recovery Support Function
- Economic Development Administration, Economic Recovery Support Function
- Heritage Emergency National Task Force
- National Coalition of Arts Preparedness and Emergency Response Steering Committee
The Craft Emergency Relief Fund (CERF+)
The Craft Emergency Relief Fund is rooted in the idea of mutual aid, where individuals unite to support one another during difficult times. Their commitment to generosity, inclusion, and care manifests in the way they organize resources, interact, communicate, and connect with others. This concept emphasizes the importance of community, ensuring that everyone has the resources needed to thrive. This commitment is central to their vision of an equitable, thriving, and supportive craft community.
CERF+ Studio Protector
CERF+ Studio Safety Poster
CERF+ Disaster Resources
Americans for the Arts
In the past decade, we’ve witnessed an increase in both natural and man-made disasters throughout the United States. More and more emergencies can happen unexpectedly in communities just like yours, to people like you. Often, the arts are one of the first things people turn to in times of need. Make sure you’re able to support your community in these tough times.
Community recovery in the aftermath of such disasters is a crucial challenge, and the arts have a strong role to play. At a local, state, and federal level, decisionmakers must remember that the arts and creative workers are crucial to the successful economic and emotional reconstruction of communities devastated by disasters—but are often as profoundly impacted by these events as other small businesses and have a more difficult time receiving funding and resources to both rebound and participate in community recovery in the aftermath.
The arts are a vital component of the revitalization of disaster-affected communities. The arts illuminate the human condition, bring people together, and provide a crucial vehicle for healing. Disaster recovery includes addressing the emotional and spiritual healing of the community in addition to material necessities such as food and shelter; research shows that arts-based therapies in the aftermath of earthquakes, hurricanes, tsunamis, and other disasters reduce rates of distress, depression, and anxiety and increase hope, feelings of well-being and safety, and overall confidence.
In the months and years it will take to rebuild these communities, Americans for the Arts urges policymakers on the local, state, and federal level to ensure that the cultural infrastructure is as cared for as the physical needs of these places. These nonprofit cultural organizations and creative workers are the lynchpin to the future vitality of these communities, and they need financial assistance to conduct assessments and develop strategies toward rebuilding their capacity to serve their communities.
Disaster Preparedness and Response
Air Collaborative
Crisis And Mitigation Coach Training & Network
With support from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation, the National Coalition of Arts’ Preparedness & Emergency Response (NCAPER) has developed the Crisis Analysis & Mitigation (CAM) Coaching Program: a nationwide network of arts responders trained to coach distressed communities in developing or expanding mitigation efforts using the arts and creativity. Rather than waiting for another disaster to occur, NCAPER’s CAM Network coaches can work with affected communities as part of the mitigation process to be better prepared for the next disaster.
Crisis and Mitigation Coach Training (CAM Coaches)
HENTF (Heritage Emergency National Task Force)
The Heritage Emergency National Task Force, co-sponsored by FEMA and the Smithsonian Institution, strives to protect cultural and historic resources in our nation’s states, tribes, territories and local communities from the damaging effects of disasters. In addition to assisting museums and other cultural institutions when their collections are damaged by an event, HENTF helps reduce disaster suffering by assisting the public in salvaging flood-damaged family heirlooms.
HENTF leverages the expertise of its membership of more than 60 culture- and emergency management–related national service organizations and federal agencies to help FEMA and its federal partners connect with and assist cultural institutions and arts organizations at the local level.
HENTF (Heritage Emergency National Task Force)
Performing Arts Readiness
Planning for emergencies is vital for the survival of performing arts organizations. Planning will aid an organization in preventing emergencies, reducing their impact, and will speed recovery and resumption of operations following an emergency.
Some of the barriers to emergency planning by performing arts organizations have been a lack of awareness of the need for planning and access to resources. Many organizations have expressed a desire to see examples of emergency plans that were created for performing arts organizations. Sample emergency preparedness and disaster plans that were created as part of the first phase of the Performing Arts Readiness (PAR) project are downloadable from this webpage. Confidential information from these sample plans has been redacted or deleted.
These sample plans are made available for organizations to use as models for their own plans. While the content and structure of these samples may not exactly match your organization’s needs, you may find it valuable to use elements from several to help develop your plan.
These plans are made available by PAR under the Creative Commons License Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0).
