Strengthening Local Arts Response
- kristen155
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
NCAPER’s core activity is hosting Response Facilitation Calls for communities after disasters. These calls are initiated at the request of leaders in the affected area and help gather local arts and cultural responders, connect them with Steering Committee members and subject-matter experts, and lift community needs to the broader arts sector.
They also serve as a hub for resources and service providers that can support those directly impacted.
Over the years, we have facilitated calls for a month after Hurricane Harvey; nearly a year following Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands; nine months after the 2023 Maui wildfires; and nearly five months after Hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024.
These conversations support those on the ground and provide peer connection. They also give NCAPER a real-time view of how communities innovate in crisis. Many of our most effective tools and partnerships originated through these calls and continue to strengthen future responses. No artist or arts leader should face disaster alone. NCAPER creates a space to share, grieve, seek guidance, and find colleagues who can help chart a path forward.
In 2025, three major disasters prompted Response Facilitation Calls. Each one demonstrated the power of local leadership. As is often said in emergency management: all disasters are local. Local arts responders are central to recovery.
Eaton and Palisades Fires (January)
These fires were devastating in both scale and duration, and were still not fully contained when we began calls on January 13. Calls continued for six months. The Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture led a major research initiative to document impacts well beyond the burn zones. This information proved critical for arts responders, advocates, and public officials.
Guadalupe River Flooding (July)
Severe, unexpected overnight rainfall caused deadly flooding along the Guadalupe River in Central Texas. Artists, cultural institutions, and creative businesses in the Kerrville area experienced significant damage, canceled programming, and loss of work and revenue. The Kerrville Community Arts Program helped lead a strong, community-driven recovery effort.
Our calls through December connected local leadership with experts in arts-based mental health, and peer-to-peer guidance as the community navigates memorialization and long-term recovery. This resilience is shaping the future. Kerrville’s new Cultural District designation recognizes the vital role of the arts in rebuilding.
Red Hook Warehouse Fire (September)
While not a natural disaster, the massive warehouse fire in Red Hook, Brooklyn affected hundreds of artists. This included those with studios in the building and approximately 500 artists whose work was onsite for an annual open-studio tour. The National Heritage Responders conducted heroic on-site efforts that salvaged as much artwork as possible.
Response Facilitation Calls became a vital venue for sharing updates on artwork retrieval, safe handling practices, and legal and financial resources for those affected. https://redhookbiz.org/
NCAPER extends deep gratitude to our colleagues at the National Heritage Responders, Heritage Emergency National Task Force, Smithsonian Cultural Rescue Initiative, FEMA, NEA Creative Forces, the World Health Organization, and many others for their steadfast partnership.
2025 NCAPER & BAARN Engagements and Events
Jan 29, 2025
Creative West “Capacity Building: Emergency Preparedness” virtual
March 18, 2025
How To Get Ready for Anything! Easy Steps for Artists & Creatives (Kentucky Arts Council, Creative Industry Summit Series, webinar). Free webinar geared to artists & creatives, hosted by NCAPER.
March 20
Creative States Coalition “Readiness, Response and Recovery Partners” virtual
April 3, 2025
Community Recovery Through Arts and Culture - Performing Arts Readiness webinar NCAPER-affiliated webinar focused on arts recovery and resilience planning.
April 22, 2025
Practical Readiness Strategies for Artists - California Arts & Culture Summit (Sacramento, CA) In-person summit session presented by/with NCAPER.
May 6, 2025
American Alliance of Museums and Getty Foundation “Recovery and Resilience: Cultural Institutions in Response to Disaster” Los Angeles CA
May 19, 2025
Restoring Place, Rebuilding Community - Global Cultural Districts Network (GCDN) Annual Convening, Los Angeles. Session focused on role of cultural districts in recovery relevant to disaster response & community healing.
May 22, 2025
Twin Realities: The Arts as Disaster Recovery Partners and Clients - NVOAD 2025 Conference, Louisville, KY. Panel/presentation highlighting how arts organizations both serve and are affected by disasters
June 12, 2025
“Ascend,” League of American Orchestras Annual Conference - “Disaster Preparation and Recovery” session (Salt Lake City, UT). NCAPER represented (including ED) in a panel on disaster prep and recovery for orchestras.
June 27, 2025
DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities Emergency Management Symposium “From Blue Skies to Storms: Stories, Strategies, and Systems for Readiness in the Arts and Humanities” (online)
July 12, 2025
National Association of Counties, Philadelphia, PA Arts as a Catalyst for Change:
October 20, 2025
Grantmakers in the Arts Annual Conference “Funding Beyond the Crisis: How Philanthropy Can Build Arts Resilience Through Intermediaries”
October 8, 2025
Arts for LA State of the Arts Summit Roots, Recovery, and Regeneration” Los Angeles
October 23, 2025
PAR Community Recovery [same description as above in April]
BAARN launched in early 2025 under NCAPER. Activities include a listening tour, and a survey of Bay Area artists’ perceptions and needs in readiness planning.
Creative Forces Opportunity
The National Endowment for the Arts’ Creative Forces: NEA Military Healing Arts Network continues to expand. Through partnership with Mid-America Arts Alliance, the Creative Forces Community Engagement Program funds community-based arts programs that support the health and well-being of military-connected individuals, including those impacted by disasters and community emergencies.
Eligible organizations may apply for:
Matching grants up to $10,000 for one-year emerging projects
Matching grants up to $25,000 for one-year advanced projects
Applications close Thursday, January 15, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. CT. More information is available here: https://www.arts.gov/initiatives/creative-forces
dPlan/ArtsReady: Last Call for Fee Waivers
Thanks to support from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, arts organizations can receive a first-year fee waiver for dPlan|ArtsReady, an online preparedness and response tool for the arts and cultural heritage sector. Fee waivers end December 31.
dPlan/ArtsReady offers:
A mobile-friendly planning interface
Guided risk assessment and preparedness planning
Response and recovery tools for disasters large and small
Cloud storage for critical files to support continuity
Curated, expert-vetted resources from NEDCC and ArtsReady
Printable plan elements for use when technology is down
Request your discount code: https://bit.ly/dplanartsready
All of us at NCAPER wish you happy holidays and a safe and peaceful 2026. NCAPER’s response work is provided at no cost to communities affected by disaster. To help ensure we can respond immediately when the next crisis strikes, please consider supporting our efforts. MAKE A GIFT TODAY!
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